The tour

Chapter 4

Whilst conversing with Odartey, Koshie realised that Odartey was too must of a 'Johnny Just Come', a total stranger. The names of junctions, favourite spots, and hotspots were new to him. He could easily get lost in town if he ever stepped out. This was a great source of concern to Koshie. When she discussed it with her mother, she thought it was no probs. She would think through it and in a few days and find a suitable solution.

"I think we are responsible for his welfare, Koshie," she said after many days of brainstorming.

"You are right, Mummy," she replied. "He is my best friend and I'm the closest and most caring he can find and trust."

"I'm glad you said that," said her mother. "It will be good to show him around. Take him everywhere you go and I'll do so too. Apart from that, I have great plans for him."

"May I know what these plans are?" Koshie asked. "I trust you, Mummy. Are you going to pull strings?"

"Of course yes. How did you know that?" Koshie smiled. For the next two weeks, Koshie's mother pulled all the strings she could. She went soliciting for assistance from the Minister responsible for tourism and was referred to the one responsible for her constituency. He knew Odartey very well. He had carried himself very well ever since he came to live in his electoral area.

"I will show, through him, how little boys like him can be rewarded for being upright," he said, excited. Koshie's mother was not the only one eager to put a smile on the face of her daughter's best friend. Others were in too. Hurray! Odartey was very excited when Koshie suggested that he prepared for this particular surprise package which could last for a day or two.

It was a tradition of the people in that particular community to give newcomers a special treat. That tradition had however been shelved because of the appalling behaviour of some residents. Odartey had brought them hope of a revival of this uplifting treat. He had no idea where they would be going. It was meant to be a surprise and everyone had been warned to keep their lips sealed until the plan came into fruition.

Ignorant of all they had up their sleeves, he selected his best Sunday clothes out of the whole lot, eager to impress his new friend, Koshie. Koshie rebuked him sharply and unnecessarily without remorse and asked him to go back and get himself some casual wear, comfortable enough to last him a day or two if possible. By that suggestion, he wondered where she was taking him.

He would be doing himself no good if he employed his telepathic gift to foretell the future in this case. It would spoil all the fun. This was Koshie's day and it must remain so. It seemed Koshie had forgotten that no one could hide anything from him. Howbeit, he chose to be gentle with her oversight.

"Why do I need clothing for a day or two?" he asked. "Are we going to stay over?" Koshie gave him no answer.

"I need to know so I can inform my parents," he said. "So they will be in the know. We cannot go anywhere unless they know exactly where we are going."

Koshie was quick to read between the lines. He wanted to hear it from the horse's own mouth perhaps. "If you insist", she said, trying a fast one on him. "I don't know where we are going, either." Odartey suddenly had a strange feeling. If Koshie did not seek help in controlling her mouth, she would be compelled to reveal the secret soon.

"Mum, I don't want to spoil the fun, yet Odartey may let me spill the beans and let all of you down. What do you think I should do?"

"Think about how disappointed we will all be to realise that you have spoilt all the fun," she replied.

"That's going to be difficult," she winced. "But I'll try…for your sake."

"Thank you! That's the spirit! Give me a high five!" Koshie stood up on a chair and slapped her mother's hands loudly.

"Ouch! That hurts!" she grimaced.

"Sorry Mum,"

"Gotcha! Just kidding!" she carried her in her arms and spun her around like a merry go round. Koshie felt dizzy by the time she put her down. She lay on the floor for a while and then began to laugh out loud.

As parents of a young boy like Odartey, and knowing how inquisitive he was, they found a way around him and kept beating about the bush until he gave up his investigative mission to discover the secret. He tried hard to win Koshie over to his side to help him decode a few mysterious words and actions, oblivious of the fact that Koshie was the main culprit.

The treat began with shopping for a few groceries, after which they waited for a few minutes at the bus stop as if they were expecting a bus. Odartey followed like a lamb before the slaughter to a favourite bus stop in the community, together with his parents.

"Are you in this too? Mum and Dad?" they feigned ignorance and played dumb. The tour guide then cleared his throat, winked at Odartey and began to break the ice.

"Welcome, Odartey, and family," he said.

I always knew this man was acting funny. He shouldn't have been here with us. He was walking too close to us for comfort. No wonder! He thought to himself. "We are honoured to have you in our community. Your show of goodwill, kindness, and respect for all people great and small has encouraged us to honour you with our presence and presents, if I may say so. We are going to show you around a few landmarks which we think will help you find your way around."

They pretended the bus was late and therefore had to while away the time in a few furniture shops in town.

"I can't believe this!" he exclaimed. "First, we are waiting for a bus and then we turn around and go shopping again. What kind of a bus would be that late?" Odartey's parents were glad they had achieved their aim. They gave each other secret thumbs up.

"Are we moving house?" he asked, when they entered the furniture shop. Koshie giggled. He gaped at her but that did not discourage her. His stare did not scare her anymore. She was rather thrilled to see him so confused. Some of the residents ordered some furniture too and placed it in a delivery truck, ready to transport the items to their destination; Odartey's house. They also visited a few paint shops to pick up some orders.

"Paint? Mum? Are we responsible for painting the house?"

"No, my son," she said. "We are doing this on behalf of the ministry in charge. Just be patient." She had spoken well, for his patience was running out earlier than he envisaged.

He enjoyed the stroll through the community after the bus had not arrived according to schedule. The breath of fresh air and the kind sunshine made the journey pleasant. On the way, they saw a few of the community schools.

The tour guide spoke about the kind of people who could afford such schools. That was however another topic to discuss at a more appropriate time.

"If some schools are designated for only the rich, then there surely is a lack of equity of resources, isn't there?" asked Odartey, disappointed. Odartey deduced, from all he heard, that the school he and Koshie attended was affordable for both the rich and the poor yet, many rich parents considered it a 'low status school.' Perhaps it was one of the reasons why the tour guide avoided that discussion. Odartey raised his hand to signify that he had a troubling thought.

"Speak up, Odartey. It's your day," said the tour guide.

"You never mentioned our school," said Odartey.

"I thought I did," he replied. "Sorry about that. This particular school, which you attend, was a gift from two parents in the community, so we deem it special. Members of this community do not have to pay any school fees."

"I see,"

They then moved to a special Hall called the Town Hall where the town executives met regularly to discuss many pressing issues in the community. They sat down for a moment. Odartey and his parents were then ushered to the high table.

Odartey felt a little embarrassed by that act and beckoned Koshie to come over and sit beside him. She declined his offer. She might ruin the moment by doing so. A few moments later, five waiters, dressed in neat white shirts and black skirts with their black bow-ties to match began to serve the guests with water. They reappeared to serve them with some soft drinks. Odartey was surprised. He glanced at Koshie. Perhaps he was now getting it. Koshie smiled at him.

Next, the waiters served them with some sumptuous food. The parents were excited and so were the children. The Chief Executive of the board members of the political committee of the town stood in the midst of the people amidst loud cheers and chatter and introduced himself, spicing up the meeting a little bit.

"Hello, I'm Mr. Obinti, the member of parliament for this constituency. We would like to honour our new neighbour. We live adjacent their building and it will be good to get acquainted in a special way." Why would they make my moving in so special? Odartey thought to himself. Other families then followed suit. The last to introduce themselves were Koshie and her mother, the brain behind the event.

"I hope you have met Koshie and her mother already," said the Chief Executive. The whole gathering was in an uproar. They needed no introduction. The other parents also introduced themselves and ended their introduction with welcome notes to Odartey and his family.

"Let's have some music, DJ…." said the Minister of Parliament. Soon, there was music in the background. A few parents rose to dance with their spouses and exchanged partners after a while. In the evening, many of the parents carried their children on their shoulders back to their homes, sleeping soundly. Odartey could not speak with Koshie before going back home. She was also fast asleep. He was however grateful for the welcome party.

The next day, Odartey packed a few belongings once again.

"Why do I have to keep packing when I do not need them, Mummy?" he asked.

"I'm sure this time, you will need them," she replied hopefully. She was also not aware of what the planning committee had up their sleeves this time. She found out from Koshie's mother that they would be visiting the Boti Falls. As they waited for the other neighbours to arrive in front of Koshie's house, Odartey walked up to Koshie. "Can I sit beside you?" he asked.

"Oh yes," she replied. "Need you ask?"

"Yes, I was just being polite."

"Where are your parents?" she asked.

"Over there at the back." He held her head softly and turned it slightly towards the back of the bus.

Koshie saw her mother already chatting away with Odartey's parents.

"We're really going to go with the bus this time, Odartey," teasing him.

"All of you are trying to pull my legs," he said. "I understand."

"Odartey," said the tour guide, intervening to ease the tension between the two. "Since this is particularly dedicated to you and we are all enjoying its benefits, I'd like you to know that our next recreational activity will be away from this town a little bit."

"Thank you. It's nice to know" replied Odartey.

"Can you guess?" leering at Odartey. Odartey scratched his head for answers, trying very hard not to cheat.

"No," he replied bluntly. "You might have to tell me yourself."

"It's Boti falls!" Odartey's eyes opened wide with excitement. He raised Koshie up and screamed;

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you! I've been waiting for this for so long!" turning to her mother and to the others, he said; "Thank you to you all."

"Our chosen destination," said the tour guide, turning to the others, "for the first round of these tours is a twin waterfall located at Boti in Yilo Krobo Municipal District in this region." Odartey smiled. How he wished he had a twin brother or sister!

"The two waterfalls are twins. One is female and the other, male." That was typical for an African country to inculcate their belief systems when engaging tourists. "It is just about thirty minutes away from our current location." Odartey heaved a sigh of relief.

He was anxious for the joyful moments of playing under the waterfall. He could not wait to jump under the free flowing water and bask in its benevolence. It was such a beautiful sight!

"Not so fast, Odartey!" said the tour guide. "I should have warned you earlier on that children were not allowed into the waterfall. You could be swept away by the powerful currents." Their parents however enjoyed themselves whilst they watched on. At the bead making section, Koshie stood by a few of the women who were seriously at work. She wished she could have a go at the process though but was encouraged to watch with her eyes first. After a few hours, a kind lady then gave her a few of the single beads to try on a thin, transparent thread. Koshie tried a few, made a few mistakes, and was gently guided to undo and start all over again. Odartey watched her.

"Would you like to join her?" asked the young lady.

"Yes, I would love to," he said, relieved. He would also make some for his mother. He carefully placed the single beads on the thin, transparent thread and was soon doing better than Koshie.

Koshie peered at him.

"You seem to be doing better than I am," she said.

"Don't be intimidated, Koshie. Some learn faster than others do. Do it at your own pace." With that word of encouragement, Koshie was soon engrossed in reaching perfection.

"There!" said the lady in charge. "You have completed a perfect one!" Koshie heaved a sigh of relief.

"I was right after all, wasn't I?" said Odartey.

"Thanks," she replied. She walked to her mother, put those beautiful sparkling beads on her wrist and neck.

"They look beautiful on you," said Odartey.

"Thank you, replied Koshie's mother. The lady in charge, Miss Afranie asked a few of her apprentices to choose a few they had already made. They placed them in a gift bag and gave them to Koshie and Odartey's mother as a souvenir.

"I have added a few beads you could put around your waist," said Miss Afranie. As they proceeded through the grounds, Koshie's mother spotted a few trees and leaves. Many of the tourists had gathered around them.

"What are these?" she asked the tour guide.

"They are spice trees," he said. "Would you like to smell a few?"

"Smell?" she replied. "We would like to pick a few samples for our kitchen. The tour guide smiled.

"I understand," he said. Koshie's mother got busy picking a few of the spices for their recipes. Both of them loved to cook.

"We will also be visiting the Densu River soon and I must warn you beforehand of the dangers and pleasures at the same time so you would know what to expect" said the tour guide. "Do you know that this river supplies half of the drinking water that the capital city of Ghana, Accra consumes?"

"Wow!" said the visitors. "We never knew that." Odartey was dumbfounded and so were the others.

"We will also see grass cutters and rats, both smoked and fresh, straight from the forest. You must know that it is illegal to hunt for any of such animals. They are becoming extinct just like the deers. We all know how delicious soup made from grass cutters are. Please don't be tempted to kill any."

"Yummy!" said the people who had tasted some of the soup before. "A few people patronize the rats." Koshie gaped at Odartey.

"I would buy some and take it to Paddie for a present," she said

"Paddie would like to chase live ones," said Odartey. "Always remember that. That is the reason she got missing in the first place."

"Yes," replied Koshie. "I do remember that, thank you."

"Last of all," interrupted the tour guide. "We will go fishing in the muddy waters for some tilapia and mudfish."

"Yaaaaaaaay!" exclaimed Koshie.

"I didn't know you loved fishing that much," said Odartey.

"This kind of fishing is not as intensive as the one done in deep waters," said the tour guide. "We can even catch some with our bare hands. They are called mudfish because they love to settle at the edge of the river where there is not much water."

On their way to the Densu River, many sellers had displayed their wares by the roadside; prominent amongst them were grass cutters. Sitting safely in their canoes, they saw the mudfish and tilapia swimming swiftly at the banks.

They dipped their hands into the muddy waters and tried to catch some of the fish. Some slipped through their fingers back into the water. The tour guide showed them the difference between tilapia and mudfish. Most of the parents were tired after this trip though the children had much more zeal to continue. The parents begged to retire to their chalets with their children whilst the children begged to stay a little while longer. Reluctantly, they retired together with the guide and their parents for the day

Although she was very tired, sleep eluded Koshie. She was thinking about Paddie whom she had left at home to fend for herself. She regretted not bringing her along. Howbeit, she consoled herself with the fact that she would be watching over the house whilst they were away. Her guilt prevented her from enjoying the still night. For once, she heard no noise except for the crickets and owls. Had she been at home, she would have overheard Paddie trying to chase away a rat, or a few cars still wandering around in the dark, shining their lights all over the streets.

As the night wore on, she fell into a deep sleep only to hear Odartey's voice in a distance, waking her up.

"Koshie, Koshie," he shook her gently. Koshie woke up with a start.

"You were talking in your sleep. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied. He gaped at her, expecting her to open up.

"Okay," she said. "I was dreaming about my father. He was excited that we were having this treat and was telling me he would have loved to join us."

"Did you speak to him?"

"Yes," she replied. "And I wish it would continue." Tears fell from her eyes as Odartey wiped them. He felt so sorry for her.

"I haven't lost a father before," he confessed. "But I can imagine how painful it would be." Sighing for a few seconds. "Do you miss him?"

"Very much. Paddie has made me miss him even more. I wish I brought her with me."

"We would consider that next time. For now, let's enjoy the trip and forget about everything else. " After comforting her, he suddenly had a premonition.

"Did your father say anything in particular to you?" he asked.

"Why do you ask?" surprised at his question.

"I want to know the reason for his visit," he said like a necromancer.

"Yes, he said he had missed me and that he wished I was with him."

"Oh no!" Odartey placed his hands on his head.

"What does that mean, Odartey? You seem like your whole world is falling apart."

"It is falling apart, Koshie. I want you to do something for me, will you?"

"Sure, I'll do anything"

"Get a piece of paper quickly,"

"Any ordinary one?"

"Any piece of paper you can find." She tore a piece of paper from her notebook and gave it to him. He wrote something on it and gave it to her to sign.

"What's this, Odartey?"

"A promise that you will marry me in future."

"Why would I do that?"

"Trust me on this, okay?"

"Okay." She appended her improvised signature on the piece of paper and gave it to him to keep. He tucked it under his armpit and went quickly to his chalet.

"Hei! Mr. whatsoever you call yourself!" he yelled. "I have your daughter with me. She is safe. As a matter of fact, I'm going to marry her, so stop bothering her!"

"I'm not through with you yet!" the spirit of Koshie's father replied.

"Just stay away! I know your kind! She's not willing to follow you. I love her!" With much resistance, a strong wind blew him aside and he was soon standing alone in awe.

"I nailed it!" he exclaimed. "I really did it!" Odartey was surprised to know after the encounter, that the tour was not yet over.

"All this for me?" he said. It brought tears to his eyes.

"Oh! Don't cry," said Koshie, wiping his tears. "We want you to be happy."

"This is too much."

"Enjoy it whilst it lasts, dear brother,"

"Brother? You called me brother?" Mum's the word. The tour guide led the way.

"Children," he called out. "You would have to walk closely beside your parents this time. Please don't lose them. This is the Kwahu Mountains. They are very steep and slippery but a good place to exercise one's limbs." Koshie shrugged and held her mother's hand.

"I guess I have to stick to you then," she said with chagrin. "I have no other choice."

"Before we begin," said the tour guide. "I would like to say, that we must brace ourselves for the journey ahead. It is not going to be easy.

The most important lesson we must learn is that we must keep going no matter what." Koshie peered at Odartey. Could they make it? Their feet were small and so were their legs. Their steps would be small, measured, and slower than that of the adults.

It was a tough climb. Although the tour guide had asked the children to stay beside their parents, Odartey's father chose to do something different to prevent Koshie from feeling left out. He carried Koshie for most part of the journey when she was tired and could no longer walk. Odartey was happy for her. At least, she would be able to experience some fatherly love in the absence of hers'. Koshie's mother almost gave up along the way. Howbeit, the tour guide encouraged her to keep going.

"Mum, please keep going. I assure you, you would be better off continuing your journey," he said. She shook her head. At this point in time, she took everything he said with a pinch of salt. It must be because of the tiredness. It had made her suspicious of everyone.

"But I'm so tired. I wish I could stop and rest," she protested.

"That's fine, but make sure you don't return, I urge you."

"Alright, I won't." She continued climbing until she caught up with everyone at the summit. All the mountain climbers nibbled at a few snacks and chatted about their experiences during the journey uphill. Koshie's feet were swollen and painful so much that Odartey was frightened when he saw them.

"Oh my goodness! What have we done to you?" said the tour guide when he came close. "You'll be okay. It happens to some people sometimes. You must have stepped on something you are allergic to. Sorry I didn't warn you."

"You might have to take sole responsibility for it if it doesn't heal by the time we are about to leave," said Koshie's mother.

"Of course, Mum," he replied. "There's a clinic downhill and a doctor to see to such cases. Don't you worry."

Their way back was less stressful and their movement was more co-ordinated than before. Perhaps it was because they had gotten used to the terrain. By the time they were at the foot of the mountain, Koshie's feet had come back to normal. The swelling had receded. She headed straight for her sofa bed when they returned, wondering what the tour guide had up his sleeves next.

Truly, the tour was not yet over. Just as Odartey was about ready to pack his things, the tour guide made an announcement.

"I have great news for you," he said, excited. "I have been told that there will be a durbar of the chiefs and people of Aburi. We would certainly not want to miss that since we are within that jurisdiction." Koshie and Odartey were surprised. Their celebration was not yet over.

"I thought we were just about to go home," he said.

"Not yet," said the tour guide." We want to give you the best of treats."

"When is this going to be?" Odartey asked.

"This very morning," he replied. "A bus will pick us up from this very spot and give us a ride through town before the durbar begins. Odartey peered at the spot where they were standing and imagined the bus coming over to pick them. "My work ends here. Someone else will take it from where I left off. It was nice meeting you all."

"It was nice meeting you too. We will miss you so much," said Koshie. Odartey was amused. How quickly she grew attached to people! They needed not wait too long for the bus. It was there as scheduled. Soon, they were setting off on a journey towards the Aburi Gardens where the chiefs and people would gather for the Odwira festival.

"Odwira is a time of spiritual purification where the people are renewed and receive protection," said the new tour guide.

This will be good for Koshie. Thought Odartey.

It was a long walk through the streets as a few footmen fired their guns in the air, making way for the various chiefs, both sub and major. Some of the men looked very scary in their strange attire. They had painted their faces with charcoal and their eyes were bulging out. Koshie held on to her mother's skirt, afraid. The smell of gunpowder filled the atmosphere so much that the children were asked to sit in the bus. This was a very timely intervention since right then, some chiefs came passing by in their palanquins, waving and dancing as they went by. They had a clear view of them and their faces as they did so. Fortunately or unfortunately, Koshie kept gaping at the procession so much that she did not hear the tour guide asking the children to sit in the bus. A young woman carrying a stool covered with blood that had dried over the years suddenly placed the stool on Koshie's head. Koshie became possessed with the spirit from the young priestess. It meant that Koshie's ancestry had something to do with royalty and therefore, was chosen. It was a heart-rending experience, battling with the chief priest to let Koshie go. He was so convinced that she was to become the next priestess of the town. Odartey kept all these to heart.

Odartey woke up in the morning, weary from all the trips.

"I hope we will be going back home today," he said.

"Not yet Odartey," said his mother.

"I appreciate all their efforts Mummy," said Odartey. "But Koshie has been though a lot already. We cannot have her entangled in any other battle for now. Can we just leave?"

"Not exactly," she replied. "We came on the ticket of the governing body of the town. We cannot just take arbitrary decisions like that." The possibility of him getting married would no longer hold if truly, Koshie was not meant to get married but to serve as a priestess. She would finally overcome her father's haunting spirit but he would also have lost her for good.

Soon, they were on their way to the Bunso Arboretum. Odartey was glad to know that Koshie was free to go with them but would be having spells from time to time. He tried hard to imagine all that awaited them at their new destination. It blew his mind when they arrived to know that what he saw exceeded his expectations. Everyone alighted expectantly and split into smaller groups of five. Koshie and her mother went horse riding. Koshie's mother mounted one of the horses with the help of the assistants over there and rode the length and breadth of the Arboretum. Odartey joined another group with his parents at the zip line section of the Arboretum. Looking down from the zip line was scary. The guide advised anyone who would like to have a go not to look down into the gorge. Only a few adults were brave enough to travel from one end of the zip line to the other accompanied by a loud applause from the spectators. Another group was already at the famous canopy walkway. Before anyone began the long walk, the guides advised them.

"Please do not be in a hurry to get to the other end. There is a beautiful scenery to enjoy. If you look carefully, you may see some wild animals below." Koshie could tell that her mother was petrified even before she could begin the walk. By this time, all the various groups had converged at the canopy walkway.

"Are you okay, Mummy?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, Koshie," she said, trying to be brave. Koshie and the others saw beautiful and strange birds in the sanctuary together with different species of butterflies ever seen in the whole world.