The great Escape! by Victor Akunna

They never came to watch my games nor poem citations.

They were never emotionally present when we ‘spend’ time together.

There was always something more important- a phone call, Facebook, a meeting, a friend, fellowship etc.

Everything else made their To-do list but me.

I got the leftovers and even the leftovers were seasoned with emotional outbursts.

I tried several times to connect with my parents but was never successful.

I felt like a nuisance, an inconvenience, an intruder.

I finally quit trying. That was when I met Lucy.

She was smart, happy and beautiful.

She knew everybody, every corner, her friends were big boys or rather big men.

They always bought her expensive watches, phones, bags, perfumes.

I had many questions which Lucy never answered, at best she would wink at me or ask me why I wanted to know.

How come she had many uncles who visited her in school not at home?

How come these uncles were meeting her male friends only?

How come they never stepped out of their posh cars rather they chose to hide behind their tinted windows?

One day, she asked me to accompany her to one of her uncle’s house, it was his birthday party.