A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER…

 I met him on June 11, 2009 at Phidam house. We exchanged contacts and became friends immediately. He had his unique way of easily making friends at first sight, that is how he managed to hook me, who is an introvert, so fast!

That evening he called to check if I had arrived safely home. We talked at length, one question led to another and yes, we talked for an hour, thanks to Warid telecom. But how could this one-day old stranger engage me for sixty minutes? I prayed he was not after taking this casual friendship farther. I am not the kind that likes casual friendships; he was in for a shock. So I thought to myself.

Ring, ring, ring, my phone went early the next morning. It was the same caller. ‘Him again!’ I groaned from my sweet morning sleep.

‘I called to check how you slept, also to let you know that I will be travelling back today. Take care of yourself till you travel back home too.’ he said from the other end when I answered his call.

Well, I love care and pampering but this was getting overboard especially because I hardly knew this friend of mine. My scheduled day for travel came; yes he called me that morning to remind me that I had a long trip ahead of me. He said a prayer for me for journey mercies and a few sweet nothings over the phone. I began to like him. Probably he could make a good friend, or was this flirting?

During the journey he routinely called to establish how far I had gone and if I was enjoying my trip. I was on board with my friend Jackie so I was definitely enjoying the trip. Jackie wanted to know who this person was that wanted to get updates literally every minute. I am always open with my friends, so I told Jackie about my new found friend. This world is a small village…..Jackie knew the stranger in my life! They went to the same fellowship while at University.

‘Are you falling in love with him?’ Jackie teased me.

I blushed.  Was I falling in love?

Well, the phone conversations continued and became longer by the day. Weeks passed and yours truly would conveniently find reasons to be in Rukungiri where I was working. Either it would be a trip to the prayer mountain or a visit to a friend of a friend. I was not that naïve to be fooled. I knew poor boy was creating every opportunity to have another glimpse at me. The circle of my friends had all gone to Makerere University for their undergraduate studies. Most of them knew my newfound friend closely. One outstanding thing they recalled about him was the huge Bible (often making fun that it was bigger than him in size) that he would tag along with for Bible study. His overzealous participation in the Christian Union (read fire spitting and demon chasing) made him a common face in the students’ body then. This aided him to easily penetrate my circle of friends. For him it was merely a reunion to his old-time friends.

‘You can’t refuse this man’s proposal.’ my friends routinely reminded me. Poor boy had not yet even proposed.

A lot was happening too fast. I did not want to be swept off guard by the waves of emotion. I was well known to be a hard nut to crack in the area of relationships.

 My new friend suggested that I should pay him a visit. I agreed to this proposal and we set the date for June 28. This would be precisely on the 17th day since our first meeting. Through the nitty-gritty talk we had had, I had come to learn that his birthday would fall on July 01.

I was at crossroads, should I ignore this major milestone, or should I plan to celebrate with my newfound friend? I did not want to be misinterpreted in both options. Well, I decided with the latter option: it was a birthday worth celebrating and I would indeed go for it.

Towards the D-Day for the scheduled visit, I bought a beautiful tie, shirt and birthday card and had them wrapped. I moved with my gift to yours truly’ s apartment. I would be there just for hours, not planning to go back for the birthday celebrations. I hatched a plan to kill the proverbial two birds with one stone.

June 28th came, and I visited as promised. The treatment I received that day, the warmth with which I was received left an indelible mark on my mind. If this was the treatment I would be meant to receive thereafter, I was ready to fall in this stranger’s open arms. I reminded myself that we were just friends! Why was my mind racing faster than my body? I remembered that I was only being human…..guess everybody with flesh and blood goes through the same.

When time came to say the goodbyes, I asked my new friend to do me one favour. To keep the gift, I had carried along and my other friend in the vicinity would pick it sometime in July as her graduation gift from me. He literally wanted to do anything I asked for. He gladly kept the gift, not knowing it was his gift.

July 01 comes, and I call my 20 days old friend that my other friend ‘Patience’ has come to pick her gift. I direct him to where to find Patience with the gift. Yours truly leaves office, runs home to pick the gift and sets off to meet Patience at the said destination. In panting and sweat he arrives at the destination and there’s only him. He calls frantically to tell me that probably Patience has already left. Calmly I tell him to take the gift back to his apartment NOT his office. Another friend of mine ‘Diana’ would pick it from his house any time. He wanted to do as I said, I enjoyed the offer while it lasted. Poor boy called to ask if he should hang around home waiting for Diana. I told him to wait for just a few minutes.

‘Will you please do for me one last small favour?’ I called after a few minutes

‘You know I can do anything for you Prim. I love…sorry…aahhh ask for anything and I will do it.’ He fumbled over the line.

I asked him to unwrap the package that I left in his apartment.

‘But this is Patience’s gift. How do I explain to her the unwrapped gift….?’ he pleaded.

‘Well, you said I can ask for anything….I asked for that!’ I firmly responded. That is the strength of a woman. He nonetheless opened the gift and behold, the card therein gazed at him with the words scribbled on ‘DICKSON’

 He was lost for words! I had successfully managed to surprise him on his birthday.

Dickson, that was our first birthday together. Then you were hardly a month old in my life. God has granted that the rest of the birthdays after that memorable one have had to be enjoyed together.

Today is another birthday worth celebrating.  Then it was kind birthday wishes from me, today I bring more wishes from the two little Tumuramyes.

Oh how years fly! As I thank God today for the extra year added unto your life, my memory goes down the lane to the day I met you, and of course that first birthday we shared.

Happy birthday my friend and the love of my life.

©Prim K. Tumuramye

1^st July 2014

Prim is a Christian, wife, mother and Communications Specialist at Compassion International. She is passionate about reading, writing, youth mentorship and intentional parenting.