Page 15 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 27 Final

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out paying attention to detail, we carried the

heavy load home. Upon arrival, we started
to feed our curiosity about this discovery.
Some suggested that it could be used as a

prop resembling a table, some thought it
wiser to have it as a stool, playfully push-
ing each other and taking turns to sit on top
of it. Finally, we all agreed that the bro-
ken-down gadget was to remain as a tele-

vision prop in our game. We then gathered
bricks and carefully arranged them one on
top of the other. Later we placed our tele-

vision set on an elevated platform we had
created. Quietly in our humble dozen, we
sat down facing the broken screen, shep-
herding our minds into our little imaginary
worlds. Suddenly an air of fear and panic

gripped us all. Pandemonium unexpectedly
took over as we scattered from the scene
like morning mist that had been pierced by

sunrise’s first rays. We ran with great speeds
befitting an Olympic contest. What dreadful
thing happened on the day? We shall come
to that in a moment, for now, let’s go back
to the scrapyard. In all our escapades to this

place as young adventurers, it was always
evident that the place exuded a profound
statement that I could not properly decipher passed that saw them being unjustly quali-

back then. Reflecting years later, it dawned fied as candidates for the scrapyard. Among
that the scrapyard might just be an allegory the choking fumes of burning rubber, dis-
of different human experiences in the face used metal sheets, and yesteryear shells of
of trauma, rejection, and pain. dumped apparatus, they are now buried,
distanced from either sight or rescue. With

Some were useful pieces of machinery that each passing day, their lamentations pour
lightened the day’s labor in the artisans’ over the years they gifted in unflinching
hands. With only a few scratches, unoiled faithfulness to duty which was rewarded

components, lost bolts, and screws, one was with betrayal and neglect.
not patient enough to look into the details of
their malfunctions, and a hasty decision was Some are parked cars in the scrapyard,

ISSUE 27 | MAY 2024 15