I and Tomiwa grew up as childhood friends in a very small community, as kids, we were so young and free and since she lived close by, we always had the opportunity to see each other almost all the time which made our bond closer.
Sometimes we went on errands together, other times we took a stroll around the neighbourhood, but most weekends, we spend it together as friends, playing games, and having fun in our own little way.
It's either she came to my house or I did, but that particular day, I noticed I hadn't set my eyes on her, so that Saturday evening I went looking for Tomiwa when I realized she was unhappy, she sat on a yellow chair outside her balcony, gazing into the sky, she must have been thinking about a lot of things.
I stood in front of her for a while waving, but sadly she didn't take notice of my presence, I called her name twice, she seemed to be carried away with a lot in her mind which made me quite worried. "Why was she lost in thought?" I whispered and with concern in my heart, I tapped her shoulder which jolted her to reality and then I asked, "Tomiwa, is everything okay, why do you look quite unhappy?"
"Amie, I am going to miss you a lot," her response left a puzzle in my head, "Miss me? Why would you miss me, won't I see you again?" I further inquired.
"We are relocating to our new house very far from here, I am not sure will we get to see again, it will take a very long time," Tomiwa stood up from her seat and gave me a very tight hug and I almost let out a tear.
"Oh my God, I am so going to miss you Tomiwa, wish I had a phone, I would have called you," I felt a lot of emotions inside of me, that of joy, because she was relocating to a house built by her father and then an emotion of sadness because I was one who didn't find it easy bonding and making new friends when I was younger.
I began to imagine how boring my life would be without her in the community, how I will have to go on errands without her and that made me quite sad.
We sat in quietness for a while, and then we decided to make the few last moment with each other count.
"Let's write each other a letter?" I suggested and immediately she smiled, she knew I had a knack for writing which means I was ready to do something I loved for her, she too wasn't a bad writer, at least she was good at making simple compositions and writing regular letter as we've been taught a lot of times in school, she went inside of her house, brought out two pieces of paper and two pens. "Great idea Amie," she said as she handed me one of the paper and pen, we both sat down, as she began to write and I began to write.
We should be in our early teens as at then, we should be about thirteen years or fourteen years of age, the letters we wrote were very simple letters of not more than hundred words, although I cannot remember the content verbatim but what I do know is that, it was the most sincere letter I had ever received.
I felt each words written in it and that letter was a memory to hold on to.
After Tomiwa relocated, whenever I wanted to feel her presence, I went to where I kept her letter and read it aloud.
I vowed to keep the letter so well and I did kept to my promise until we relocated to our own house a few years later.
I lost that priceless gift, and although I lost the letter, I knew she missed me too, "I'll miss you so much my friend, and I love you so much," was one of the concluding part of the letter and whenever I recall I smile.
Now I am older, whenever I reminisce about the bond I and Tomiwa my childhood friend shared, it brings smiles to my face even though she isn't here with me physically and I am very glad I met someone like her.
I still hope that someday, I would come in contact with her, as the world is digital, I have tried looking for her on social media, but my search were all to no avail.
"Maybe she didn't sign up with her real name?" I've soliloquized a lot of times, however I look forward to the day I will reunite with my childhood friend once again and maybe never to part again.
All images used are mine.
