I hid under the table that Vivian was sitting at. Before going under the table, I had made a great effort to distract her so she wouldn’t know what I was up to. Now that I was under the table, I gently removed the matchstick frommy pocket and set it to the knock-out, then I quickly ran out from under the table so that I could gauge her reaction. Ta! Ta! Ta! Boom! The knock-out went off loudly, and Vivian, having the shock of her life, quickly jumped up as if her very life depended on it. It was such a hilarious sight; I laughed until my belly ached. Still clutching at my stomach to help with the pain, I still couldn’t help laughing. Of course, she was not amused. I was quite a prankster, and I think my wife got the majority of my pranks, but maybe it helped to sustain our marriage; we have been married for fifty-three years now. I first met Vivian Afari Appenteng through a colleague at work. A young intern in my colleague’s office, she was stunning. The first time I took a proper look at her was when she brought him a file. As soon as she left the office, I turned to my colleague and asked, “who is she?” He told me that she was a friend’s daughter. For days after that, I always had her on my mind, wondering whether my friend would mind if I asked her out. Several days later, I mustered the courage to confide in my colleague about my admiration for his friend’s daughter. “You should have told me all this while,” he said, dialling the phone to ask her to bring him some files. When she came, he did some proper introductions and told her that I would like to take her out for lunch. The rest is history. We got married in 1971. Our marriage has been beautiful, and God has blessed us tremendously. Love is in the Air I always had her on my mind, wondering whether my friend would mind if I asked her out. An Ode to Love and Family “ 12 The Birthday Journal
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