@Olasquare 28 July 2021 more from that month

I Cherished Them.

Image Source. https://www.pexels.com/photo/four-toddler-forms-circle-photo-754769/ I've read so many childhood memories today and a lot of memories kept coming to my mind. This is not in response to the challenge, I just want to write from my heart as usual. I didn't have the fanciest of childhood when it comes to living large but I moderately enjoyed my childhood. My dad didn't pamper us too much neither did he make us lack. He just knew how to strike a balance when there is a need to. I can say I am like him. Sometimes I wish I can go back to my childhood but then, would that make me irresponsible for trying to avoid mounting responsibilities? You know there are some things I did when I was younger that I got away with that I wouldn't even dare try now that I am older. I can remember when I was much younger and my cousins came around to visit. I think I felt the house was boring and this game just came out with a cartridge then; Pegasus. My dad was supposed to travel the next day to Kenya I think and I woke up that morning, crying that he must get me that game before leaving. I made such a big deal about it that the minivan that came to pick him that day to the airport had to wait and he drove his car to get me the game before leaving for Kenya. Can I even try that again now? Who will the tears tactic work for now if I tried it? Hahahahaha Sometimes I don't wish to go back still, not because of the responsibilities but because of some of the things I did back then which I wasn't proud of. 🙈🙈🙈. We rented the apartment before moving into ours and while we were in the rented apartment, two younger girls took interest in me. One was bold about it and the other was a bit laid back about it. I will preferred the one that was a bit laid back about it though. The other one that was bold about it would wait till everyone isn't in her house and would come to my apartment and tell my mum that she needed help with her TV. I would reluctantly go there and right in her sitting room, she wanted me to turn her on instead. We were both clueless, we didn't even understand what anything deeper meant but I wasn't so keen about it. We would kiss and I would leave. In fact, there was a time she dragged me to the backyard and we were kissing. Her elder brother almost caught us and I can remember vividly telling him that she needed help with a back scratch. 🙈🙈🙈

Image Source. https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-holding-clear-umbrella-1619719/ There were days I wish I can go back to especially when it rains and the season for a fruit we called 'fruit'. I wish I know the real name for it but here, we call it fruit. My brothers and I with our late sister then would go to a neighbour's house to pluck them. We would get a stick and aim it at the tree while most of the fruits fall. We always enjoy it. There were days I would go hunting for crab even though I followed those who were experts in it and I just watched them do their thing. With our old abandoned Aquarium, I would go in search of those tiny fishes and gather as many as I can to put them in my Aquarium. There were days I would run out into the rain just to dance and get soaked by the rain...even though I would go back upstairs and receive the tongue lashing of my life for putting myself in danger but I enjoyed it. There was a time I told my mum I wanted to fetch water. She looked at me strangely but I wasn't allowed to do stuff like this and I guess she allowed me that time. I was at the well and there were boys throwing stones at each other. That was their way of having fun but this time around, the elder brother of the lady I mentioned earlier joined them and his stone hit the back of my head. My white shirt turned red almost instantly and I was rushed home. I was taken to the clinic and then attended to and I heard they beat the living daylight out of that boy because everyone seemed to love my dad in that neighbourhood back then. I love running and even till now, I still love it. I have mentioned it somewhere in one of my old posts. I used to run for my school when I was in Primary School. I always come first, no matter what and it was always a close shave between me and one guy named Muse (A Muslim name). The day before the Inter**-**house sports games, I was burning some dirt and that was how I burnt my right foot. I just felt that hotness from underneath my feet and my slippers didn't survive it that much. I was in so much pain that I was treated and patched up. Everyone told me not to bother going for the Inter-house sport but I wanted it so bad. My dad bought me new tennis sneakers to make me more comfortable and it was a bit big for ease. I ran with it but I fell short; I came second instead but I was pleased with myself to have done it despite the pain. I can go on and on about so many fond memories and not so fond ones but they made my childhood fun and I can look back at them and smile. We can't have our childhood back but I am glad I had the one I had. Life is to be lived and learning to do things better is part of life. The mistakes made me better and the fun moments made me appreciate the importance of what I had then, which is allowing me to appreciate what I am enjoying now because, in a couple of years down the line, I would look upon this moment as fond memories too, with its lessons. What are the fond memories or not so fond ones you can remember? *Thank you for your time.*