Birthdays Are Not for The Dead

As I hummed to MJ's "Beat it"
The toothpaste trickled playfully down my lips
(I would have done the "go-360-till-you-get-dizzy-and-loose-your-head" spin
But when i considered the distance between my house and the next available orthopedic hospital....I changed my mind!)
Yes, I am not one to brush my teeth
The way I scrub my feet
So, I rinsed off the minty taste of the paste
Before it journeys down my throat in a haste

Then, I stood on tiptoes
Uh-oh the mirror has suddenly grown taller
"Pshew, agbaya"
I scolded myself as I observed the lady in the mirror

Nothing has changed

Yet, today I am a year older

"But how come I haven't grown 365inches taller?"
I thought as I made my way back into the room
Yeah right I reasoned, "you will...when Yar'adua fulfills his 7point a-gun-down...oops 'agenda'
As if on cue, Nepa struck
"odechi", (it no pain me) i blurted
But wait a...HA!!! My birthday dress lies on the bed limp and rumpled
Like a prodigal lover, i smiled toothily at the cold stare of the dead fluorescent
"Nepa, pls now, don't do this to me...you know today is...

Then my phone rang for the one-millionth time
(It'd be criminal if you'd believed that...but lets just say I'm the bday gal, so i've got every right to EXaGeRRate.. ha ha ha)
I had braced myself for a "happy birthday' song from my friend who was calling
But as I flipped the phone...OMG!
"TMT,are you there" she bellowed out louder than a pipe-flute
"yeah girlf..."
"You are still speaking English...see have you heard?"
(Now I know she has forgotten my birthday. That girl, i will show her...but another day, not today. I plan to be the most benevolent of all beings today)
"Heard what"
"Hmm, where are we going? ehn? I just saw it on CNN now"
"What did you see now..." If it's on CNN then it ain't no good news
Then, hurriedly she said " Yee, no credit again o...make sure you send me-2-u now"
"But you haven't told me what you saw on CNN" I quickly caught up with her
"It's crazy Temitayo, Obama is going to Ghana"
There was a slight rustle in network, so she repeated " Did you hear meeee, Obamaaaaaaaa is going to Ghanaaaaaaaaaaaa"

"Click" the line went dead.

I shook my head as i settled next to my rumpled cloth on the bed
Obama, "our brother" in Ghana
It's a sorry case of "Nawa ooo"
Then my SMS alert beeped
"I hope this is a lovely birthday wish o" I mumbled
Too late to hope, i guess. The content was hopeless!
"Hp u've heard that Obama is goin 2 Ghana.
Guess who's coming to lag on a rollercoaster?
Our own "messiah's" with luv frm d Niger-Delta!!!
By d way, Happy bday...tlk 2 u l8r"

Whether i dropped the phone or it slipped from my hand, I can't say
I became lost in thought and transition. Guess it comes with adding another year huh?

But it was then I remembered her
My birthday mate.

She would have been the first to call me today
She would have made me laugh so much tears would spill at both corners of my eyes
She would have made a joke out of Obama's ommission and the millitants menace
She would have clumsily sang Happy birthday in her trademark birdy voice

But, two years ago,
My Birthday mate
Slipped away to heaven's gate
And all effort became a lil' too late

As i fought back the tears that beclouded my sight
I knew, beyond every shadow of doubt
That Today...Yes, this present day is not just a cyclical advancement of a lifetime
Today is a life-day out of a life-time.
A day to be thankful...just like any other day
A day to do that brush-a-second-rinse-a-millisecond...just like any other day
A day to yawn with my mouth oh-so-wide-opened...just like any other day
A day to learn the moon-walk even if it'd embarrass MJ...just like any other day....

Like a scolded child, I went on my knees and sang a lovesong to God
For I am not in the least the best of His beings...
Without much thought, I sprang to my feet
And pulled on my rumpled birthday dress

I looked back at the lady in the mirror
And i smiled at what i saw. She tilted her head and softly whispered

"Birthdays are not for the dead
Though you hit me in the head
I would not budge or tears shed
For it is by His grace that I got out of bed
Therefore,I shall rejoice because He gives me bread"

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The End.

NB: ** I credit the title to inspiration from Prof Osofisan's "Birthday's are not for dying" (eh, eh, I haven't read/ seen the play though, but that catchy philosophy in the title gave me a reason to write this)
** It's Fiction...a.k.a the imaginative prowess of the pen. xoxo