By Tosyn Bucknor
My friend had a book on his table on creativity and one of the pages asked a simple question; ‘everyone talks about the first kiss. But what about the last kiss?’
That got me thinking… About the last conversations or interactions I had with…
My friend that disappeared: One day he called and we spoke about his magazine and plans. Next day I’m getting an email asking if I had seen him or heard from him. His phones were off, and we’ve still not found him, five years later.
My car: I got up and left for work like I usually do. Thirty minutes later, my car was spinning on the bridge. One fractured arm and several weeks later, I realised I couldn’t get back into that car.
That project: It was a simple enough project but it just didn’t make me happy nor fulfilled. One day I drove off after a meeting and I just didn’t go back.
That guy: One day you’re happy and he’s the best thing in the world. Next, neither of you is calling the other. And then you realise it’s over…
21: I didn’t say goodbye to 21 properly. I let it go without saying thank you and asking it questions like ‘what happens next’. 21 meant I was no longer a teenager but also not yet an adult. I miss 21
Zara: Last time I had a proper conversation with Zara was at One Mic Naija. She came, hung out and had fun. After that was the occasional facebook messages and tweets.
Those we lost on that Dana flight: My friend was flying to Lagos and we were all going to meet up and have drinks. Our last chat was in the group chat were we were picking restaurants and having a laugh.
Amaka Igwe: Still painful to think about, still hard to accept I won’t see her smile again or talk passionately about movies again, or put up posts by Max Lucado and more on Facebook again.
Mama: ‘Mama’ is what we called my dad’s mum. She lived with us till the night she passed. I’d gone to see her earlier and we held hands. And then I saw my dad going in and out of her room and then calling the doctor. It was surreal,
Grandma: When I was younger, I spent every holiday with her. When she got older, she spent weekends with us. So our last conversation was a typical one, with prayers and hugs and a casual, ‘odabo’. I wish that hug had lasted longer
Lesson learnt- you never know it will be the final kiss, so make every encounter count!
