P.S. Heaven

Year: 1920
Story told by Jacob Adballa

Another autumn day sets in on the seaside village of Lulworth village, England. My father Akuji Adballa and I were heading back towards our run down cottage that is close to the town centre. We lived alone together; people didn’t really reach out much to us because we were different. Ever since my mother brought Akuji back to England from Africa hoping to change his life. They seemed happy yet when I came into the picture things changed.

My mother, Megan Turner she was known as before she married the mayor’s son. She worked as a nurse for the missionary her along with her husband Lewis Stone, or I should say Dr Stone went to Africa to help people in Kenya. According to Akuji the place was full of wild animals and it was hard living off the land in tribes yet they manage to get by. Akuji is Swahili and lived with his family near Lake Turkana in small colony. Though they lacked a lot of much needed medical aid, food, education etcetera that’s where my mother and Dr Stone came in to tend the colonies medical problems. It was also the way Akuji met Megan for the first time. My mother is very beautiful she had blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin though she didn’t like the harsh summer heat.  Megan tended to Akuji ill family who he was trying to keep alive though was failing at trying to do so. Akuji watched as she helped his parents and grandmother along with Dr Stone by her side.

There were times where she given him a look, look of kindness maybe something deeper that Akuji never had. Love, was something Akuji was yet to feel though he appreciates her work that at least attempted to make things right. He recalls the night which he finds his parents and his grandmother died leaving him in fear and loneliness. Luckily he made the rushed to search from Dr Stone and Megan tent they were staying him, even then Akuji didn’t notice the little chemistry between the nurse and the doctor. Megan was surprised to see him run into the tent tears streaming from his eyes. From there he told her that his family died sadly before his eyes and was upset at them, the fact their medical service failed. Of course Dr Stone was there and he tried to protect her from Akuji outbursts yet he soon saw Megan take Akuji outside alone. From there she explained and calms Akuji down a little, that moment a little after my mother opened her heart to him. After there work was done they left to come back home to England, yet my mother brought Akuji with her since he deserves a better life.

Now I do find it hard to believe that my mother was like that compared to what she did to us…..

“Father, there’s those boys again protect me” I said staying close to him. My father was very tall, strong built though he still carries me around like I was a baby. I’m not one anymore, being thirteen years old and very scared of most of the children in Swanage. Like my father we stand out amongst the locals of this fishing town yet he seemed to be the only one who cares and protects me. I try and do the same for him. As we continued walking up the hill it was then my mother and Mayor Dr Stone came waltzing out of a town house. She didn’t look nor did him, they knew we were here yet chose to shun us away like ghosts. “Son, don’t stare at them they don’t mean anything to us” Akuji said as they turned off the path and walked up to our home. My father works as a grave digger, very bleak low paid job that is only occasional when someone dies. Being exposed to such a terrible thing makes me feel even more depressed. We were just lucky to land some work here apparently grave digging is the less of a social able work. Just the digging and the time spent talking about my ideas for poems and stories to write down and one day publish is satisfying. If not digging we clean out people’s chimneys whenever they were blocked. I guess we do odd jobs for people just to get by. I still can’t get over my mother leaving us, tricking Akuji that she loved him and everything when it was all a lie to make him forget about his losses. Ever day I wonder about it and I ask my father about their relationship he described as short. He says little about it though it was painful for him to dwell on something that hurts both of us. “Home again, with couple of pennies to spread on food” my father said as he we went inside our dank cold looking home. At least it’s a roof over our heads, though Akuji wanted so much more to get away from being poor. We have a fire place we always light up during the cold evenings and nights. We have a small stove, which we cook on along with a sink some cupboards which we collected all the unwanted items from the church. A lot of our items were from there thankfully the priest is gracious, kind and willing to help us.

Father Maxwell who works at St Patrick’s church where we tend to each Sunday mass.  Both I and Akuji believe in god, though Akuji talked about his African religions even stories about hunting for animals, sleeping out in the jungles, tribal dances and ceremonies he once knew of. Now he isn’t feeling much at home at all here. There are times where he would put on a smile and say that he is grateful for getting through the days with a roof over our heads and god watching over us.
“Father, are we eating rabbit stew?” I said as I went over to him in the kitchen area. “Most likely, I try and make do with some boiled cabbage and vegetables from the back garden. We grow our food mostly we could afford seeds luckily enough the soil was fertile enough to grow vegetables and fruits. Also we go hunting like Akuji use to in Africa though there weren’t any zebras, antelopes and any other beast that made a decent meal. Akuji said they also ate a lot of berries, occasional insect or two which makes me feel ill thinking about it. “Go set the table Jacob” father said as I gather two plates, two mugs and some cutlery and placed them on our small wooden table. Akuji was a great cook though my mother was better, luckily in the short time she was here taught and shown Akuji everything he needed to know. “Nearly ready” he said as he took the stew off the stove and poured into two bowls before bring them and placing them on the table. “Smells wonderful father” I said with a smile. “I’m glad I have you around kid, your wonderful gift from heaven” he always says before we did a small thank you pray for the meal. It was like a routine each day for us, it never bothered us breaking it we settle into it nicely. “Mmmmm delicious” I said with a smile, I like complimenting him something I think my mother doesn’t do a lot for any of us.

After our meal ended and the dishes were washed and put away. From there I take a bath in some of the pre boiled water due to having no hot water. By then I was tired enough to go to my bed and fall straight to sleep. That night my head filled with wondrous dreamland I always seem too reached amongst the bleak and dullness of my days. Those colourful dreams inspire me to write the next day when that dawns. The nights can get cold out here yet I and Akuji still keep warm under numerous blankets on our rickety beds. Soon the autumn sun will shine through the windows and waking us up from our beds. After pulling myself upright and out of bed onto the cold floor “Grandfather… I know you’re trying to tell me something” I thought as I went over to my small table where my papers and writing tools laid. I sat down and started jotting down what I remembered from my dream so I don’t forget it. “Morning son” Akuji said as he walked by my room “Morning” I replied softly. Akuji’s African accent still was part of him very little British in his speech. I like it I kind of wish I had developed his style of talking it always sounded up beat and cheery. “Jacob you ok?” he said as he came back to my door way to see me slumped slight over my desk. “I’m fine I just had another dream with my grandfather in” I said trailing off. “You don’t have one. I never met him your mother never breathe a word. Sorry son your imagination is playing tricks on you” he said as he stood by my side. I turned and hugged him and he placed his large hands and arms around me “It’s just a dream son” he said before letting me go. “Ill go and start breakfast, get dressed we got work to do” he added as he left my room “I really need to know… about my grandfather…today” I thought to myself as I stood up and got changed into my clothes before making my bed. As I left my room the wafting smell of breakfast was tickling my hungry taste buds. I walked in to see Akuji cooking fried eggs and toasting some bread to place them on. “What we will be doing today?” I asked as I tended to the bread.

Akuji turns the stove off and placed the eggs on the butter bread I made and then we sat down to eat. “Father Maxwell got some things we need to do at the church before doing any other jobs” Akuji said as we started eating. “I like father Maxwell” I said as we talked “Out of everyone here, he has a true heart of gold” Akuji said. “I hope we don’t have to do the mayor’s house” I groaned hoping they weren’t slugging more under paid work. “No I refuse to do work for the mayor due to your mother marrying him and leaving us” Akuji said as he finished off his egg on toast. “I know you don’t believe in my grandfather, I know I have one cause my mother” I said as I stood up from my chair. “Jacob stop dwelling on this please it will only bring pain” Akuji said as he stood up and taken our dirty plates to the sink.

to be continued