Ọlaọmọ: Yes it is. I did it once and vowed never to do it again.

Ọlaade who had been nursing was now asleep. Wọnu put him in the car seat next to her and buckled him up.

“I love babies.” I confessed. “If you put me in a room with two hundred babies, I’ll be fine.”

Wọnu: I don’t love babies that much. One is enough.

Ọlaọmọ: I love toddlers the most. The way they run about. It’s just lovely.

“Now, that’s where I differ.” I responded. “I love babies, but I don’t love toddlers as much. They are too kinesthetic for me.”

Ọlaọmọ: That’s the fun of it all. I love to get in there with them and feel free.

Wọnu: I’m free when they’re not crying or whining. I think that’s why I chose to breastfeed. My midwife friend told me breastmilk was the answer to every baby’s needs. She’s right.

“I agree with her.” I replied. “When I stopped breastfeeding I wondered if my children were getting enough nutrients. Breastfeeding was a one stop shop. It nourished, it comforted, it ensured bonding, it gave security, it affirmed love, it did take care of all baby needs.”

Wọnu: Pity it can’t do that for the adult baby.

“Who said it can’t?” I teased. “Solomon thinks it does.”

Wọnu: You’re still joking about this Solomon thing.

Ọlaọmọ: Derbrah, let me tell you a joke? Did you ever wonder why midwives were called midwives?

“No.” I replied. “Why?”

Ọlaọmọ: Because there were no mid husbands.

I smiled lightly.

Wọnu: Ha! She did not find that funny. I told you your jokes are dry.

Ọlaọmọ: Okay, no more jokes for the day. I want some water.

We called for the waitress.

As the waitress left, JadunJesu, JoyinJesu and JẹyọJesu walked in. I hugged each of them and made necessary introductions. Before they left I confirmed the date Jadun was traveling to Nigeria .

Ọlaọmọ: Derbrah, could your friend, Jadun bring back Ariel’s key?

“I’ll ask her.” I responded. “She’s not going for another three weeks, if that’s not too late for you.”

Ọlaọmọ: That’s just fine.

Wọnu: Derbrah, what was that you were telling me over the phone about microwaves?

“Oh,” I said, “I was saying that the health professionals have gotten to me. I’ve decided to limit the use of the microwave to a minimum.

Ọlaọmọ: What’s wrong with microwaves?

“I was told they were carcinogenic.”

Wọnu: But they are so convenient.

“I know.” I responded. “It took me a month to make up my mind. I love using microwaves to warm food because of the convenience. I now have to use a toaster oven.”

Ọlaọmọ: All these studies and discoveries! Very soon, we’ll be told firewood is the best way to cook food.

Wọnu: And pounding yam in a mortar and pestle is the best way to cook iyan.

“Some people still believe that you know.” I responded.

Wọnu: That reminds me of Lolu, one of my ex boyfriends. I really loved this boy. He took me to his home and introduced me to his family members. One of the times while I visited, his older brother, if you ask me, the guy seemed to have a thing for me, anyway, he said he wanted to eat iyan and he wanted their new wife (me) to cook it. So me too, trying to impress, I cooked the yam and asked for the cake mixer. They did not have any. He expected me to use mortar and pestle. That was the end of that relationship.

After settling down from my laughs, I replied, “Life really is very interesting. There are still people today who prefer to pound. As they say, different strokes for different folks.”

Ọlaọmọ: I have a friend who still pounds his yam for iyan, right here in southern California . I have to admit, it does taste different from the powdered iyan everybody cooks with. We were raised with the food mixer, but that was considered westernized back home.

Wọnu: Westernization what? It’s simple technology. Why should I pound yam and hurt my back when I can have the mixer do it for me?

“I like to look at it like driving a stick shift and driving an automatic car.”

Ọlaọmọ: Humans are interesting creatures, diverse and unpredictable.

“Talking about prediction, it’s about that for me to start my other meeting. Where’s Wole and Patrick?”

Wọnu called them and she informed us that they were turning into the packing lot.

Ọlaọmọ: They’re playing the twelve days of Christmas. I love that song. I used to sing it a lot, even when it was not Christmas time.

Wọnu: I’ve forgotten the words. All I remember is five gold rings

Ọlaọmọ: Five golden rings.

Wọnu: No, it’s five gold rings

Ọlaọmọ: Five golden rings. Derbrah, which is right?

“I’m not sure.” I replied. “I have heard both. Whichever way, it still means the same doesn’t it?

Wọnu: You know I heard the song was really a Christian code.

Ọlaọmọ: Yes, the early modern Christians used to send each other gifts for12 days starting the evening of the December 25 until January 5 and then on January 6, the epiphany it ended.

“That’s nice.” I said. “Twelve gifts instead of one. I’ll start that in my family. That will be a lovely alternative to the worldly distractions.”

Wọnu: I heard it was a Christian code. Apparently the Christians were not allowed to openly practice Christianity during Christmas time so they came up with the song to remind themselves of the Christian faith.

“I heard that too.” I responded. “The partridge in a pear tree was to depict the Lord Jesus dying on the cross.”

Wọnu: Yes, the two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Ọlaọmọ: The three French hens were the three theological virtues, faith, hope and love

Wọnu: Four calling birds were the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

“You know,” I started, “I heard a nice argument some time ago that the four gospels should be in the Old Testament and not the New Testament. What do you think?”

Ọlaọmọ: I never thought of that. Why?

“Because, the New Testament started after Jesus’ resurrection.” I responded.

Wọnu: So Acts of the Apostles should be the first book in the New Testament?

“Yes. The other piece of evidence tendered was that Jesus lived and practiced under the Law of Moses, so it wasn’t until he died and resurrected that the new covenant began. Therefore to be precise, the new testament had to begin with the Acts of the Apostles.”

Wọnu: We should all become precisionists.

Ọlaọmọ: That’s true though. So the New Testament should begin from the last chapters of the gospels. Well, what matters is that we receive the New Testament, how we order our biblical books makes no difference.

Wọnu: It does when we’re looking for the books during the service.

“You can always use the contents’ page.” I laughed.

Ọlaọmọ: I only did an introduction to biblical history in Nigeria , I’m thinking of doing a main course on how the bible was found and history of Christianity.

“What I would love is to study Hebrew and Greek.”

Wole: You’re beginning to sound like my husband. You teachers are too curious, always snooping around for something.

“Inquiring minds want to know.”

Wọnu: Curiosity killed the cat.

Ọlaọmọ: Last time I checked, Christians were not cats.

“Thank you Ọlaọmọ. Well Wọnu, my Master and Savior is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah , and as He is, so am I. So my question is what happened to the curious lion?

Wọnu: I don’t know about the curious lion.

Ọlaọmọ: Well that settles it then, although lions are in the cat family.

“That reminds me of a quote I read. A guy wrote “Curiosity killed the cat but for a while I was suspect.”

We all laughed. The Christmas carol was on eight maids a-milking.

“That line got me in trouble at school.”

Wọnu: What line.

“Eight maids a-milking.”

Ọlaọmọ: How come?

“I was supposed to sing the line on stage and I got stage fright.”

Wọnu: I was never selected for such things.

“I’ve always loved to sing and act. I do it very well now. But as a young five-year old, I was petrified.”

Wọnu: You afraid on the stage? I don’t believe it.

“I was. We all started somewhere. That single act when I was five years old made me determined to overcome fear. So it was a blessing in disguise.”

Ọlaọmọ: I don’t remember whether I used to act in elementary school but I loved to sing. We would have morning assembly and sing hymns and choruses.

Wọnu: I liked that. It made school not just a place to learn education but a place to learn about God. Ọlaade is going to go to a Christian school where they wear uniforms and sing praises every morning. I still remember my school’s motto: Education is the best legacy.

Ọlaọmọ: I still remember my school song.

She and Wọnu began to sing their school song and I joined in on the fourth line, “By reverend Akin Adesola, Adesola, glory to…”

Both of them together said, “How come you know the song?”

Then it dawned on all of us. We went to the same elementary school. We all screamed excitedly. What a blessing! We began the world of education in the same spot. We began to reminiscence about our school days. That feels like a present, an early Christmas present.

Ọlaọmọ: We stopped at number four, what’s the five golden rings? I’ve forgotten that one.

Wọnu: That’s the Pentateuch, the five books of Moses.

Ọlaọmọ: Six geese a-laying refers to the six days of creation and seven swans a-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments.

“Now the book of first Corinthians speaks of 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, not seven.”

Ọlaọmọ: This was the Catholic church, the references are different from us Protestants.

“I remember the meaning for the eight maids, it’s the eight beatitudes. I love that.”

Wọnu: Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Spirit. I believe that should be the fruit of the regenerated human spirit, not the Holy Spirit.

Ọlaọmọ: That’s right. Ten lords a-leaping refers to the ten commandments, eleven pipers piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles and twelve drummers drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the apostle's creed.

“When I first learnt this, I thought it was amazing.” I responded. “One can fit so many facts in a song.”

Ọlaọmọ: It’s a blessing we can openly celebrate the birth of our Savior today. Many people all over the world do not have that freedom.

“That sobers me up.” I replied. “While I celebrate, I intercede for lost souls.”

Wọnu: We were once lost too. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Ọlaọmọ: We love Him because He first loved us. Every day, we tell of His grace to the human race.

Derbrah writes courtesy of Agape for All Ministries. Author retains copyright.

Jadesọla’s restaurant is a drama ministry of the Yoruba Christian Women (YCW), an international faith-based non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. Similarity of names and stories are coincidental. Feel free to copy for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires permission. For more information on YCW write Jesutoyin Ajikẹ-King (toyinking@yahoo.com).

Robot  # 1 | 06.01.2008 22:20

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