Field Of Dandelions(Part Uno)
The sun began its descent, hugging the horizon, casting a warm golden glow, and painting the clouds overhead with shades of orange and purple. The Ocean waves shimmered with a radiant glow, reflecting the sun’s rays like a million diamonds. The sea became a canvas of colors, with hues of crimson, and tangerine blending to create a mesmerizing spectacle.
A cool breeze picked up, carrying with it the salty scent of the ocean and the sound of waders and Sokoke Pipits calling out to each other. The air was still thick and humid, with the heat of the day still lingering in the atmosphere. Sailboats glided across the water, Fishermen heading back home and some going on the night hunt, their silhouette standing out against the dimming sky. The sun continued its journey downwards, disappearing beneath the horizon, leaving behind a final burst of light that painted the sky with a deep shade of red.
Music drifted on the breeze, as two guys strummed their guitars and sang their hearts out to strangers. They played with passion and gusto, lost in the joy of the music. They played to any group of people, children, mzungus, and couples especially couples or who they would think they are couples. They will try to serenade you with romantic songs to get you to tip them!
Another group of men, one man standing on top of another man’s head performing some sort of acrobat, drew quite a village. Everyone was jostling for a better view, craning their necks and standing on tiptoes to catch a glimpse of whatever was happening. Some cheering, giving them small change. That small circus was vibrant and colorful. And then he saw her, Is that her? She must be her… No, it can not be her. It was her. he espied her in among the crowd.
As he caught sight of her, a rush of emotions flooded over him like a tidal wave. His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat as if he had just stepped off a cliff into the unknown. His heart was beating so fast and so loud he could not hear anything else. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, at least to him. She looked at the other side, the side he was seating at. They locked eyes. She smiled. For those couple of seconds, you would have to appreciate the bones in his chest and thank them for their service to be able to cage the overly jumping heart. She started walking towards where he was seating.
Laura, oh how to describe her? She is like a warm summer breeze, gentle and inviting, yet with a touch of mischief and excitement. Her smile, it’s like the sun peeking through the clouds on a rainy day, brightening everything around her.
Her eyes, deep, round, and expressive, draw you in like a magnetic force, and her voice, oh her voice, it’s like a melody that lingers in your mind long after you’ve heard it.
She moves with a grace and poise that’s captivating, every step she takes is like a dance, and her curves, they’re like the gentle rolling hills that beckon you to explore.
Her skin is like silk, smooth and inviting, and when she brushes against you, it’s like a jolt of electricity that sends shivers down your spine. She is a woman who exudes confidence, intelligence, and charm. She’s the kind of woman who makes you want to be a better man, just so you can be worthy of her attention.
“Oh hi! someone pinch me … Are you on holiday?” He asked
“Hi, Yeah! and you?”
“Aah, I live here in Dar apparently” they both laughed
“It has been a while, you look good”
“Yeah it has, a year now?… and you, you look Umh”. A short pause, exhale, inhale. “You look you” they both grinned.
She looked around like she had lost something, and went to the other side of the bench he was sitting on.
“Oh, please seat mi lady… excusez-moi for being rude”. he said, bowing, extending, and twirling his hand like an obedient servant showing respect to the queen.. she was a queen.
She did not say anything, they both laughed, she shook her head and sat
“This is some beautiful sunset”. she said breaking the short silence between them
“Did you know? That, this is the only place where the sun set? In Dar”
“As only this group of people right here is the one lucky to see a sunset in Dar today?”
“Correct, and it is said in year 327 before Christ…”
“Klay, please…” she interrupted him, covering her mouth and laughing.
“But, please go on... I want to hear what happened in the year 327 BC” she continued laughing
“No, looks like you do not want to hear how the sun decided this was the place it needed to set… I will stop” he chuckled
She was still laughing while looking at him wearing a straight face
“Oh, please do tell… I want to hear the story”
“Naah, the gods of Sunset said I should not spill the beans today, you are not ready yet for this great wisdom to be bestowed upon you… Maybe next time” he laughed!
“HA HA HA, you are funny” she sarcastically said
“First time in Tanzania?” Straightened his back and asked her
“No, i grew up here… mie Mbongo ujue”
“Wait what? I have always thought you were from the United Republic of Angels”
She rolled her eyes. “How often does that line work for you?”
“You, tell me… is it working?” Lips wide, smiling.
“Anyways, I did not know you were also from Tanzania when we met. Silly me, I should have asked that” he jumped so quickly to change the subject, he did not want to look “thirsty” for being flirtatious. Wait you can call that flirting right, he thought. But she looked like she did not mind
“Mtanzania, born and raised, a Nyakyusa dad and Haya Mum”
“Aaah now I know, so when are you taking me to meet Mr….”
“Mr. Wilson, you don’t even know my full name, idiot…”
“I don’t want to waste no time, love at first sunset”
She laughed. He found out he love to see her laugh, her big round eyes become even bigger, her round face becomes more radiant, and her cheeks created small wells.
“First of all, Do you cook and clean?”
“Is that Mr. Wilson’s nonnegotiable terms or yours”
“Mine”
“So, as a man of culture myself, I can cook and clean, and more of cause”
“Mmh, curious more like?”
“More like, uh…” he got interrupted by a ringing phone. Her phone.
“Yes, Ma…. I am at Slipway but I will be there in ten Minutes”. She hung up the phone
“Unfortunately I have to go… need to go and pick up mum”. she said while standing up. He did the same!
“Was nice to bump into you again” he said extending his hand for a handshake.
“You have such soft hands”. she said.
And he pulled his hand back quickly like he was ashamed or something
“It is a compliment, you silly… And why are you giving me a hand like we were on a business meeting, give me hug”
She smelled divine and rich. A heady mix of fresh flowers, like citrus and cinnamon. He breathed in deeply, savoring the aroma as it filled his lungs and sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine. It was a scent that felt familiar and yet otherworldly, like something from a dream or a distant memory. The scent was all-encompassing, radiating outwards from within and enveloping him in its sweet, comforting embrace.
“You smell good”
“Thank you, you too”
“By the way, my lips are way softer than my hands”. he whispered, then a long pause of awkward silence “I am just saying”…
She detached from him… and softly slapped him on the back
“Au revoir monsieur” as she started walking away on her way to the parking lot
“Wait, I don’t have your phone number”. he said extending his hand with a phone to her
“I thought you never ask. No excuse to go a whole year without looking for me”. She handed back his phone after writing her number.
And there she went, you would think she was a giraffe in the plain of Serengeti the way she walked. Mashallah, blessed with a bright future behind her. Her figure as she walks away, became small and distant. But even from that distance, he could see the grace and fluidity of her movements, the way she seemed to glide effortlessly.
As the sky grew darker, the stars emerged one by one twinkling, each one unique and shining in its way. The beach was now peaceful, with only the sound of the waves crashing the shore.
He thought of the one and only day they met in Paris before today. The smile was all over his face! Took the phone out of his pocket and texted her…
