The journey that changed everything

Ignoring the shrill sound of the ringing phone, i turn on my left side, pulling the woolen blanket over my head and hoping the caller will get the subtle ‘do not disturb’ message.

As this was not to be, I picked the phone and in a tone my mother will never approve of because it will frighten away interested men and make me die an old maid, I barked “Hello”

"Helau" he sang out and recognizing the voice, i replied laughing, "Alaaf Mark"

Mark and I met months ago in Rossdorf, a village in Germany during the “Fasching, Karneval, Fastnacht, (Carnival) that takes place before the start of the Lenten season annually. I was visiting a German friend, he was visiting his parents.
The Rathaus (city hall) was decorated in bright shades of colors and men and women dressed in flamboyant costumes with colorful body artworks, filled every available space with laughter, loud chatters and shouts of "Helau, Alaaf" (A humorous carnival greeting) amidst the free flowing beer and loud music.

The Prinzengarde (The Prince's guard) made up of 11 men dressed in black historical military uniforms with white and red hats, stood proudly on stage handing out garland to the Mariechen (group of dancing girls) in matching blouse and short skirts entertaining the karneval crowd with exquisite acrobatic displays.
My ‘Dirndl’ (a traditional attire worn by German women in earlier times) costume, a patterned green and red apron worn over tightly fitted white shirt and skirt which had been loaned to me by my host’s grandmother was attracting stares though only secondary to the attention my skin color generated as the only black in the hall.

In an exciting karneval, i felt lost and different.

Then I heard someone say quietly to me:

'All over the world, no matter the skin color, underneath flows the same red blood. We are one. My name is Mark"

"Nnenna," i replied, stunned.

Am back to Nigeria now and will not die an old maid after all and my mother, will soon have a German son-in-law.