Growing up ...

It was impossible for him to believe that at sixteen his face was as smooth as or perhaps smoother than a baby’s behind. In spite of that which grew in the private region, which he of course could not show off, he had been subjected to series of humiliating experiences. Just because he was bare in the face of hair? Well that was before now.

There they were! A single strand in front and two close two his Adam’s apple. Again he wondered why they called it that since Eve also ate the forbidden apple and the evidence was not visible in the women folk. 

3 strands! Now he would nurse them like new born babies. 3 were definitely better than none.

Going seventeen he was not a small boy, in frame, neither was he short. 6ft 2 inches was no joke yet lack of beards made him look, at least he thought so, like a smalley. Things are going to change now.

‘Matthew’ he heard his mother call from the backyard. Getting up from in front of the mirror in his mother’s room, ‘ma’ he answered. 

‘Where is my phone that I asked you to bring, ehn?’ his mother enquired when he got to where she was seated under the shade in the backyard.

‘I’m coming, I forgot’ he answered going back to get the phone.

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The next day, a Sunday, he was up before six am and ready for church earlier than usual. He sneaked into his mom’s room when she was in the bathroom, planted his behind on the seat and peered intently into the mirror. Yeah! They were still there. What the heck! He thought as he counted three extra strands, whistling. This was more than great.

‘Ibikunle are you drunk’ his mum’s voice came through from the bathroom. What is the meaning of that whistling?’

‘I’m sorry mom’ he replied getting up and heading out of the room. ‘I’ve gone o’ he said. ‘We’ll see in church’ closing the door behind him.

It is a beautiful day’ he said to himself, smiling broadly as he walked, as though on air, to church.

Today he would prove to them, at least his beards, the six strands would, that he was not a boy. Today he felt it in his bones, he was becoming a man. This was enough boost, like any other, for his self-confidence.

NB

Smalley – slang for small boy

Ehn – an interjection