After SHS, my parents made it clear that that was how far they could bring me as far as my education was concerned. I did very well to be able to go to the university, but they told me they couldn’t afford it and that my kid brother was also coming up and they needed to support him. Yes, it was true, but I wished they could have tried harder.

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When I realized they couldn’t do anything for me, I lied to them that I had a job in Accra, so I left them and traveled to Accra to live with a friend. I started selling, but looking at how much I was making a day, it could take me forever to go to school, so I stopped and looked for work that would pay better.

While looking for a job, I met Uncle, a man as old as my dad. He said he would help, but I later became his girlfriend. He was paying for my existence, and all I had to do was provide intimacy. He took me to school and paid for a hostel and everything I needed until, at level two hundred, this man fell sick and had to be taken care of by his family. Everything ceased.

I started moving from one older man to another, raising money to be able to afford education, rent, and buy food. I’m not proud of it, but something had to give to make my dream come true, and that was all that was available to me.

At level 300, my parents started making demands. “Your dad is sick, bring money home.” “Your younger brother’s school fees ought to be paid, bring money home.” I could send them my last, and they’d still come back tomorrow. In their mind, I was working and making a lot of money.

I’m currently at level four hundred, but things are hard. The old men in my life don’t pay like the previous ones. Some of them even ask for receipts for things I collect money for, so it’s hard, but my parents wouldn’t stop bothering me. They ask, “Who are you using your money on that you can’t take care of us? Have you forgotten so soon how we sold our clothes to take you through SHS?”

They make me so annoyed I want to tell them the truth. That I’m dealing with men my dad’s age because my dad couldn’t become the man who could afford to take his kids through school. It hurts me a lot, the things they tell me when I’m not able to send them money, so I want to also retaliate and tell them if they had lived their lives well, I wouldn’t end up moving around with men to pay for my life.

I’ve relaxed recently, only for my younger brother to call yesterday and tell me, “Dad has packed my things. He says I should come and live with you.”

Is There A Perfect One Out There For Everyone?

Live with who? And where? And eat what? I’m thinking I should tell them what I do to take care of myself so they would leave me alone. Is it a good idea? Actually, I don’t care how that would make them feel. I just want them to leave my back so I can travel light and freely.

—Junice

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