No, not ordinary
on Sheila Ash (India), 27/Jan/2014 10:21, 34 days ago
The winter frost snow caps the carsDark puddles litter the car park potholesLast year’s Harmattan seems a world away. M&S dressed ladies meet for tea and sconesMothers wheel their kids for pizza and Big MacsLast year’s suya fires my taste buds. Pedestrians stroll safely in the Thoroughfare to shopStreaming from politely parked cars siphoned from bypassing trafficLast year’s ocados still squirm between my legs. Blue jeans, black coat, head bowed she trudges off to the Co-opBlue jeans, black jacket, head bowed he heads off to the pubLast year’s proud, flaming scarlet abaya still floats with effortless elegance across the Ahmadu Bello Highway . Last year’s Afrobeat has hip hopped to minimalist GlassHot coal grilled Croacker has mueted to deep fried Haddock and chipsLast year’s Oyibo’s tan has faded, paled without whitenersShaping up the chrysalis of next year’s me. Word of explanation:Harmattan  - seasonal cold, dry, dusty West African trade wind blowing from the Sahara to the Gulf of Guinea between November and MarchSuya– street food, somewhat like a kebab, flattened meat on a skewer, well seasons with chilliOcado– a motor cycle taxiAbaya– a woman’s full length gown in Saudi Arabia, but here used with some poetic license applied to a full length, but more fitted but still loose and flowing Kaftan-like ladies riga or gownAhmadu Bello Way– a busy major road in Abuja, NigeriaCroacker   -Pseudotolithussenegalensis(Cassava croaker) is a white sea fish commonly grilled over open fires with hot spices all over Nigeria and much of West Africa.Oyibo– Non-derogatory, Nigerian slang for a white personashramblingsashramblings