The day Efrance hugged me
What you need to know:
- Efrance hugs her new employer Edward (the lorry driver) at the front door while one of her many ‘friends’ exits the house through the back door
I came back late from work that day. One of the important people at the office who wanted to remind us that he went to Harvard Preparatory School made us stay longer at work waiting for them to acknowledge receipt of an overwhelmingly useless email.
When I got home, I knocked. Efrance opened, grabbed my thin frame and hugged me tightly. My bag fell to the ground because my hands were now limp by my side. It was one of those weird hugs which leaves your face twisted in the other’s armpit.
Right there, I knew something was wrong. Why was she hugging me? Where was Gundi, what had happened to him? When she started to let me go, I braced myself for the bad news. Her face came back into mine and her eyes were wet as if beginning to tear up. I grabbed her shoulders and trying to remain calm, asked,
“What is it?’’
To which she quickly said, “I missed you.” And made as if to hug me again. I went past her quickly.
In my heart, I said, “Ku deal ki?”
You see, Efrance was my house help. She’d been with us for two weeks BH (before the hug). We had never had any conversation apart from the usual, goodnight, good morning, how are you, auntie there are no tomatoes and escort is finished talk. So please understand when I say that I began to look at her in 6D after that hug.
She has now since gone to be with the lorry driver next door who was more receptive of her hugs. Gundi and I occasionally catch a glimpse of them through our window. Efrance hugs her new employer Edward (the lorry driver) at the front door while one of her many ‘friends’ exits the house through the back door. Truth be told, I blame Parliament for all of this! How can they even?
