The sound of 'knockout' and children laughing woke him up, his neighbour's kids started their Christmas celebrations early that day. Christmas had come and with it came thoughts of home. James had missed his mothers cooking so much, the taste of her legendary 'egusi' soup was fast becoming a memory he couldn't hold on to anymore. He'd been in school all year long and this yuletide wasn't going to pass him by without him going home.
He sat up and glanced across the room to where his bags were, they were all packed and ready for the journey ahead. In less than an hour, he boarded a bus bound for Port Harcourt, his home town. Thoughts of his mothers cooking still danced around his mind, her jollof rice and chicken was a delicacy he could never get tired of. Christmas had come slowly and 365 days seemed like a thousand.
He arrived in Port Harcourt after a few hours and was at his mother's doorstep within minutes. He knocked on the door and his mother opened, "Hope I made it in time for lunch" he said, "Yes you did." she replied as she wrapped her loving arms around him.