Nil-mam looked at her guide Apane to check that she was not bored by the long wait. It was the first time for Nil-mam and Apane to be together and they did not know much about each other.

Nil-mam didn’t want to upset Apane and possible strain the relationship with her new in-laws. Apane also wanted to create a good impression and wanted Nil-mam to trust her.

“What are you doing here?” a girl of Apane’s age asked. “I am with my aunty - and you?” “I skipped school to visit my uncle in the emergency ward,” the girl replied. 

Nil-mam thought about approaching someone who would refer her to Dr Kenny. “Hello, you have been here for a while, do you need any assistance?” a woman in a blue dress asked.

“I am here to look for Dr Kenny from Kavieng who works here,” said Nil-mam.

“Ah, Dr Kenny, he is popular at this hospital and in this town. The Simbus like him and call him Makan-nem (Landowner). Walk to the building over there and the room on your left is his office. Normally he leaves his door open to visitors.”

Nil-mam shook hands with the nurse and, together with Apane, walked in the direction of Dr Kenny’s office. Nil-mam took a deep breath and stepped through the door. “Come in, come in, and take a seat. My name is Kenny, what can I do for you?”

Nil-mam tried her best to hide her nervousness but Dr Kenny could sense it. “Daughter, young people like you call me Papa. Feel free. Maybe have a cup of tea or coffee and we will talk later.” He looked in Apane’s direction. Apane was shy and looked at the floor as if she was counting dust.

“I used to be young and shy but I have learnt over the years to overcome such attitude. You will soon be strong, don’t worry,” Dr Kenny assured them as he was making tea.

“No wonder Simbus love him and call him Papa,” Nil-mam thought while Apane’s young mind struggled to grasp the reality of Dr Kenny’s action. Medical doctors were important people who would not make tea for girls like her.

She thought of her uncles and aunts who work in professions like Dr Kenny and who would sit on chairs and speak English in the village to command respect.

“So what is your story?” Dr Kenny asked while sipping his black Kongo coffee. His Kavieng smile gave Nil-mam confidence she started to speak. After listening intently, Dr Kenny shook hands with Nil-mam and turned away to find a tissue to dry his tears.

“Your father and I attended the same school and we have been great friends. I am happy that you are his daughter.”

Nil-mam and Apane could not hold back their tears. Apane was tempted to weep openly in Simbu tradition but held back. Nil-mam sobbed with her head buried under her blouse.

Dr Kenny asked them to follow him to his house to meet his wife and closed the office door behind him.

Nil-mam regained her confidence. She was not alone and the thought of leaving school, becoming pregnant and getting married temporarily escaped her mind.

“Uncle, how long have you been working at this hospital?” asked Nil-mam. “Since you were not born,” replied Dr Kenny. “I played a role in convincing your mother to marry your father when I was in Kavieng during a break on my first year of work here.”

Nil-mam smiled and tried to work out the number of years. “Many times, employees are asked by their employers to take up new positions but rarely do employers ask employees to choose where they want to work.

“Whenever, they accord me such opportunities, I have chosen to work and live in Simbu,” Dr Kenny continued.

Convinced by Dr Kenny’s account of his life in Simbu, Nil-mam thought how lucky she was to be marrying a Simbu man. Apane also was proud of what she heard from the conversation and was thinking of telling her peers of other people’s perceptions of Simbu.

Dr Kenny’s family’s reception was something Nil-mam missed from her own family. By the time she asked for permission to leave for Kaupa’s house, all was set. Dr Kenny would call her after talking with her parents.

Nil-mam would travel back to Porgera the next day proud of her accomplishments. Dr Kenny handed her a betel nut to chew on her way home.

As Nil-mam and Apane walked home later in the day, the market vendors were rushing to secure a space in a warehouse to keep leftovers to sell the next day. Some young men carried secondhand clothing bails two or three times their size. Others carried the small wooden tables used for selling betel nut and cigarettes.

Nil-mam remarked to Apane that she could not understand how these vendors would find time to prepare dinner. Apane told her that they normally feed on scones and coffee sold on roadside markets. They were not used to preparing dinner. Most of them did not own a house in town and lived with relatives who did.

At home, Kaupa and his wife had prepared a special dinner for Nil-mam. Then they gathered around the fire and told stories of what they did during the day. Nil-mam’s dish had kaukau, potato, banana, corn, taro, yam, pumpkin, a variety of greens and was topped with a boiled chicken. When Nil-mam shared her dinner with the children, Kaupa told Nil-mam that they children had their share and she should not share hers.

Kaupa’s wife told Nil-mam it was kind of her to share with children. “I learnt this from Yaltom,” Nil-mam said.

“Ya, Yaltom is a person who likes sharing, even small things,” Kaupa’s wife said breaking into laughter. “Many people joke that he will one day share his underwear.”

Everyone in the house joined in the laughter. Nil-mam could not hold back. “That’s true,” she said, gasping for breath. “Simbus are well regarded for possessing the spirit and ability to share and give. They find joy in it”.

The statement was enough to make Kaupa stand in the dark and applaud Nil-mam. “Are you staying with us for a week?”

“No, I must return to Porgera tomorrow,” replied Nil-mam. “Then you need a good rest, it will be a long journey,” directed Kaupa’s wife.  Nil-mam thanked the family and prepared for bed.

“Waaaaaaa!” Nil-mam shouted and woke everyone at around one in the morning. Kaupa’s wife woke and asked, “Nil-mam, what’s wrong?”

Nil-mam took a deep breath and apologised. “I am being attacked by a monster that looked like a huge brown dog. The dog blocked me from seeing the owner, an old woman standing at the back of the dog”.

Kaupa’s wife made a short prayer and condemned the devil that tried to attack Nil-mam and they went back to sleep.