Misunderstanding to understand

Now I can …

Now I can see why my family members label my character as stubborn, confusing and different. From WHO? I do not concur with their statement.
For a simple reason:
I am what I am, so what?

My parents say I’m different from other kids because I do not play with them, including my eight brothers. What ‘different’?
The answer is simple: I’m unique. Why do I have to do what is done by others?
In many instances I do whatever I am doing ensuring that the two pieces of skin underneath my nose are tightly attached.
“Aubrey why are you always… quiet … cagey … that’s stupid? Eh? My mother once asked.
Guess what? I shake my head! She receives no response and her legs lead her to where she entered. She goes out.
… I was staring at my books; that was the answer for that moment.
I was not deaf I was just unintentionally ignoring her. She will get the answer when I have reached the majority age … and finished school.

The next afternoon after I come from school I go to the river down the hills to wash my school for the next day. And then?
I return before twilight. I hang my clothes, take my books and return to school.
To study … alone.
Because they will be noisy on the two huts we had at home.
I meet her at the yard washing my little brother’s clothes. “Aubrey”, she calls. “I left your meal underneath the pot.” I shook my head and casted a glance of ‘you’ll get the answer at the end of the year’ at her forehead.
“Where are you going to … at this time?” she asked bully. I pushed forward as if I’ve not heard like a phone that is failing to connect the network.

I had to travel a long distance before I reached school. Down the hill on the shortcut pathway that travels between the forests I met four of my brothers. They were smoking dried leaves. They saw me and … the old one gazed my footsteps.
“Where are you goin’ to? You are always serious; you’ll never runaway from mediocrity brother”.
This time I did not have to wait for the end of the year to answer my mischievous brother(s).
“I’m going forward”, I said. “You are goin’ backwards … no future”

Then I proceeded with the journey … until now … I’m still traveling it. But now I’m traveling the tar.
Now I can see the future.
That year I passed matric on merit and I told my mother “Ma it been my dream to finish school and study at the university, that the answer to all you have asked”
All my brothers and the all who saw me a fool, even the elder, are still at school and some have abandoned it, now they are the mediocre while I’m pursuing my LLB degree at the university.

Now they understand why they failed to understand why I cannot be understood at first.