Peggy's Hug

A Story by Jeffrey Ajoko

An anecdote based on a childhood experience.

PEGGY'S HUG

I remember when I was about 4years old. My curiousity was insatiable. I could spend a whole day observing the ants as they slowly rallied around the sugar-spill on the living room floor. They seemed so organised. Were they communicating with each other? Maybe they could speak English? Or maybe Tiv? Or was there any other language apart from these two? They were so hardworking, doing things 'sharp sharp'. But who was really calling the shots here? It could be that big guy over there. No. He was working as hard as the other blokes.
Peggy had just hatched her eggs so she was discharging her motherly duties somewhere. I always wondered how Peggy managed to wake up every morning by 6am. Didn't she ever oversleep? She was always kind enough to wake us all up. I understood why she always had to shout (I guess she knew I was a deep sleeper), but I never did make out the words she screamed every dawn. Whenever I approached Peggy for a hug, she was always apprehensive. She would flap her wings as she ran out of sight screaming.
Ahh... Peggy! There she was! Under the mango tree with her eight chicks pecking behind her. I decided to go and say hi to the family.
As I drew closer, Peggy stood still for a while, looking at me. Then she started walking towards me. Wow! Peggy was coming to give me a hug, finally. She spread her wings and started running in my direction. At that moment, I wished I could watch that scene in slow mo. You know na, like all those Indian movies. "Peggy!".

That was how Peggy almost pecked out all my little toes.
Mum was there giving me lecture of how not to disturb a mother hen that is with her chicks. Me I was there insisting "It's as if something is wrong with Peggy o! She should see a doctor."

The moment Peggy hatched her eggs, she received a new purpose: to protect her babies at all costs. There's nothing as magical as a person with a purpose. Purpose infuses you with power you didn't know you had.
There's just no excuse for not living out who you truly are. Do you feel inadequate? Ask Moses. Concerned that you don't have the right background? Ask Gideon. Are you afraid? Ask Peggy.