When I returned to Ghana in 2019, I had originally planned to remain for only a few months and then return to the USA. However, COVID-19 commenced, became a full-scale plague in China, and developed into a worldwide pandemic within a few months. My relatives and friends in North America warned me that hundreds of thousands of people were dying weekly in the USA and advised me that it might be safer to remain in West Africa. Out in the Brong Ahafo Region, where I resided, there were hardly any cases of COVID-19. A few people contracted the disease, but they all recovered. Although Mary and I first met in 2020, since she was away at college pursuing her studies, we only saw each other on rare occasions, and our interpersonal interactions were limited. I was in the Berekum Market in March 2024, just outside the gates. An area where traders selling towels, sheets, cosmetics, and cleaning detergents plied their merchandise. While chatting with a friend who was also a trader, I suddenly became aware of the presence of a tall, slender, and very beautiful girl who mysteriously became a part of the conversation. I was completely bowled by her appearance and invited her to sit beside me on a nearby bench so that I could chat with her and get to know her better.
While we were only a few minutes into our conversation, I heard Mary protesting, “Mommy, that’s my gentleman!” What seemed to be a paroxysm of fear, insecurity, jealousy, and anger was unfolding right before me. Mary’s mother came over immediately and interrupted us. “This is Mary’s sister,” Mr. James; you can’t have both of them.” Mary appeared on the scene shortly after that, and I asked her, “Baby, where have you been?” “I am here!” she responded authoritatively. Then she gave me her telephone number and ordered, “Call me.” I was completely taken aback by these developments. I had never met Mary’s sister before and was unaware she and her mother were nearby. Those events were extremely embarrassing to me, to say the least. Especially since the pain and emotional trauma in Mary’s voice were so pronounced. “Why would they conclude that I was threatening my relationship with Mary by merely chatting with her sister?” I wondered.
About one month after my return from the USA in 2023, I lost my smartphone. When I was given Mary’s urgent directive, I only had an inexpensive phone I didn’t know how to use. Accordingly, I called no one, neither Mary nor her sister, who had also given me her number, because she was probably unaware that I was her sister’s boyfriend. These events seemed to be a full demonstration of Mary’s love for me. If there were any previous doubts regarding her commitment to a relationship with me, such questions were soon eliminated. I didn’t see Mary in the market for approximately two months after those events, and while conversing with a nearby trader, I was informed that she and her sister had both graduated from college. Mary had a Bachelor’s degree in Education, and her sister had a Bachelor of Nursing degree. I had never given Mary anything before, and I concluded that now would be a good time to express my admiration, respect, and affection by presenting her with a gift. I bought some expensive cosmetics and waited for the opportunity to present itself. One sunny Friday afternoon in March, I saw Mary at her usual place in the market, and after greeting her in the usual manner, I informed her that I had a gift for her.
Her immediate response was, “A gift for me?” “Yes,” I said. It’s at my house. I was going to bring it to your house on Monday, but since you are here today, I will go home and fetch and deliver it.” “Will you be here when I return? This won’t take long.” She assured me that she would wait until I returned with her gift. I quickly went home, fetched the gift, and returned to her stall as soon as time would permit. To my profound disappointment, however, Mary was nowhere to be seen. She had left. Her maneuver perturbed me greatly. “What could this possibly mean,” I wondered to myself. Was she just playing hard to get? Or was this a sign that she was unwilling to face the challenges and vicissitudes of a long-term relationship? Or did she run away because she was just shy? I left the cosmetics bag with her neighbor and asked her to collect Mary’s telephone number. She assured me that she would. But the gift was neither delivered nor was the requested telephone number forthcoming. Her mother ultimately received the bag that I had left, and so I gave her my telephone number and asked her to have Mary give me a call. Before I left her stall, Mary’s mother was courteous enough to thank me repeatedly. I felt considerably better because I thought, “At least my cosmetics bag was appreciated by someone.”
About one week later, I received a call from a woman whose voice I failed to recognize. I couldn’t distinguish her voice because we hadn’t spoken on the phone for at least two years. She was disappointed that I didn’t recognize her, and after she gave me a few hints, especially the one about the bag of cosmetics, I finally realized that I was talking to Mary. “Is this the woman that I love?” I questioned. “The one who ran away for some strange reason that I have failed to fathom?” She pled guilty to the preceding charges, and we began a conversation. We were disconnected before the conversation ended, but we resumed all contact on WhatsApp after that. She explained that her phone was defective and the network in her area was deplorable.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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