SUICIDAL?

My phone rang this morning and it was a friend of my mother's, Aunty J. I was kinda surprised because she had never called to speak with me specifically. I knew then that something was not right.

Me- Hello

Aunty J- Hello? Bibi, it's Aunty J.

Me- Oh, hi Aunty J. Do you want to speak to ma?

A.J- Actually...no. I wanted to talk to you

Me- Okay, but is everything okay?

A.J- Err...not really. Nene tried to kill herself

Say what?!! Nene. Tried to kill herself. Ok, backtrack. Nene. Aunt J's little girl. About yea high, almost 14 years old, cute little girl who follows me around whenever she sees me. Loves putting on my jewellries and make-up whenever she's over at the house. Nene. Tried to kill herself.

Me- Oh my God. Is she alright?

A.J- (sounds exhausted) Yes she is. At least for now she is.

Me- Oh my God. What did she do? What happened?

A.J- She said that she was in the caffeteria in school eating when this girl took her food away from her and told her that she didn't need anymore food because she was already too fat.

Me- Are you serious?

A.J- Yes o. She took her food away from her and my Nene came back home and drank the whole bottle of bleach in the bathroom.

Me- Oh my God.

A.J- See me my dear o. I have been running from hospital to hospital for the past week.

You have got to be kidding me! Too fat?!! The poor girl can't even be described as plump! you know that stage we girls go through were we start growing breasts and our tummy's are still "poking out"? thats the stage she's at right now. So what the hell does this little bitch mean by "too fat"?

Me- Oh my God, Aunt J i'm so sorry.

A.J- Thank God abi? That she's still alive. See me o Bibi. The only child God has given to me. And now she wants to die? God forbid. Anyways, i wanted to ask a favor from you

Me- Anything ma

A.J- Well, you see i was wondering if you could spend some time with Nene and talk to her. Maybe a day or so. She's already in therapy but i just feel that she needs somewhat of a role model and since she knows you very well and although you're not a skinny girl, you're doing very well for yourself. i just thought that she might need someone like you to...you know, show her how to feel beautiful in her own skin. you know...

Me- Of course Aunt J. No problem.

A.J- Okay.

OH MY GOD. This is just too freaky for me to handle. I just still can't grasp the idea that Nene was trying to kill herself. But what else was she drinking a bottle of bleach for? Not skin bleaching obviously. She always keeps to herself but i never thought she was depressed. i just thought that maybe she was shy or something. But she's such a sweet girl. Always complimenting my hair, clothes and all that. And so pretty too. It's such a shame. Well, i hope i can help her really. Maybe get her to see that having some flesh on your bones is not that bad. Just as long as you're healthy.

For some comic relief
This whole thing had me thinking back to those days when I was growing up. Our house was not your typical family. My grandmother never liked her house to be empty so she somehow had all her children leave their kids with her. It started out with just school vacations when we came to spend the hols with her. Before you knew it, we were all living there. A total of 16 of us. Amongst us was a cousin of mine Becky. Her situation was different because her parents just got seperated because of her mother's unfaithfulness. And this really scarred her because she apparently begged her mother not to go but the woman don already get anoda bobo for outside so she just walked out on her husband and kid. Anyways, when Becky's dad brought her over to live, she was about 17 years old and very depressed.But we never knew just how depressed she really was. Until one day when we were all in the living room. Miracle ran in

Mir- Mama! Mama! Becky wan kill himself o!

Mama- Wetin u dey talk?

Mir- Becky wan kill himself for kitchen! she don carry knife O!

Mama- Heh heh? she won die heh? Okay

We all run to the kitchen to see Becky standing by the door holding a knife to her stomach crying.

Becky- Leave me alone! i want to die!

Mama- You want to die. See your mouth you selfish girl. I blame you? Baaastard. (imitating Becy) I want to die! I want to die! who dey hold you? But i beg, before you kill yourself commot for my kitchen. I just change this carpet last week. i never even pay for am finish before you want pour all your blood put on top so. see person when wan even kill himself. (hiss) you nor know say knife dey pain abi? make you go climb upstairs near the water pump make you jump. that one na one go. you go just die like that (snaps fingers). Bibi! make you and Tracy pack una things from that downstairs room enter Becky room.

Becky- But...but

Mama- But wetin? You think say you dey punish anybody? If you die, i go cry small but life dey go on abi? i go just kukuma go carry that boy when dey stay Mary house come here since we go get that extra room now. Oya Ehi, open the backyard door make she take go climb go upstairs. Becky okay now bye bye.

Mama goes back to the living room and sits there shaking her left leg like she does when she's angry.

Mama- Ehi! you don open the door for am?

Ehi- Yes mama

Mama- so wetin una still dey do for there? heh? Una want make he transfer he suicide spirit enter una? (hiss) you better come here now before i go throw you downstairs too.(hiss) Baaaaaastard.

We all left Becky in the kitchen that evening and let's just say that was the first and very last day she mentioned killing herself. Now, she's planning to get married in a couple of months.lol. Yep. i know, my grandma is crazy. But we love her that way.
xoxo