Story corner: Olobo’s new phone

Olobo was twelve years old when he got his first phone. His uncle Olupot bought it for him as a gift and prize for passing his end of year exams with flying colours. Since childhood, young Olobo always admired people with phones. He would take his mom’s phone and stand in front of the large dressing mirror in his mother’s room. He admired himself as he pretended to call his imaginary friend Taaka. He would call out his name loudly and laugh with imaginary Taaka. He even fixed imaginary appointments to meet with him over the weekend. He often kept contacts of his friends at school so that he could talk to them when his mom allowed him a phone call. Phones were so fascinating because they were so small yet they enabled him to talk to distant friends. One holiday Olobo went for holidays at his uncle’s home. The fact that every one had a phone surprised him. So he asked uncle Olupot to give him a phone too. His uncle agreed only on condition, that he passed the end of year exams with flying colours. This for Olobo was a ‘do or die’ because he had to read with a mission and goal to achieve. He improved greatly in all his subjects and his mom and teachers were impressed. When the results were announced, Olobo was the best in his school. Now his uncle had no option but to buy him the phone he promised. In a well wrapped gift box, Olobo gratefully received his phone gift. He was very happy to finally own a phone. Ends