We Have Nothing

It is another Tuesday afternoon and we have visitors again. Every Tuesday, it is a norm to see people trooping in and out of the home as if there is a circus going on or something. Big Mummy takes these flock of visitors from house to house and from room to room, showing them the facilities the home has and the ones it lacks. Every Tuesday, we are fed an hour earlier than our usual time for lunch so that we will get dressed and look all clean and pretty and handsome because "who knows, one of you beautiful children might be adopted today!" accordning to Big Mummy.  I have never been able to understand why she is always very excited during the visiting days when we are displayed to hundreds of people for them to make their choice as if we are some pieces of fine jewellery in the market up for sale. Maybe it reduces her burden or maybe she is just tired of seeing our faces. I cant even find something hurtful to say about her because she is a darling to all of us here and I bet you, my dear reader that you will not understand what I mean until you become orphaned, rejected or dumped by your original parents in a motherless babies home or an orphanage as it is called. I also never really loved the idea of getting adopted because heaven knows where you might get taken to! However, my mindset changed when my best friend in the home, Uju got adopted by a childless multi millionaire! 

One month later, Uju came back looking all beautiful and pimped. A driver even brought her to the home. Common Uju! You needed to see my surprise when I saw her looking all radiant. Infact, her English had improved and at that moment, I envied her and wanted to be adopted too. I suddenly put on my best behaviour during all the Tuesday visits, making sure I paid sweet comments to every good looking, rich looking female that came around. After all, that's how Uju got adopted. I even went the extra mile by helping them hold unto their bags or offer them seats when they came around. Sometimes, I got quite clingy to some who were amazingly pretty. I did all these just to the females because it was the same way Uju got adopted. 

Today, however, I have put on that beautiful pink dress that Uju got for me. The last time she came to see me, she told me that if I looked all girly, potential mothers will get attracted to me more and she also said I should smile and never sulk because it pisses them off and, the truly rich people are the ones that entered with only a designer purse, holding unto their husbands and looking regal. Plus, I must keep my eyes out for the women with car keys and car keys were only a set of two keys or just one. Uju told me that if the woman was flinging the key anyhow, she was going to be "wicked anyhow" but, if she wore the key on her small finger, it meant she wasn't a show off and she would be a good mother. 

Right now, I'm practising my new killer smile. I have already packed my hair to the back and I'm reading a book so that I will impress the visitors. I think Big Mummy is calling me now. Let me go and see if anybody wants to adopt me yet...

.

.

.

.

This is for every orphan in the world. I do not know who you are or why you are an orphan, but I know that somehow I feel your pains and I pray that you get adopted by well meaning people.

Victoria Nelson.