Invitation to a Party
“A party, a party Kiteng!” exclaimed Ddamba running up to me and waving a pink envelope in front of my nose. I was already making my way to the bus after the long school day and I wasn’t in the mood for games.
“What is so special about this party Ddamba,” I asked. “Surely you’ve been invited to parties before?” I had never seen Ddamba so excited.
“This is your invitation Kiteng, I’ve been invited too,” he thrust the small envelope into my hands. My heart missed a beat. I was invited to a party! No one had invited me to their party since I joined the school about 3 months ago.
“Go on, open it,” Ddamba prompted, as we sat down in the hot noisy bus.
I tore open the envelope excitedly, a little bit apprehensive and pulled out a small pink card. My heart sank, the invitation was from Mpulani! She was the richest and most popular girl in class or so she made herself out to be.
“Mpulani’s parties are usually fantastic everyone wants to go!” Ddamba’s eager voice broke into my thoughts. “Why are you not excited Kiteng? Not everyone in class was invited.”
“It’s not that I don’t like her, or that I think she is proud or anything, she just isn’t one of my friends,” I thought aloud. “We did the seed germination project together, and she was my partner in the badminton tournament we won last month. Oh and we are in the same dance group in the drama club, but that’s all.” I was really thinking about how delicate and expensive she always looked. I regarded her with respect, fear and a touch of envy. Certainly I was not in her ‘league' and would be terribly out of place at her party.
“Kiteng, to do all that together you must be friends!” Ddamba protested. “Anyway, I know for a fact that she likes you, that is why she invited you to her party.”
“I can’t go, I do not have a party dress, besides I have never been to a birthday party, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
Even as I spoke, I knew my arguments were lame and unconvincing, except the one about the dress. I stood up as the bus approached my corner and Ddamba followed. I tried to ignore the puzzled look on his face.
The cool late afternoon breeze felt comforting on my shoulders as we walked to my house and the smell of freshly baked bread and scones that greeted us was reassuring.
“Mama must be home early,” I thought aloud again, but to my great surprise, it was grandmother who was clad in an apron standing by the kitchen stove! For a moment all my fears about the party were forgotton and I ran to hug grandmother.
“When did you come, Grandma? How was the journey? How is my friend Akilla? Are you well?” The questions just came tumbling out. Grandmother laughed hugging me back. She drew chairs for us at the kitchen table.
“One thing at a time Kiteng,” she said pouring tea and freshly baked scones for us.
I introduced Ddamba to her and continued to ask her more questions about Mene Village and her journey. Ddamba was full of questions too. He had never been out of the city and never tired of hearing about the countryside. Soon it was time for Ddamba to leave and I walked him to the corner. He brought up Mpulani’s party again, taking great lengths to persuade me that it would be fun. I finally agreed to go with him and returned home worrying about what I would wear and how I would fit in with Mpulani and her friends.
At dinner that night I could not stop thinking about Mpulani’s party. Whatever was I going to do?
“What’s the matter, Kiteng?” Mama asked. “You are so quiet and you haven’t touched your food.”
I pulled out the pink envelope and handed it to her.
“This is wonderful, Kiteng has been invited to a party!” Mama eagerly passed the invitation to grandmother. “We shall go shopping tomorrow for a party dress and a present for your friend.”
“Thank you Mama,” I answered quietly feeling a little bit relieved, but still not convinced that I would fit in with Mpulani and her friends. At least I would have a dress for the party, I thought.
I turned in early that night and lying in bed, I tried to get rid of the image of Mpulani’s party. An uneasy feeling about the party kept nagging at me. I finally convinced myself to tell Ddamba the next day that I would not be able to go.
It wasn’t until we were walking to the bus at the end of the school day, that I had a chance to talk to Ddamba about Mpulani’s party and my decision. Ddamba was shattered.
“I've already told Mpulani that we would be going together, you can’t back out now!” he responded angrily. “What’s wrong with you?”
I was adamant and he was stubborn. This was our first real disagreement and I felt miserable. I had upset my best friend and he was not even trying to understand my position. We remained silent for the rest of the bus trip and the walk to my house. I couldn’t understand why he had to walk home with me when he was so obviously annoyed at me.
I went straight to my room after seeing how grandma was, leaving Ddamba with her in the kitchen eating scones. There spread out on my bed was the most beautiful ocean blue party dress I had ever seen! I stared at it in astonishment. Ddamba and grandmother had followed me and were peering over my shoulders.
“Wow!” Ddamba exclaimed quietly under his breath, but I heard him.
I had to admit though that the dress was gorgeous and so were the matching shoes next to it. Any girl would be pleased to wear them to an occasion. I was positively thrilled at the thought of wearing the stunning dress even though it would be at Mpulani’s party!
Mama came in and joined us at the door. “Well,” she asked. “Do you like it?”
I rushed up to her and hugged her tightly, “Thank you mama, its exquisite!”
Ddamba and I sat down on the small veranda at the front of the house, watching the world go by.
“I still feel uneasy about going to the party,” I told him. “I don’t have a present for Mpulani and frankly I am worried about how I will fit in with her friends, I am just a village girl.” There I had finally said it.
“Don’t worry about fitting in, Kiteng,” he said. “It will be just like being at school, except this time we shall be at Mpulani’s house and all dressed up. I'll be there with you all the time. And there is nothing wrong with being ‘a village girl’. I like you just the way you are!”
Just then, grandmother walked out to the veranda carrying a small bundle similar to the one that I had carried when I first came to city.
“Are you leaving already grandmother?” I asked quickly, feeling rather let down that I had been at school throughout her visit.
“No dear, this is a surprise for you from Akilla’s mother,” she said laying the bundle on my laps. “She made them especially for you and perhaps one of your friends.”
Oh my God! My jaw dropped as I stared at the lovely handmade Lokomotit leather slippers in my hands. I had forgotton how dainty and elegant their beadwork was.
“They are a perfect gift for Mpulani,” I said quietly, stroking them and turning them over, finding it hard to believe that I had such a magnificent and unique gift for Mpulani.
“Oh thank you grandma,” I jumped up and hugged her. I was beginning to feel excited about the party now that I had such a gorgeous dress and elegant slippers for a present! I looked forward to seeing Mpulani’s face when she opened her gift.
Turning to Ddamba, I smiled shaking my head at him. “I’m so glad you insisted I go to Mpulani’s party, I am really looking forward to it now!”
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The party was fantastic and everyone loved my dress. Mpulani was thrilled with her present and there were lots of games, food and fun. Mpulani’s house was enormous and elegant! I wonder how they manage to live in such a huge house! Mpulani is really a friendly girl and so are her friends. I was a little bit ashamed that I had judged them because of what they looked like and had not really taken the time to know them. Mpulani and I are best of friends now and Ddamba is my best friend too. Mama says that it is okay to have more than one best friend.
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