Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Their Dream

Hers

He shot her. He shot her three times, once in the chest and twice in the stomach. He then dragged her by her hair to the living room where his mother sat weeping. He pointed to his mother then said “look at my mother, are you happy now? This is what you have always wanted, isn’t it?” He then pushed her away and stared out the window while she bled and his mother wept.

She woke up with the pain in her stomach, the dream had felt so real and alive. He was lying beside her face up with one hand to his chest and the other hanging by the side of the bed. If it wasn’t for the sound of his snore, she won’t have known he was asleep. His eyes were half opened, jerking back and forth; a sign that tell he is in REM sleep. Dreaming. She looked at the clock and it says 4:30am; in fours hours, they will be on their way to the court house to get married. Last week, she had given him an ultimatum. “Choose one” she said “its either me or your mother”.

Last night he chose her. He chose her not only over his mother but his whole family. For the reason being that his father had supported his mother and his sisters supported their father.

Before she left his house at 5:02 am, she wrote him a note. “Honey, we can wait. Lets see if they will come around”.


His

The stream was fast rising. He needed to get both of them to the other side but there was no boat around. Suddenly he saw one, though it was full, he still hailed it. He recognized her parents and siblings, “we only have room for one “her father said. “Let her come in and you wait for your parents, their boat is coming behind us”. She climbed into the boat without question, not even to ask if he will be okay by himself. And off their boat went. He looked the other way just in time to see his parent’s boat “Mami, please I need a ride” he called out to his mother. “we have no more room. But since I can swim better than you, why don’t you take my space and I will swim to shore”. He was grateful for his mother’s suggestion and willing to comply. But just then, his father pulled his mother back into the boat and said “No, let him swim to the shore, remember he told us to mind our business in his affairs”.

He woke up tired and the feeling of loneliness and abandonment loomed large in his thoughts. The clock says 5:10am; he knows he has to get up in 2 hours to get ready for his wedding. He reached out to touch her but she was not there. He panicked, and called to her in the dark. It could be that she was using the bathroom, but he heard no answer. He turned on the light, to see a note on the dresser.

“Honey, we can wait. Lets see if they will come around” it said. Relief washed over him and he murmured to himself “and wait we shall my dear, wait we shall”.

50 comments:

LG said...

1stttt

Shubby Doo said...

a mother's love...unconditional

Shubby Doo said...

funny, (in his dream) i bet his parents would both have jumped out of the boat had they agreed to the wedding saying something 'like we can swim and besides we've lived our lives'...

does the fact that her parents didn't offer to scarifice their seat for him mean that he didn't believe they saw him as a son?

her dream is so violent...i guess she recognises that his mother is (& has always been) his anchor...

Family is key...it is the building block of society

Mimi said...

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

wow..

is this a real story :) cos I know some people who can probably relate and learn from this.

Shubby Doo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shubby Doo said...

i'm back your highness...

you mean disparity right?!...what is similar about the dreams...
1.she chooses to wait bcos of fear?!!!...
2.he chooses to wait cos he loves his parents and would miss them in his life...ok i guess he is also scared that she would choose is family over him without blinking if push comes to shove...

as to the moral of the story...hmmm...maybe it is best to wait when it doesn't feel right!!!...

i have failed abi?!

bumight said...

this reinforces my belief: never ask a guy to choose between u or his family.

all things equal,even if he chooses you now, you cant replace his family - especially his mother. he'll come to detest you for it sooner or later.

come to think of it, you dont question the love your mother has for u. A mother's love is unconditional, you dont have any reason to doubt it. Nobody can take her place.

Allied said...

@ Lg - Indeed u are first

@ Shubbydoo - No you did not fail. I wrote the comment on your blog without reading the second comment. U passed. Though I guess interpretation of dreams is not something concrete.

It is indeed his fears. Sometime we plunge into something we are not so sure of, even afraid of but we push our fear away. But in dreams, your fears shows and u see what you are really thinking.

Also we might have another family, love them but no one can love us like our own (this also include your spouse). His fear is just that he gave up his family for her. She did not have to give up her own, so when she is in a fix, they are always there to call upon.

Her dream is violent because she realizes and knows that things will always backfires when u twist someone’s arm to get what u want. Why the ultimatum? Why did he have to choose? Though, he chose her, she knows his mother, will always and continues to be his mother.and he wont be happy with her if he loses what he loves.

U are very right – family is the Key. We sometimes forget that a union runs very smoothly when it has support. We cannot do everything by our selves.

Did u notice that after the dream, he still wants to marry her albeit a later date? What do u think his reason his? If his mother could offer to swim (his mother loves him so much) she will also accept the wife he chooses sooner or later.

Moral –We do things against our instinct, when we know that we shouldn’t. It was their conscience and the repercussions (could be fear) of the path they chose that they saw in the dream. Only the wise would heed. I am glad, she was wise.

@ Mimi – No, it is not a real story though some parts are snippet from my own dream

Allied said...

@ Bumight - You are so right. It will always backfire if u make someone choose. They shouldn't have to do that.

By the way, i challenge u to another game of scrabble oh...

miz-cynic said...

allied,nice story....makes u introspect sometimes and shows the power of dreams.i had always seen dreams as manifestations of stuff tht lurk in our subconsious....stuff we're thinking abt or worried about.shubby i dont think i'll call it fear,....she chooses to wait cos she knows he will be appier to have his parents blessings.

Nefertiti said...

Wow. This is food for thot. It must be hard to choose for a man. You love your mother, but you love your wife too. Why can't he support his wife and make his family see reason? It's just hard mahn. This is personal for me. I've been on both sides of this stick. May we always find wisdom when we need it.

Anonymous said...

Her,
He willed to damn it all for love, but, she knew you don't embarked on a journey where you have to 'work' to be loved. "Love ought to be mutually earned, not by compulsion or circumstances...."

His,
Obviously her family accepted him not, and she was not willing to stick out her neck. His father felt indignation that he could choose a girl over his 'family' (forgetting that eventually, our immediate families becomes extended). But, his mother could not will away a 9months program just like that (no matter his seeming offense).

Hmmm, something just does not click, can it be the same girl in both???

Could this be the fear of guys to committing? Some 'funny' seed might just have been sowed in his heart to look out for a girl that would replicate his mother's 'unconditional' love.

Brainstorms.....

Afrobabe said...

wow, wait they should biko...the world has too many problems to add family alienation to it...

nice work...

Thirty + said...

Simple and Lovely yet profound.

Happy New Year

bumight said...

challenge accepted!

Kafo said...

what
this is off the charts

for real
too good

from both perspectives

kinda like my life

O'Dee said...

Like shubby doo said, "Family is key...it is the building block of society".

Often times waithing is good. Just so every1 can get on board & to maintain peace.

Joy Akut said...

sometimes family could be wrong, sometimes a mothers love isnt all that...but sometimes they're just so right and all that above all.

sometimes our dreams send us towards the right answers, puts fear and doubt we never knew existed in us, and sometimes its all for our good.

aloted said...

am not quiet sure i follow this or the morale. why are they waiting?? if its cuz they dont have the guy's parents blessings yet then i get cuz it is important to have their blessing

BUT

The man should know that after marriage he and his wife are now ONE FLESH..and the wife should come before any other person! this is NOW his family...his father and mother (esp) have their own family to run..

so it should not come to a matter of him choosing cuz a wise man will know that order of things should change after marriage

just my opinion

N.I.M.M.O said...

Never ask a man to choose between you and his family. You will lose, no matter what he chooses.

She was wise to wait. They were obviously not ready. Dreams are from GOD.

@Aloted: Forget that story. Nothing ever changes.

aloted said...

@NIMMO- lol. thats ur opinion abi..well i have stated mine and i shall stick to it! cuz i have seen it work

Writefreak said...

You shouldn't have to ask your husband to choose between you and his family, a wise man who is full of faith knows how to organise his house...
By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established!

The wife comes before the family...but then again you should have parental consent before going into marriage...

Sometimes waiting makes sense, sometimes it doesn't! May we have the grace to know what is right to do

darkelcee said...

This is scary but its true.....

remember your family will always be your family and his will continue to be his.

so in the course of the coming together you both still have a family.

Allied howdy do?

The Activist said...

So complicated dear

The Activist said...

Pls get across to me, we have something to get on with tadonline@gmail.com. Thanks

'sola said...

The question is; Are they ever going to come around? and are they ever going to get back together?. lovely piece.

'sola said...

Hi Allied ,you've been tagged.it means u're obligated to visit my blog for details.

ablackjamesbond said...

Deep!

Wow!!

Nigerian Drama Queen said...

My philosophy is: If you doubt, don't. If only more people would take time to address their fears/concerns b4 they jumped the broom....

Oh yeah I'll email you soon or post my thoughts on Roy's book on here once i get a chance...Havent read Swallow yet...been so swarmped!!

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

wow that was very good, especially the way you shared the dreams in a way of conveying so much background on the couple.

You are a very good writer, my sista.

Hope all is well.

Jinta said...

a union destined for the rocks...

Olufunke said...

I also agree family is the Key....its better to have everyone's support than spend your married years always having to defend your relationship.....
No one shoudl be made to choose btw a family anda a lover..God has made a our lives rich with all relationships

And on our fears........only God can help one make the right decisions, because we are product of all sorts of backgrounds....and they are our shadows, that keeps on showing up when we least expect.

In all, I believe life itself is about faith...we have to learn to always move ahead in faith.

Allied, I enjoyed your story....catching...very intersting.......you are gifted

Ms. Catwalq said...

if a parent feels that a child is making a bad decision, I think there gets to a be a point in that child's life when he/she has to left alone to make the decision because he/she should be old enough to deal with the repercussions.
I wonder what the reasons would be for their aversion to the union, the parents I mean....cos it better be something much more than ethnicity, religious back ground or family lineage

Robyn.K.Y said...

YOU R A VERY CREATIVE WRITER.

Enkay said...

Hmmm, thought provoking indeed. Good thing is that both dreams pointed out to them that waiting a bit longer was probably better than rushing off and probably making a mistake.

Having to choose between the one you love and your family is really a tough call. i don't want to ever be in those shoes!!

First time here btw!

Buttercup said...

wow..

it really sucks that some men let their family sort of rule their lives thereby making some women place ultimatums..some family memebers cud be really overbearing..

great story..1st time here too!

Anonymous said...

Are you still single?

Heartbeat said...

Great piece Allied...

Afolabi said...

Like the concept behind the story. Interesting.
How's it going Allied? long time no see!!

Anonymous said...

I love this post. Was really deep. You write very well o. Kudos girl!

Unknown said...

But where are u?

Shubby Doo said...

just checking in...hope all is well and u no be like me...as in doing work wey wan nearly kill person...take care dearie.

Arewa said...

Love it, love it, love it!!! I have missed reading your posts. How has ur craetive and very talented self been? We should catch up. Keep the stories comming!! Love Always x xx

@ Afrobababe: I agree with you hon.. too much wahala. But how we for do.

Thirty + said...

Aunty Allied, by my calculation and superimposition, you are due to update right about NOW.

I command that as I refresh this page seven times your post shall appear.

LG said...

i demand an UPDATE!!!!!!!
hope u r okay

Nigerian Drama Queen said...

Allied!!!
Where r u?

yayi said...

hmmm.....got me thinking.

Ms. Catwalq said...

arabirin, ibo lo wa?

Queen of My Castle said...

You never cease to amaze me...

Joy Isi Bewaji said...

hiya! do visit:
jollykids-isi.blogspot.com
cheers!