Everyone knew uncle Felix, well, not that he was our real uncle, but here in Nigeria, that title is free and for you as long as you are old, but uncle Felix was more, he was nosy, loud and he was nutty as a fruitcake.
Well, we started seeing changes in him around 2016 when his wife packed out. Not the drunken man or pervert type of change, no. He got a new partner, one that he talks to morning, afternoon and night....and that was his radio.
You will definitely find him and his small transistor radio sitting under the mango tree in his compound, there are times I do wonder if he actually sleeps there, cause when I wake up early in the morning to go fetch water and I pass by, guess what, uncle Felix is already there sitted. The first time I heard him talk to his radio saying, “Good morning partner, cheers to another long and lively day with you....." I actually thought someone else was around, I looked around him, but he was alone, I brushed my hand through my eyes to be sure this ain't a dream, but he was alone. It was just uncle Felix and his FM radio.
One day, it was a weekend, we were all outside washing and clearing the environment, while uncle Felix was outside of his house as well, but we could see him as his fence wasn't a tall one. He was listening as always to his radio, and this time, it was airing a politics related program. Not until suddenly we heard him shout....
“Are you mad, that's a lie, it was that new political party, imagine what this idiot is saying."
I rushed to peep into his compound, and I saw him shaking his head while pointing to the loud radio. I thought I was the only one who went to peep not until I was about leaving, looked sideways and saw other kids as well, we giggled and was about leaving when we heard him again.....
“Who invited this corrupt minister to talk on this program, see him talking as if he's never been caught embezzling government funds."*
Immediately he finished talking, the radio went silent, he slapped it and turned it around, but the radio wouldn't talk...then he said,
“Ehn? No problem na, Nigeria they do hin own, you want to do yours too... go ahead with it."*
We almost laughed out loud, but then we had to control it and leave, I rushed in to call my mum, but my mum didn't even flinch, she just looked at me and said, “Leave him alone o, we all know that radio is the only he has close to him.”
Well, we never knew the full story, all we know was that Mummy Bisi, that was his wife. She left after 18 years of marriage, we never heard them fight, but it just happened, the only thing we knew was that she dropped a letter on the pillow case that says, "I am tired already, I no do again.”
At first, we all thought it was just a joke, that isn't possible, a lot of us envied them, we've never heard them shout or fight, so why will you say Mummy Bisi packed out. But then, days turned to weeks, weeks to months, then years. And now, the radio became his partner.
If it was a child uncle Felix was taking care of the way he takes care of the radio.....tht child would have been so happy he was in his hands, he would dip a small rag in oil and wipe the radio, and then you see it shining as if.....newly bought. When he wants to enter in the evening, you would see him carrying it like a new born baby, he never wanted harm to come it's way. He doesn't over charge it, and he doesn't over use it. Atimes when people tease him and ask,
"Uncle Felix, is your radio faulty, we haven't heard from it since morning?".
He would respond and say, "It needs to rest, it's taking a nap."
We would just burst out laughing.....
There are times he would place the radio right before himself, and say it is resting, while he himself would be singing Westlife....Would you believe me if I were to tell you he was singing for the radio🤣.
There are times we will see him dancing barefooted on his spacious varendah, while the radio would be blaring some old 2face music.
“ My friend Chucks came around one day and saw him, he has once witnessed it before, but he never paid attention to it, and now seeing it again, be was surprised, and as he was about leaving, uncle Felix also stepped out with his radio, Chuck's walked up to him and asked, "Who you dey always dance with uncle?”
Uncle Felix looked at him and responded, “The fact that you can't see doesn't mean it's invisible, learn to always mind your business!"
There was this particular day, he was out with his radio as usual, nobody knows why he stepped in without carrying his partner(radio) along, just as if the weather was waiting for him to rush in, everything changed and rain started falling. Everyone of us ran inside. I was watching his compound from our window. Just then, uncle Felix ran outside, he didn't even bother about the bread he already ate halfway and the plastic chairs, the only thing he grabbed was his radio, he rushed back to the varendah, turned on the radio and it was working, come and see uncle Felix dancing in circles.
I went to my mum and told her what I saw, and asked her, "* Mum, is uncle Felix normal?”*
She looked out the window as well, she smiled and said, *“Huhm, Toyosi just leave him, he's just lonely. And that radio is the only thing he talks too.
Years passed, and I left for school. But uncle Felix was still there, looking more older, and guess what, that same radio was still there, looking old as well, it has been patched with tape and rubber bands were the only thing helping in holding it together.
The last time I came home, everywhere was silent, then I asked one old man in our compound, "Where's uncle Felix?"
He looked at me, and in a sad voice he said, “He's currently on admission in the hospital....Stroke.”*
Everywhere was as quiet, no shouting, no 2face music, no arguments, no nothing....
I really missed him, so before traveling back, I went to visit him at the hospital.... He was looking older and smaller. My mum already said he's been asking for his radio, and that it's faulty, so I got it repaired before going.
After greeting him, I brought out the radio, and his face lit up, he even smiled at me.
I wanted to buy a new one, or even change the casing of the old one, but I thought against it, and I am glad I didn't, he wouldn't have appreciated a new one more. He collected it from me with trembling hands and place it by his side on the bed.
He closed his eyes, and tried switching it in, he beamed a smile when the radio came alive.
I watched uncle Felix as he held on to the radio, he has been through a lot, and even still, he's trying his best to keep holding on, holding on to memories, to companionship and to the only thing that didn’t leave him.
Uncle Felix may have been strange, we might have laughed at him, people might have mocked him, his wife may have have left him, but still, he made a friend.......
All pictures were generated using AI.
Thanks for taking your time to read through.