INNOCENCE

My dad died when i was four year old. Before his death, one could say i had a blissful life. He was very protective of his own and we never lacked. Out of the blues, a message came through. He was dead! Well I won't say I understood the pain that followed. I don't recall crying at all. I was four. I just knew for a while I didn't see him around. That was when the ugly monster reared its head.
As I recall, my mother was always crying and was not allowed to leave the house. Every other person was by her side. That day, I sat out by the door of the duplex we shared with other tenants. You see we lived at that time in what we call the Face-Me-i-Face- you house. We had all sort of people living downstairs while the Landlady stayed upstairs with her family.

He came to me like a familiar stranger...I recall I used to call him Uncle Stephen. He was one of the tenants. He beckoned at he and i went to him. Till date, how I got into the room i don't recall but I know that i was touched. Then there was a knock at the door.  I saw Aunty Kemi. He didn't let her in. He said something about cleaning his room.  The rest I do not remember... All of this sometimes come to me like it was a dream. The time i realized what was done, I had grown into teenhood. That was  when I picked up anger and hatred!