JameS’ Crescendo It all started at a birthday party. i t was not just any party — it was Araba’s party. It was the last Saturday in August 1976. I had recently graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Science and Technology and had taken up a temporary position with the Ghana Highway Authority in Cape Coast, hopeful that it would lead to a placement for my national service. I had brought along a state-of-the-art sound system I had picked up during a vacation training trip to the Netherlands. It was a thing of beauty—clear sound, serious power. One of my friends was so fascinated by it that he came over often just to listen. At some point, he mentioned that a friend of his, Araba, was having a birthday party and needed music. Would I DJ? I agreed. That friend turned out to be her. On the day of the party, I went over to her house and, before setting up my sound system to play the music, I smiled and introduced myself: “James Fiifi Johnson.” She greeted me warmly, grateful that I had shown up. After the party, we realised that we were neighbours and agreed to keep in touch, and we did. Not long afterwards, I invited her to another gathering with friends from the University of Cape Coast and old classmates from St Augustine’s College during the Afahye festival. We danced, talked and laughed. Slowly but surely, our friendship began to deepen. What drew me in? She was calm and composed. No drama. No endless demands. No questioning everything. That stood out. Occasionally, she would bring me food—delicious food. However, it was the peace she brought with her presence that struck me most. When Music and Marriage Met 12 The Birthday Journal
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