1981 pulled my beloved friends from Ghana to the United States of America! Both Joyce and Florence arrived in New York in 1981.  I arrived in New  York with Erica in  November of 1981.  Erica was born in January of 1981.

When Mangowa arrived in 1981, she called me.  She was school mate with Joyce and Beryl.  Maude also arrived in 1981 and her brother  Fred and his wife Joyce, were JOYCE'S neighbours at Queens.  When I arrived in Utah in November of 1981, Elizabeth Alhassan had arrived in the same year, 1981.  She had given birth to Ruka  in 1980 also on January 6.  Ruka and Erica are both Epiphany.  On that day, I was at the University Hospital admitted for in-grown toenail.  Some of the girls from Legon who came to visit Elizabeth  gave me the good news of Ruka's birth!  I believe Elizabeth was Beryl's mate at the University.

Many fascinating events wove around my friends and family and these weaves were a strong pull of gravity.  I left Utah for New York and I know that pull of force was sending me to Joyous!

"Joyous!" I always responded to her happy cheer and greeting when we met in her hearth.  She was a strong woman always taking a heavy step  ahead even after she fell, either from surgery or taking care of her grandma at a tender age.  Silently, I watched both Joyce and Beryl determined to confront all that the unseen forces build before them.  I doubted if any forces would be able to break the  two sisters.  

The secret was in her hearth.  I will let that remain a mystery.  I have lost too much from sharing my family.  One day, Joyce changed her old stove for a computerized stove.  Years later after our friendship was tried, I told her I never liked the her new stove.

Joyce was perplexed, as I read from her face.  She did not quite know why.  Oh Joyous, we never spent much time with each other anymore and our growing family was all computerized.  I blamed all our FIERY journey on computers.  The computerized stove had taken over our hearth and Joyce did not want me around.  

What made me feel at home with my specially selected friends was more because they were  outspoken!  I was also confused and perplexed I could not pinpoint why our friendship came to a sudden end.  It was like death to me.  I cannot count how many of her funerals I have attended before  I last saw her in a closed coffin.  I was thankful I did not have to see her face forever asleep in my thoughts.  She would not let anyone stop her from life.  When someone placed her in the neighbourhood of  Brighton Beach, they were agreeing with me.   I found her as the ray in Bray! She was bright, Joyous, always happily showing off her dimples and white teeth.  Florence told me she was nurturing and Joyce did prove it.  I never left her house without "take-away food.  She always accepted my invitations to my events. One event she was reluctant to attend was to my Buddhist activities.  She did attend with me once to their ceremony but she made me hear it.  She did not want to be there!

In 1966,  I was in Class Five at University Primary School,  my best friend was  Naana!  Naana's neighbour at Lower Hill was Florence!  I never met Florence until sometime in Class Five.  I saw this new girl join us and I just focused on the friends I knew.  

At break time one day, or should I say at recreation time, one day, Naana and I were standing by the water pipe  outside the old girls' bathroom.  Florence joined us.  Naana was being friendly, I was taking my time to access Florence.  Naana wasted no time telling me about Florence.  Florence had been a student at University Primary School before. She left and came back to join us in Class Five.  It was safe now to accept Florence and I was grateful to Naana for that introduction.  

I always remain silent whenever she claims she is a difficult person.  She is more accommodating of me and a whole lot of trials placed in her path from primary school until the computerized stove invaded our hearth.

The pull of gravity brought us together again after I left Utah. Being ever curious, Florence made some calls and knew how to locate me.  She invited me to Queens to visit with her and Joyce.

I do not know how much money they made, but now, I can blame their hospitality for losing them in this labyrinth of our journey!  A lot of fuss went into their preparations for my visit.   They spared no expenses for tomorrow! What will I drink?  What will I eat?  By the time Queen Lizeous arrived, the hearth was warmed up.  We would catch up on all that we had missed through conversation!

That day, Florence introduced me to Joyce, I thought I knew her already.  My family grew tenfold from Naana introducing me to Florence.  Joyce brought her friends and family too.