HOW GRANDMA GOT A PURPLE HEART

By Ahaoma Kanu

 The sound of the wooden gong of the town crier could be heard from a distance. Everybody stopped what they were doing to listen to the news the crier had to give. He sounded the gong repeatedly without passing the message.

"It seems that boy must be drunk," Grandma Ugoji told her visitor. The woman burst out laughing.

"Ah, Ugoji, you are very funny. How can you know somebody is drunk by his beating a gong?” the visitor asked.

"Don't you know these children don’t have any respect again? Imagine Nwankwo's child keeping a great woman like me in suspense just because Amaoba decided to make him their town crier. Well that serves them right anyway,” Grandma Ugoji said. As she made to continue, her visitor motioned for her to keep quiet as the message was being relayed.

"Everybody, be it man, woman or child should come out tomorrow morning to the village square by first light so that the Chiefs palace will be cleaned. If anyone fails to come, he, she or the family will be fined with a she-goat and two chickens."

Grandma Ugoji sighed and her friend burst out laughing again.

"Imagine that nonsense, I Ugoji, daughter of the great warrior Oji, will not finish my good sleep because the Chiefs’ palace is to be cleaned. What happened to his many wives and servants or when did his mud house turn to Bokimham Palace?” she continued seriously which made her friend laugh the more.

"Knock, Knock!" A voice called from outside the gate.

"Ugoji you have a visitor," her friend alerted.

"What kind of visitor will be knocking with his mouth? I wonder if he will talk with his fingers," Grandma Ugoji snapped annoyingly.

"Mama it is me," the visitor called out audibly.

"You who?" She queried.

"Anthony from Lagos," the visitor identified.

On hearing the name, Grandma Ugoji got up and ran towards the gate to open it.

"Ah my pickin, how you dey?" She asked him in Pidgin.

"I am fine Mama," the visitor, a young man dressed in sparkling white shirt and black trousers, replied.

"How is work?"

"We are trying Mama".

"Sorry I did not open the door at first but you should knock with your fingers and not your mouth. I am an old woman but I still knock with my wrinkled fingers not my mouth," Grandma Ugoji lectured the visitor from Lagos.

"Sorry Mama," he apologized, "Next time I will remember to knock with my fingers." The two of them went back into the house and she got a stool for him to sit on.

"My son, I hope you did not come to take me to that mad town called Lagos,” Grandma Ugoji asked, she then went on to narrate her travails to her friend.

"The whole of Lagos is mad, cars everywhere both big ones and small ones. Everywhere you go is bridge and their women don’t sit properly to cover their legs. I will not go to that Lagos again,” she threatened. All the while, her village friend kept exclaiming at the story of the town.

"Mama, actually I came to inform you that the visa has been granted and you will be going to America to see your grand daughter and her new baby in a few days time,” Anthony announced.

"AMELIKA?" Grandma Ugoji's friend asked in awe.

“Yes Madam, USA.”

"Obodo Oyibo?" The old woman asked again in Ibo to be sure.

"Nwanneka, what is it you are getting excited about that you are pouring spittle all over my face?" Grandma Ugoji complained.

"They say you are going to Amelika, Obodo Oyibo, ebe ndi ocha,” her friend explained to her in their Ibo dialect excitedly. Grandma Ugoji stood up and started rejoicing at the news.

"Chinwe nwa mu o na akpoga mu Amelika?" She kept saying and dancing.

"My son is it true or are you just pulling my legs?” she asked Anthony.

"Mama, it is true. I am here to take you to Lagos and put you on a plane to America,” Anthony replied showing her the ticket

"Ugbo enu, plane, No! I will like to go with motor car,” Grandma Ugoji insisted as she heard the mention of plane.

"Ah Ugoji, you cannot go to Amelika with car,” Nwanneka, her friend told her.

"Shut up you village woman. Have you ever gone to Amelika? Who told you that you can not go there by car?" Grandma Ugoji asked infuriated. Her friend Nwanneka kept quiet. She knew her friend very well to respond or else she would not get any present from her when she returns from abroad.

"Please you can start going since you have gone to Amelika, leave us that do not know where Obodo Oyibo is,” Grandma Ugoji insisted. All pleas by Anthony to forgive her friend were ignored, she had made up her mind and it was final. After her friend left, she went to prepare something for Anthony to eat.

"No Mama, I have eaten at the hotel I am staying,” the visitor replied.

"Hotel? Why did you go to a hotel? Is it not that place they say prostitutes live?" She asked Anthony.

"No Mama, it is not all hotels that is like that,” Anthony tried to explain to her.

"You should have come here; Chinwe built me a big house. You shouldn't have gone to the house of Ashawo people,” the old woman lamented.

"Mama, the hotel I am staying is decent. They don't accept such people,” Anthony convinced her.

He left shortly after informing her that he would come back in two days time to take her to Lagos.

Grandma Ugoji knelt down and raised her hands up to heaven in prayers.

"Chukwu in heaven, I thank you for today. Finally you have wiped away my tears. Since my daughter died and left her baby Chinwe with me, people laughed at me but you Lord sustained a poor widow like me throughout the time I trained her. Today she is taking me to Amelika. God I thank you."

The next morning she defiled the call to the palace and went to the market at Umuahia Town to shop for her travelling. She bought Kolanuts, local snuff, dried fish, stock fish and dried bitter leaf. She also got palm oil and palm wine. As she returned from the market, she met some people from the palace waiting for her.

"What is the matter?" She asked.

"We have come to collect the fine for your failing to heed the call to clean the Palace,” their leader announced.

"Go and tell that Chief that we are in democracy, government by the people for the people. I went to the market to buy things I need to go to Amelika. I did not have the time to come and clean the palace. At least the Queens and Servants can do that. As for me I am going to Amelika.”

She explained herself. The group on hearing America were intimidated; even their Chief had never travelled overseas before. It was a great feat in Amaoba village.

 "Mama Ugoji, please bring me sand from America."

"Me I want their palm wine."

"Get me money from Oyibo land". Their requests were many; none of them remembered the fine. Grandma Ugoji agreed to all their requests just for them to go and they left without any she-goat or chickens.

Four days later in Lagos, Anthony drove Grandma Ugoji to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport to board her flight to New York. She had never seen a plane in her life before except the jet fighters she saw during the war which bombed her people. She believed all planes belonged to enemy. Anthony deceived her that she was about to enter a ship. At the check-in counters, Grandma Ugoji's foodstuffs were rejected by the airport officials. She was informed it contained lice and cockroaches, which were not wanted in America. All of Grandma Ugoji's protests fell on deaf ears but after pleas from Anthony, the officials allowed her to take only the Kolanuts.

"When you get to America I will send them to you,” Anthony deceived her again which solved the problem. Anthony had bought some western clothes for her to wear but she refused to wear them. Her reason being that the sweat shirts and jeans trousers were not ideal for an old woman her age and her church's Pastor forbade it.

"I am a child of God. I will not sin by wearing them to Amelika,” she told Anthony. Instead, she wore her lace blouse and her Ankara with a big head tie to match. She put on her sunglasses, and was set to go to America. Anthony handed her over to the airline hostess and they put her on the plane.

The plane was quite cold inside and had so many people both black and white talking excitedly inside it. She kept to herself, all the people were speaking too much grammar and were wearing oversized clothes. As the plane taxied to take oft, Grandma Ugoji thought the world was ending. What kind of ship would slant upwards instead of sailing forward. She let out a scream.

"Chi mu o! Chi mu o! Anthony nwa mu o! Anthony nwa mu o," Everybody was startled and asked her to keep quiet. She kept on shouting until a nice passenger that was from her Ibo tribe calmed her down. It was decided that the nice lady would sit close to her to keep her from constituting further nuisance. As she was getting over the take-off phobia, some airline officials carrying some cans started spraying the plane.

"What are they pouring on people?” She asked her nice friend.

"They are disinfecting the whole plane so that we would not carry any disease to their country,” Her friend explained,

"What nonsense,” Grandma Ugoji thought. How could they spray her, was she a cockroach?

"I am not an insect, don't spray me!" She started shouting on top of her voice again. The sprayers were shocked but made to continue with their work. Grandma Ugoji would take none of that, her activism spirit was hot that moment. She stood up to challenge the actions of the workers and immediately all the black passengers supported her. The spraying exercise was suspended and everybody applauded her. Grandma Ugoji smiled and wondered that America would be a very interesting place since they do not have cockroaches.

"Please Ladies and Gentlemen, tighten your seat belts. We will be landing at the JFK international airport in fifteen minutes."

At last, they had arrived America. As the plane landed, Grandma Ugoji held tight to her friend praying for the plane to land. Her friend helped her off the plane towards the arrivals, the cold breeze that caught her was too much that she nearly ran back to the plane.

"The cold is too much,” she complained to her friend. An airline hostess offered her a warm jacket to wear against the cold. When Grandma Ugoji stepped out into the arrivals lodge, she saw so many white people; young, old and little ones and they were all talking form their noses. She did not want to ask any of them question, she wanted to go back to Africa. America was not like she had expected. Nobody cared to ask her what her problem was, they all dragged their luggage about laughing and kissing in the open. Even her friend was gone. She looked at to a corner and saw a black woman.

"Oh! Relief at last,” she thought and hurried to the lady.

"Nwa m, kedu ka nga esi fu Chinwe nwa m na Amelika?" She asked the lady who she believed was a fellow lbo.

"Whatcha hell you talking about dude?” the lady asked equally talking from her nose. It was then that Grandma Ugoji saw her clearly; the woman had earrings all over her ear, nose, tongue and some in her teeth. Her blouse was exposing her breasts, which had the drawing of a snake on them. Grandma Ugoji ran as fast as her legs could carry her away from the woman. She was evidently a child of the devil and she talked to her. She had sinned. Grandma Ugoji quickly knelt down to pray and ask God for cleansing for her sin. She was still praying when she heard footsteps running towards her.

"Grandma, Grandma!” Her granddaughter Chinwe called out excitedly.

"Chinwe!” she shouted running towards her and both embraced themselves. She held tightly to her daughter who had brought her to America and fulfilled the dream of every Nigerian mother.

"Mama welcome to America,” a hoax voice said from behind.

"Grandma, this is my husband Emeka,” Chinwe introduced.

Grandma Ugoji hugged him too. She started narrating to them everything that happened from the airport and in the plane to the Devil's daughter she sinned by talking to. Emeka excused himself to finalize the arrival protocols and collect Grandma's bags. That done, she was taken out from the airport to the car. As they drove home, Grandma Ugoji's eyes never left the tall buildings that were going into heaven.

"Why are these building entering heaven or do the white men want to overthrow God from heaven,” she asked. Her daughter and her husband laughed at her ignorance. She also noticed the big bridges, bigger than those at Lagos. The roads were too many and there were so many cars on the roads. America was beautiful she thought only that there women dressed like men and some of them were almost naked.

"Why are all the women going naked? Are they prostitutes?" She asked.

"No Grandma, they are not call girls. They are everyday Americans, Cool New Yorkers. That is fashion, trendy fashion,” Chinwe explained.

Arriving at the house, Grandma Ugoji met her great grandchild Nkem. She was the reason for which she came to America for Omugwo, the Ibo traditional practice were a mother visits her daughter when she puts to bed to take care of the newly born baby. She also met Helga, a Swede that was Nkem's nanny and did not like sharing the baby with her.

Chinwe's husband Emeka was a medical doctor and worked in one of the best hospitals in New York. He was a respected person in the city and had so many distinguished honourable friends. Chinwe was delighted to have her Grandmother with them so decided to host a party for her in a fortnight. Everybody in the house appreciated Grandma Ugoji except Helga. She would want to bath the baby whenever Grandma Ugoji wanted to carry her and always complained that Grandma's loud laughs wakes the baby. Grandma Ugoji did not let her spoil her visit to America. At night, she kept wondering why New Yorkers were not sleeping. She heard the sound of traffic and saw cars moving about from the window of her daughter's seventh-floor apartment at Lower Manhattan.

Early the next morning, she woke up early which was customarily at the village and made to fetch firewood for cooking. Everyone was still sleeping and she was not in the habit of disturbing people from their sleep. She decided to find the forest on her own in order to gather the firewood. On stepping out of the apartment, she saw doors lined up the hall. She walked up and down the corridor trying to locate the way leading outside but could not find it. She got worried.

"I will ask Helga,” she thought and turned to go back inside but discovered that all the doors looked alike. Not knowing the particular one she came out from, Grandma Ugoji started knocking randomly on all the doors beginning from the end of the hall. One by one, she woke up angry people that rained abuses on her. Before she could knock on the remainder of the doors, two police officers appeared from the lift to arrest her.

"Ma’ am, you are under arrest for disorderly conduct on people's apartments,” the sheriff informed her.

Grandma Ugoji was not ready to listen to the men in blue that spoke through their noses, she had to fetch those fire woods before her grand-daughter wakes up. As she stepped further to knock on yet another door, the policemen grabbed her hands and put handcuffs on them. They moved her towards the lift to take her away, Grandma Ugoji started yelling on top of her voice.

"Rapu nu mu aka, O gini ka m mere!" She kicked, struggled, and tried to bite but her strength was no match for the two officers from NYPD. They got her into their vehicle and took her to the station.

A female officer tried to interrogate her but could not understand the Ibo language she spoke. Grandma Ugoji was annoyed with all the policemen. How could they submit her to such disgrace. Not even in her own village of Amaoba could they come near her not to talk of tying her hands with iron as if she was a mad woman. She began to hate America the more; it seemed to be full of mad people that spoke through their noses. An hour later, Chinwe and her husband appeared.

They were apologizing to the police officers of their Grandmother's behaviour, this infuriated Grandma Ugoji so much.

"Tell them that they have to beg me with a white chicken for insulting me this much,” she demanded. She was taken home instead. Helga wondered why Grandma had to wake up the whole neighbourhood and got arrested because she wanted to cook.

"Grandma, you don’t need firewood to cook in New York. You either use the gas stove or the micro-wave oven,” Chinwe tried to educate her Grandmother when they learnt her reason for causing the havoc.

"Grandma, we will have to go shopping at the mall today. The Mayor is coming specially to visit you,” Chinwe told her excitedly two days later.

"Who is the Mayor?" Grandma Ugoji asked.

"He is the head of New York city and Emeka is his personal physician. He will come in the evening today".

"Oh my God! The Chief of this village is coming to meet me,” She said excitedly and started dancing, "Who am I that a Chief in Amelika is coming to see me." She was very happy at the honour.

"Emeka told him about you and he promised to come see you,” Chinwe explained, happy that her Grandma was glad about the Mayor's intended visit.

 "Then let's go to the market then, I would like to cook him bitter leaf soup and pounded yam," Grandma Ugoji requested.

The market Chinwe took her to was different from the market she was used to in Africa. This market was inside a big building instead of outside and people pushed their shopping carts collecting whatever they wanted instead of barrow pushers as was obtained at her village market in Nigeria. She looked all over the place for stockfish, palm wine, palm oil and dried bitter leaf but could not find any.

"But Anthony said that I will buy them here,” she complained to her daughter. Chinwe laughed at Anthony's joke and went along to shop for their August visitor. Since Grandma Ugoji did not buy any of her ingredients, she watched as her daughter prepared the dishes. She was getting fed up with the food she has been eating since she arrived America. For so many days now she had not eaten bitter leaf soup and pounded yam. All they have been giving her were sugary foods with plenty of ice cream. She needed to eat pepper-soup and drink palm wine. What kind of country was America not to have palm wine.

"Grandma, the Mayor is waiting for you now,” Chinwe announced dressed in an evening gown. Grandma was getting upset because Chinwe disagreed with the attire of Buba and head tie she wanted to wear. She was given a long dress that exposed her back and told to throw the headtie to the gown around her neck. Chinwe went on to decorate her with paintings that made her look like a masquerade. Grandma Ugoji did not like being controlled and told what to do.

"What do they think I am?" she kept thinking. As Chinwe led her out graciously, she held the kolanuts that was the present she wanted to give to the Chief of New York. Five men were in the sitting room with Emeka and Helga carrying the baby.

"Mayor Hanks,” Emeka stood up to do the introduction," This is my Grandmother-in-law,” he said.

"Hello Madam, how are you enjoying New York city?" The Mayor asked her. He was a short man with bald hair. He spoke from his nose and was smoking a cigarette. Smoking was a sin before Grandma Ugoji and the Chief was sinning in front of her great grandchild.

"Ina ese anwuru na ihu nwa m,” she shouted angrily on top of her voice stunning everybody.

Before Chinwe and Emeka could recover from the initial embarrassment and caution her, she rushed at the Mayor and squeezed the burning cigarette from his hands. She left the sitting room to throw the sinful object into the sink.

"Why did she do that?" the Mayor asked looking embarrassed. Grandma Ugoji was still fuming and angry that the American Chief was poisoning the baby as she came out; she no longer wanted to meet the Mayor.

"She is annoyed you were smoking in front of the baby,” Helga explained laughing. It was not funny to the Mayor but he managed a smile, apologized and left angrily with his entourage.

Emeka followed him apologizing for their guest's rude attitude while Chinwe started crying. Grandma Ugoji had ruined the evening with the Mayor and shouted at her for her behaviour.

"Do you know who he is, he is the Mayor for goodness sake and you disgraced us in his presence,” Chinwe cried angrily.

"Even if he is a god, he should not smoke in front of my great grandchild,” her Grandma defended her action.

When Emeka came home later that night, he had a big row with his wife. Grandma Ugoji heard them shouting at each other and blamed herself. Maybe she should not have come to America in the first place, she would have remained in her village at Amaoba and paid her fine for disobeying their Chief. She did not intend to hurt her daughter or cause problems in her family. She decided she would go back to Africa. America was not for her; the signs were there only that she refused to see them.

They refused her foodstuffs, almost sprayed her like an insect, got her arrested and now she had quarrelled with their Chief. It was better for her to go back before more trouble came her way.

She walked quietly to their bedroom and knocked. When Chinwe opened the door, her eyes were red due to her crying.

"I want to go home tomorrow. I don't like Amelika,” she told her. Chinwe started crying again. After a lot of persuasions and argument, they decided she would go back over the weekend.

"Grandma, we will go to the bank tomorrow so that I can get money to buy you some presents for the people at home,” Chinwe informed her.

They drove to the bank the next morning together along with Helga and the baby. As they parked in front of the bank, they all got out and entered the bank. Chinwe went to the counter while they sat down to wait. Grandma Ugoji was still holding the Kolanuts meant for the Mayor. She did not know who to give it to when four men wearing masks and carrying rifles broke into the bank.

"Everybody lie down!" one of them shouted; he also spoke from his nose.

"Get your wallet out and keep em beside you or else I’ll blow your head off”, the other masked robber threatened.

Everybody flew to the floor except Grandma Ugoji. She was amused at the white people. So America had thieves also and they were also afraid to die. She was not afraid to die, that was why she was recruited into the Militia during the Biafran war. She kept watching the robbers collecting people's money. The rest went into the bank's vault. The baby started crying, that got Grandma Ugoji annoyed

"These thieves can steal from people but they should never make my baby cry,” she thought as she made to carry the crying baby from Helga who was sprawled on the floor.

"Hey Nigger, get your butts down there!" one of the robbers shouted pointing his gun at her.

" Achoro m ikuru nwam, I bu onye oshi,” she cursed at the robber.

"What the hell is she talking about?" the robber asked confused.

"Grandma get down!" Helga pleaded almost crying.

"Grandma please listen to them!" Chinwe begged from the floor near the counter. Grandma Ugoji refused; she knew the robbers were cowards because one of them was looking out of the window.

"No, I will not obey these rascals,” Grandma Ugoji replied her daughter.

"Damn, the police are here Billy,” the robber standing near the door called out. The rest went closer to see the police.

Grandma Ugoji knew instantly that it was time to strike. She was taught in her Militia training some thirty years ago during the war, that surprise was the best weapon to attack with and it should be launched when the enemy least expected it. The robber nearest to her was looking out of the window. She quietly put the baby down and removed one of her shoes. Shouting on top of her voice, she rushed at the bad man and hit him twice on the forehead before he could turn around. As the robber lost balance, Grandma Ugoji deftly collected his rifle from him. She quickly turned to the rest pointing the rifle towards them and pulled the trigger. The blast from the gun shattered the glass entrance to the bank and the robbers took cover under the seats. One of the robber yelled out in pains, Grandma had hit him in the leg. They released some shots into the ceiling sending out shattered ceiling debris all over the place, which scared Grandma Ugoji also. The gun was heavier than the dane guns she fought with during the war. Everybody was screaming as the shots were fired.

 "Drop the gun you nigger or am gonna kill you,” the robbers threatened. She dropped the gun as ordered and the robber she attacked quickly took and gave her a hot slap that sent her falling to the floor. She tasted blood on her tongue.

"Nigger woman, you wanna screw us, fool!" The robber shouted pointing the gun at her. But

Grandma Ugoji was not seeing him, she was seeing stars. The police were now announcing that the robbers should come out with their hands on their heads and their sirens could be heard all over the place.

"Billy what are you gonna do now?" one of the robbers asked.

"Let's scram men, this operation is a bump and am bleeding,” the wounded robber said painfully.

The robbers did a quick calculation for their escape.

"Get the baby now,” their leader ordered. Grandma Ugoji rushed them when they wanted to take the baby.

" Agaghim a rapu unu ka unu gbuo nwa m," she resisted.

"Grab the child from that silly old woman,” the robber commanded.

"Get her if she refuses we don't have all day,” the wounded one said.

Grandma Ugoji was dragged along with the baby outside. Chinwe and Helga cried but were held from rushing to them by some of the men on the floor. Holding their two hostages with their rifles pointing to their heads, the robbers came out. The police on seeing the situation, allowed them to escape. The robbers carried their wounded colleague along with their loot to the car and drove off. The robbery at the bank was on the news, the live coverage began as the police monitoring helicopter and CNN news anchor chopper followed the pursuit. The whole of New York watched the events on their television. The news reporters talked about the brave Grandma that was bent on saving her grandchild from the robbers. It was emotional news.

"Damn you nigger woman, you caused all these shit for us,” the driver cursed as he drove fast on the highway."

"Rapu nu mu ka mu na nwa m gawa biko,” Grandma Ugoji pleaded.

"What the hell is she saying,” the robber she attacked with her shoes asked angrily.

Grandma Ugoji was calculating, she was holding the baby close to her and the wounded robber was seated in the backseat with them.

"Grab the baby and threaten to drop her from the window, maybe these feds will back off,” the driver suggested watching the police trailing them from his view mirror. The one in front with the driver turned to face Grandma Ugoji behind.

"Hey nigger, hand over the baby now!" He ordered. Grandma Ugoji understood their intentions.

She was not going to allow her child die.

"I said give me the baby or don't you understand English,” the robber continued. She still held on to the baby looking at her face for reassurance that she will survive what she was about to do. The baby smiled at her, which was the confirmation she was looking for.

"Nwa m Chukwu ga anonyere anyi,” she prayed silently.

"Hand me the baby now,” the robber demanded again impatiently.

"What the hell is she waiting for?" the driver asked slowing down to look behind. He had been watching the police. Grandma Ugoji chose that moment to attack. She leapt forward and held the head of the driver who lost control of the car as he struggled with the old screaming woman. The car swerved to the left and right before running out of the highway. It somersaulted once and hit a tree nearby. Everything went blank inside Grandma Ugoji's head.

 "Doctor, she is back!"

Emeka rushed towards the bed away from the waiting room full of cameras and reporters who had been waiting for her to come to. Grandma Ugoji opened her eyes and felt dizzy. The room was white and she saw a strange white lady dressed as a nurse.

"Grandma are you alright,” Emeka asked flashing his tiny medical torch into her eyes. Slowly the events came back to her.

"Where is my grandchild?" She asked trying to get up but felt pains all over her body. "She is fine, she is at home with Chinwe. You held her close so absorbed all the shock in the crash,” Emeka informed her. She smiled.

"The robbers were all arrested. They are a notorious bank gang wanted by the FBI for some months now,” Emeka continued, "The whole of New York and America has been waiting and praying for you these past five days you have been in coma".

"I want to go home now please,” Grandma Ugoji said weakly.

"You will soon be discharged so that you can go back to the house,” Emeka told her. "I want to go back to the village,” she replied him clearly.

"No grandma, you can't go now. They would not let you. The bank board pledged to reward you handsomely and when the video of your attack on the robbers inside the bank was broadcasted on CNN, the Mayor and New York city council approved to award you the Purple Heart medal of honour. Grandma you are a hero now. America loves heroes; they will not let you go.

"I want to sleep,” she informed him.

"Sleep my hero, when you wake up the Mayor will present you with the medal".

The next morning, the Mayor and city council members came to her hospital bed to award her the Purple Heart medal.

"For your brave and gallant actions in apprehending this notorious criminals, the United States Government and New York City Council awards you Mrs. Ugoji Oji with the Purple Heart Medal,” Mayor Hanks read pinning the medal to her blouse. The flashes of the photographers' cameras captured the presentation; Chinwe and Helga served Champagne while Grandma Ugoji carried her great-granddaughter smiling proudly on the bed. Many people were inside the room and CNN covered the event live to New Yorkers.

The bedside table was filled with cards and presents including stockfish, dried bitter leaf, Kolanuts and palm wine.

 "Where did you get all these?" Grandma Ugoji asked surprised.

"I got them specially ordered from Africa. Your Chief sent them. He said you should forget about the fine you owe him,” Mayor Hanks replied smiling. He bent down and whispered into her ears.

"You know you were right about the cigarettes, I quit smoking after that day. I now eat Kolanuts instead and guess what? My wife has gotten the recipe of the Bitter leaf soup you wanted to cook for me. Don't tell anyone, it's our secret".  

Grandma Ugoji laughed aloud. Maybe America wasn't that bad she thought. She would stay longer before going back to Africa. With a Purple Heart, lots of friends and a supply of her local foodstuff, life could be so beautiful.

Robot  # 1 | 23.05.2009 00:41

The plane was quite cold inside and had so many people both black and white talking excitedly inside it. She kept to herself, all the people were speaking too much grammar and were wearing oversized clothes. As the plane taxied to take oft, Grandma Ugoji thought the world was ending. What kind of ship would slant upwards instead of sailing forward. She let out a scream....Read the full article.