top of page

Broken Pieces

Rehema Zuberi

Lets just say, am I still your original playful girl/boy! Yes, it was never sure if I belonged with the girls’ dodge ball, skipping rope or with the boys’ soccer. Whoever I found on the playground I was quickly picked by a team 


Besides being quite in class, a beast came out of me when it was play time. I lost shoes every other week, and of course socks! Luckily enough mom used to come back home late so I would have cleaned up, looked for old socks and shoes ready for the next day at school.


Come weekends, it was a tough one, how to sneak into the house with dusty feet, sandals held, sweating from head to toe. Having to pass where no auntie will see and pull your ears.


On one eventful evening, the game was “Kakeebe” call it kicking a bottle literally. One was tasked to look for those hiding, run as fast as their feet would take them and hit on the bottle, if the one who they have just discovered from their hiding space outrun the seeker, he/she kicked the bottle far and all would go back to hiding, more like a saviour move. One boy got tired of being out ran, he filled the bottle with and I came out ran as fast as I was, kicked the sand filled bottle and boom my toes almost broke!!


You want to cry but you risk being seen by elders who will beat you some more for playing in dust, not in shoes etc so many offences knew how to show up. I simply sneaked into the bathroom showered and dosed my pain off.


The next day, with bruised toes, I was back in the game! Then I knew, I was meant to be a very happy child, with a leaping leg, no game left me down. Football, I was either a defender (please note I was a tiny child) but how I defended till now puzzles me. Till now I can sit with gentlemen and watch Champions’ league, World cup perfectly and go away annoyed at that mid-fielder who didn’t make that pass on time!


A childhood friend of mine called Bathsheba has a photo of me with dirty feet, I still don’t know who captured it, but I looked the happiest child in the area. Mom made peace with the fact that she wouldn’t guess which case they would bring to her that evening or next day about her daughter. Did I break a glass, knock down another child(Always an accident), threw a brick, climbed trees etc


The thriller was when in a group of playmates we decided to go for a swim in River Rwizi in Mbarara town, please note I was not a swimmer, I was tiny, any wave would sweep me! But thought of not going would kill me more than the waves  I don’t know how we survived but someone reported us, the beatings we got at school are the reason I still love water in a certain way.


Till now any day is a play day, just halla at your homegirl, I don’t ask many questions!

Always a playful child.


5 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Childhood Playful Memories

Lets just say, am I still your original playful girl/boy! Yes, it was never sure if I belonged with the girls’ dodge ball, skipping rope...

Comments


Qweshunga Logo-01.png
Contact.

P.O.Box 159445

Kampala, Uganda

Inquiries

+256 39 3256687

Quick Links

Inspire

Play 

Live

Donate

Shop

Press

Subscribe to our newsletter •
Don’t miss out!

Thanks for subscribing!

bottom of page