THE MAGIC VASE(Darlington Chukwunyere) Mama and Bruno were in the kitchen already, and I could savor the taste of their delicacy as it oozed from the kitchen. Mama had told me she would make my 16th birthday a memorable feat and so I was not in the least surprised at the way she’d arranged the house; the colorful balloons and ribbons which she’d placed strategically in the living room in an attractive fashion.

My peers had already begun trouping in amongst whom were Johnson and Mabel; the atmosphere had begun bobbling in celebrative feel. Mama wasn’t alone in this… Uche, my best friend, had also promised me something I’d never seen before as a birthday present being that my birthday fell into a day before Christmas; she often said I was Our Lord The Savior’s birthday mate. My eyes were stock at the gates as I always anticipated her arrival any time the gate opened, but I was often greeted with disappointment as she was yet to arrive. Soon I began to lose my patience as I couldn’t wait to see what the surprising package would look like.

Uche was the best of all my friends, we spent most of our spare times together, playing hide and seek either in her house when her father was away, or in my room, when mama had gone to work. We’d become so acquainted and almost inseparable that her absence meant boredom and isolation for me.

Johnson was the first person to notice my uneasiness. He came in his usual manner and queried what the problem was. “Hey man, you okay?” he began, but I greeted him with a pretentious grin — this he immediately decoded and sensed that I needed to be left alone for the mean time maybe. “But what ever it may be man, you have to cheer up… at least for the guests… I mean, your guest, come on?”

He was the most inquisitive of all my friends and such a personality that had little or no respect for someone’s privacy. I knew I had to act fast; else he was never going to stop bugging me. “Have you seen Uche?” I asked making an okay-let’s-talk face. “Uche? She’s on her way, think I saw her hauling a very big basket…” then he made a very disgusting face, “your heartthrob is preparing cassava for your birthday….” “Silly,” I cursed. “No, no. I saw her, I swear. The basket was full of cassava tubers.” Then he began laughing extensively, he laughed and pranced himself into the living room where others had already begun the party.

I decided to leave the balcony after all, ‘may be the surprise package she’d promised me earlier was her absence any way. As soon as I zipped my decision, the gate opened, and Uche was the first to enter, followed by Maurine, the two girls were indeed hauling something that looked like a basket. But the foils on it couldn’t allow perfect access to my visuals, so I resolved to patience.

I quickly descended through the stairs and in a split of seconds I was already with them. “I’m so sorry honey,” Uche apologized while we embraced. Over her shoulder, I saw Maurine walking crossly into the main building… guess I’d offended her by ignoring her presence—but it wasn’t really my fault anyway, only God knew whom to blame.

“Is this the so esteemed surprise? What kept you away for so long?” I demanded. But she replied to my question by gagging my lips with her index-finger. “Shhh, I need to show you something I discovered, in private.” “What’s that you’re carrying…?” I asked, attempting to touch the item. “In private,” she insisted. “Okay… but, can it wait till…” “Alright I see you’re not ready for me, bye then.” She made for the gate but I stood in her way. “Okay, let’s go to my room.” Then she smiled, her face was broad but her teeth remained un-gapped… I noticed she was acting strangely, but I couldn’t explain why, for I was a lover of new inventions.

“Hey man, won’t you cut your cake?” it was Bruno; he’d been eaves dropping to our conversation. “Where’re you guys up to? May I follow?” “No, not really...it’s private,” I stammered. “Hi Bruno,” Uche greeted. “Hi girl, what’s the fun? Sure you won’t be needing a third party?” this time we were already out of sight before he was through with his sentence.

Uche placed the item on my bed; it was a flower verse, a kind I’d never seen once. It was glittering like an emerald, but the top region was silver blue. It was ceramic, but a rare one.

“What’s this?” I asked and she replied, “It’s a magic vase. It can give you what ever you ask of it.” “Wow! It’s lovely. Is it for me?” “Yes honey, it’s all yours.” “Mama must see this…” then I made to lift it —but Uche drew me back. “No, not yet. Let’s try it out first.” Then she brought a bunch of colorful flowers. “If you place these, right inside, you may ask anything of it and it would be yours within a second.”

“Wow! This is great, let’s do it then.” “Are you ready?” “Yes… no, wait.” I adjusted my trouser and sat cross-legged, close to the verse. “Okay, I’m ready now.” “Bring your right hand.” She took my right hand into hers, and mumbled some strange words. “What are you saying?” I whispered curiously, but she signed me to keep shut.

“What do you want Sammy?” she demanded, urging me to make a request.
“hmm, le’ me think…” “Fast Sam, fast.” She urged. “I’m still thinking… okay, I want money, plenty of it.” “Any thing else?” “Hmm… okay, a car?” “Don’t be ridiculous Sam, it can’t contain a car.” “Okay…” suddenly, the room became dark. “What happening…?” I asked, so scared. “Relax Sam; it’s processing your request. Few moments later the room became lit again. And to my greatest amazement, I saw not only bundles of some currency notes, there were as well a gigantic birthday cake, chocolates, cookies, assorted wine bottles of different brands, and a miniature Christmas tree. Suddenly, there was background music… it was more like a live choir; some people were humming a tone, a birthday tone. Immediately, my room door opened.

Bruno was the first person to enter, followed by Mama. Johnson, Maurine, and the rest of my peers. Within a short while, my room became crowded with a choir of people singing a happy birthday song. Uche looked at me and smiled, and then I realized it had been a planned deal all this while.

“Happy birthday!!!” everyone chorused, but I was already crying before they could sing, “How old are you now? How old are you now?”

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