Reminiscences on those days when they dated! They were young and carefree. Trevor was on his way up the ladder in the challenging real estate portfolio. He had been fresh from high school when he had stumbled upon a clerical post with a real estate portfolio. He decided to date a collage of lectures. That meant he faced a battery of examinations, lessons, practical on the job training and hard work. These came between him and his favourite pursuits. The number of times the board allows rewrites is limited. Qualification opens avenues to better remuneration, commission, status and possible partnership. He likes his beer, sports and fraternizing with the gentry who watch live EPL/ESPN soccer, play boozers soccer, tee off at the greens and try their hand when silver at dicing with the basket or volleyball. Then he met Naomi by a freak accident. A day when everything was going wrong is the day he met her. A day he should have been bitterly embarrassed is the day she rescued him. She appeared so cute and innocent, like a moth approaching a flame. She has the temper of a wounded she-leopard and the looks of Jezebel. His spiritual knees buckle. His mouth stays agape. His eyes lose focus when he sees her. To him she is an open sesame password to marital bliss. He has never bothered chasing after the ladies. He could easily have married the girl next door or his parents' friends' daughters. Is it all that fast and easy? They both share being children of immigrants. He wants to break the yoke of working in the mines. He has watched retired mine workers survive on stipends. Society looks down upon immigrant labour from whose pool he was born. They both want to beat the status quo and sink prejudice. It is an uphill battle. Will they grab the limelight?

Lake Of My Heart

 “Naomi?” the marriage officer asked. “Look closely at the gentleman in that suit smiling at you. Don’t be swayed by the smile. Check that it is him and him only that you want to marry. Make sure it's not his look alike or twin or his former school mate.” 


 Naomi looked up. Trevor raised his hands and lowered them. He did a 360º degree turn balancing on one shoe sole and stopped. He craned his head to the left then right. The whole assembly was rocking with laughter. Some people were cheering and others clapping their palms. He unpinned his suit jacket and pinned it again. 


 “It’s me,” Trevor said pointing at himself. “Me myself and I.” 


 “Sure?” asked the marriage officer again. 


 “Yes pastor. I am very sure it’s HIM.” 


 “Okay, Trevor,” The marriage officer said. “This is the time when you can withdraw from the marriage. Are you sure you want to marry this lady here?” 


LAKE OF MY HEART – CHAPTER 26