I was posted to Kumasi for National Service. On weekends, I had to travel back to Accra for a program that I was doing.
My boss introduced me to a woman who traveled to Accra from Kumasi almost every weekend. So on weekends, I would join her car and we would both go to Kumasi. At first, it was awkward. Two strangers trapped in a tinny cabin of a Toyota Camry. We didn’t have a lot to say.
One day she asked, “Do you know how to drive?” I didn’t even finish saying yes when she pulled off and gave me the car to drive. That day she slept all through the journey as I drove. When we got to Accra, she told me, “I barely have any use for this car when I get to Accra. Take me home and from there you can take the car home, then you pick me up on Sunday so we both go back to Kumasi.”
That became the norm. Every weekend I would drop her off at her house and then take the car home.
It was 24th December and work had gone on break for Christmas. We were on our way to Accra when she asked, “Do you think I’m too old to find a boyfriend?” I answered, “No one is too old for love. Plus you’re very beautiful and young, if you put yourself out there now, someone would take his chance on you.”
We had a lengthy chat about true love, how to find it and where. At some point, there was this sweet tension between us. Like if one of us made a move, the other would succumb. I was only a boy—just 23. She was a woman—39 or 40. I couldn’t make a move until she did.
From that day on we were lovers. I didn’t go home for Christmas. It was her and I—alone and free. She cooked the best meals, brought home surprising gifts, and loved the best way she could. We went to the movie, went shopping and bought gifts for each other with her own money. She said, “All of a sudden I feel young again. This is what I should have done when I was eighteen or nineteen or twenty but I was a good girl. Now see me.”
We were together until work resumed and we had to go back to Kumasi. When I dropped her off in Kumasi, she said “This won’t take us anywhere no matter how long we would love to keep going. It’s sad but even if we want to stay like this forever, society won’t allow us.” My guy guy self said, “Forget about society. It’s us now and that’s the most important thing.”
We kept true to ourselves and kept going. When things got tough for me during the week, I looked forward to the good things the weekend would bring. I knew some things for sure; That the weekend would come. That I would sit next to her in a car and our bodies would rub against each other. That I would drop her off in her house and spend some time with her before going home. That I will drive her back to Kumasi and she might sleep all the way.
These things kept me going and made my National Service as good as good should be even when others were complaining of hardship. So one day I asked her; “When would you like me to introduce you to my parents?” She answered, “Introduce me to your parents when you want this to be over.”
