Thursday, March 20, 2008

He made me cry

What's new my peeps?

work is crazy as usual and to top it all, my Dad's in town.

it's not a huge deal to have my dad in town, cos he usually pops in without any prior notice. it's usually "am in the country and will be leaving tomorrow when can i see u?" and of course like an idiot, i wud drop everything, i have even skipped crucial classes a couple of times just to see him. after several late nights at various hotels and numerous meaningless conversations in airport terminals, the nostalgia gradually wore off. each hurried lunch,nocturnal meeting and hasty goodbyes left me emotionally drained. so i met him less and less and he called less. that was until my trip to naija in 2006. just like old lovers, we continued where we had left off, but with urgent fervor. i have my Daddy back!

ironically, he didn't travel as much as he used to, but he calls regularly and i call whenever the spirit moves me.

on his last trip he actually spent a night with me, it was rushed as usual, but it was very different. gone was the usual weariness i usually feel after he's gone.

back to the story: dad calls to say he was in Miami and will be coming to my city the next morning, which is Tuesday. as i was thinking in my head "does this man realize i work? he added, " i 'll see u in the evening after my meetings, shall i meet u at home? or we cud meet for dinner in the city? wow!

five days with moi, no meetings, just me and my daddy! one slight problem o, i had food shopping to do!
never mind that the naija supermarket was a good hour away, and i had no clue as to it's hours. more than two hours, a fortune and a half later, i was ready to cook up a storm.

chei, naija soups are time consuming! (if anyone knows any useful shortcuts, it will be greatly appreciated o) after the fourth pot was cooked and carefully refrigerated, i crawled up the stairs to my room. as tired as i was, there was no way i could sleep without a shower with the pungent odor of naija food pouring out of every pore! i finally get into bed at 1:00am! oblivious to the 4 messages from Mr my1 or even the fact that we hadn't spoken in 24hrs.

the phone rings a half hour or so later, i still have no memory of the conversation but Mr my1 swears, i begged for forgiveness and a promise of something he's really looking forward to collecting on. lol. i wished him luck.

anyhow, am still mesmerized by dad's "effusity" (his word)lol and dad seems happy and proud. the soups were a big hit and he noticed all the changes in the house from the minute details even to the new kitchen. and most importantly he loves the library!

we pretend to watch TV every evening after dinner, but all we do really is gist and argue about a sundry of issues till late into the night. every night, i learn more about the man and much more about myself.

last night he accused me of being an ethical humanist disguised as a christian!why? he wonders if i pray, cos he has yet to hear my night prayers.(argggg!)
he whips out his electronic bible to prove his point, his point: prayers shud be loud and forceful! i asked if God was hard of hearing or was in the company of rowdy angels. he didn't think it was funny.
back to the main gist:
earlier tonight, as we power watched ocean's twelve in prep for ocean's thirteen, he turned to me and said.
"u don't know how wonderful it is for me to spend this time with u.
i have missed the closeness we used to have...."

28 comments:

lemonade factory said...

kai sherri, u dey enjoy ha now am in tear lol miss my dad loads....eya pele with the heavy cooking funny enough nigerian food no get short cut... lol u got to cook from scratch. hope ur having a nice time

happy easter in advance and yep am no 1 so i guess i get my own portion of the soup

flawsandall said...

can I like be like you when I grow up...my eyes got a littl watery reading this...how sweet..you are your fathers daughter..I have updated...meanwhile, how u dey now?

Thirty + said...

Ahew, wow I wish I had that kind of relationship with my dad.

Anonymous said...

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

awww that was the sweetest thing. Reading this, I now wish I had had an opportunity to spend this kind of quality time with my late 'old man' (as I call him).

God bless and happy Easter sunday!


NIGERIAN CURIOSITY
IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN I ONLY HAD ONE...

soupasexy said...

awwwwwww, i miss my daddy too!

laspapi said...

My father and I couldn't reach these heights. We tried towards the end, but the referee blew his whistle. Time Up.

Sherri said...

Shola*
thanks babe,
we had an amazing time.
how was ur Easter?

Zephi*
baby luv!
dads can do that to u
i dey, how u?

30+*
my lovely sista!
baba God fills the void now?
how u dey?

pink satin*
yes o
how u?

solomonsydelle,
i wish u did too dear.
God bless u and urs too
Happy Easter Monday.

soupasexy*
missing him already too!
hope u're doing well.

Laspapi*
sorry about that papi,
u tried.
how are u?

Zayzee said...

aren't u lucky to have a dad who cares enough to want to spend time with u? always cherish the time, no matter the inconvenience it causes.

Ms. emmotions said...

its at these times that i wish i had my daddy here wit me and not in heaven !

howdy gal?

Sherri said...

uzezi*
yes o,
he hasn't always been this sweet or affectionate. well, neither was i.
how u dey?

ms emmotions*
pele dear, am sure he's watching over u from up there.
how are u babe?

'Yar Mama said...

father/daughter relationships are always special. Enjoy it while you can. One of my favourite songs is 'dance with my father' by Luther Vandross

Anya Posh said...

awwwwwwwwwww, eiyah...so touching. So you're like definitely a daddy's girl, eh. Too cute!

Jinta said...

grab these moments with both hands, there will come a time you will want it and they wont be available.

Sherri said...

yar mama*yes, it is.
i love that song too.
how u feeling ?

anyaposh* he was.
how u dey?

jinta*
wow!
i will jinta, thanks

lemonade factory said...

madam wats up,update.......

lemonade factory said...

madam wats up,update.......

TheAfroBeat said...

aaw, that's really sweet...always nice/impressive when naija fathers take off the bread-winner hat and don the snazzy father cap that's usually gathering dust at the back of their closets. I can definitely relate to the "drop everything, i'm "in town" - in town usually being chicago when i'm in SAN FRAN or NYC and have to buy a last minute insanely-priced ticket to see daddy dearest - for one night!

How teengs now? Hope things with MrYour1 are well.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

eh? Mr. Youri? who be dat?

Anyway, update....

NIGERIAN CURIOSITY
IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN I ONLY HAD ONE...

Naapali said...

That is sweet. My father will spend a few days with us this summer. I doubt it will contain same levels of effusity (i fit use am too ke?). I learnt growing up that all sons must slay their fathers in other to become men themselves. After such slaying peace and restoration happens and the slain god that was father becomes a man that taught (consciously or not) you how to become one.

Short cuts for Naija soups: microwave the ground tomato/pepper; speeds up the cooking time: also grill chicken/beef to shorten time spent on the boil.

Ms. emmotions said...

thanx dear,

update ooooo

Sherri said...

shola* babe i dey come o
how u?

theafrobeat* it is amazing to see them make that transformation..
yes, the things we do for our daddies.
the mr is hanging on o. thanks for asking luv.
how u dey?

solomonsydelle*
i cometh o
that be my one and only o, the one who's charging me with thiefery of heart. lol

naapali* of course u can, he'd be pleased.
that slaying def applies to daugters too..
thanks for the tips. i know where to come next time.
grilling the meat? oven or wolfing?

ms emmotions*
alahu now!

she u dey?

doll (retired blogger) said...

aaaaaaawwww popc's could be a little.......but we luv them all the same

Afrobabe said...

hope it was nice...did u have grown up talk??? Were u asked how far???

Sherri said...

doll*....? yes we do o

afrolicious*
it was great.the talk? how far?
not directly tho, he tried to allay some of my fears about marriage.

what''s shaking?

O'Dee said...

Awwwwwwwww!
Its so cool u spending time with ur dad.

Aspa the 9ja soups, am wondering why it takes you time oh. Apart from the meat boiling, d rest take 15-20min.

Although i noticed wen I was in the states that the meet and pepper take long to boil.

Sherri said...

oluwadee*yes o
the boiling is the wahala now. all dem shakis bokotos and ogunfes take forever to cook!
wait o! 15-20 mins to cook efo with egusi? edika? abeg, give me ur recipe quick.

NikkiSab said...

Aww..... u r dad is loveable. Sherri wats up? U good?