Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
ONE CHANCE
Leaving as early as 6a.m on that dewy Monday morning Mary
and her cousin Stella embarked on the journey to the church program as arranged.
Arriving after the bumpy journey which took approximately six hours, they
boarded a bus (molue) heading towards cele bus stop. In the bus were seated
four boys-two at the back, 1 at the middle and 1 at the entrance. The bus
stopped right in front of Mary and her cousin with a man and his wife standing
beside them...cele-mile2...cele-mile2 d conductor beckoned....
Earlier in the day....
“Honey I had a dream last night and it wasn’t good, I think
we should just forget about the delivery today. We can still do it tomorrow.” “Did u not pray about it?” James questioned instead.
“I did honey but I still don’t feel alright about it. You see there is nothing
to worry about. You’d prayed about it plus it’s only a dream....” seeing she
was heading nowhere she reluctantly gave up.
On their way to make the delivery of the 250,000 naira
recharge card which they generated the previous day, as requested by one of
their regular customers. The okada they entered fell while trying to avoid an
oncoming vehicle. Luckily no one was hurt but the bike itself wouldn’t start.
"Oga abeg make una enter another okada" which kind of wahala be this
he cursed silently! Spotting an empty kekenapep (tri-cycle) coming their way Mrs
James motioned for its driver as it pulled to an abrupt stop missing them by
ten seconds. Not more than three poles from where they had the first, another
accident had occurred; " Honey don’t tell me this is not sign enough that
we are been warned, I don’t feel right about this can we please go home".
Swiping his face with his right hand and brushing his pants
with the sweat that came of it; James stood with one hand akimbo. “Stop being superstitious.
That man was careless. These drivers drive
like they own the road". Getting to prove he is the man he is, they
continued on their way.
......Mary got in first and made her way to the back seat,
while Stella took the seat right in front of Mary. The couple took the next
seats as directed by the conductor.
They all took their seats not minding a glance at the
contents of the bus. “Honey after supplying
Three minutes later while the bus was on its way. A voice
that souded likethe conductor’s came alive “we nor wan hurt anybody, make una
just corporate bring all una money and handsets and every valuables una
carry". A cold chill ran down her spine as Mary saw both men sitting
beside her produce locally made guns as the conductor started speaking, like a
rehearsal done over time. In Mary’s hand held a cheap Nokia which they
collected and ransacked her hand-bag. “Abeg na clothes wey we wan give
orphanage home pipo dey inside the bag” was all Mary could utter as the wicked looking
wrinkled-faced man snatched the hold-all bag from her. Seeing she was telling
the truth they collected her cousins Samsung phone but did not take notice of
the nylon bag which held her share of the things meant for charity.
“What’s all this nonsense, don’t your boys have any respect
at all”. The elderly man sitting next to his wife yelled at the robbers. “Shut
up, foolish man. Na here you wan speak English”. The guy behind hit him on his
head with the butt of his gun and a reddish substance spluttered out through a
small opening made from the contact of the gun and his head. “Jesus”. The man
cried. “Shut up, na church you dey”. They collected his phone, wallet and his
wife’s hand bag. Inside were two phones and the 250k worth of recharge card
which they were on their way to deliver.
“Una don corporate well, so we go do as we promise. We nor
go hurt anybody, so make una just jeje come down make nobody suspect anything”.
The bus pulled to a stop and the one sitted close to the door slid it open and
gave way for their passengers to come down. The four of them found their way
down the bus and Mary pleaded, “bros abeg, I be student and I need my sim-card.
Abeg I fit get my sim back? She pleaded more. The one with the phones removed
her sim-card and tossed it at her. “Thank you bros, God go bless you” Mary
saluted the guy. “Make una nor look for trouble o!” and they zoomed off.
The woman with the bag started shouting and crying, as her
right hand interlocking the left rested on her head. “If only my husband had
listened to me, none of this would have happened”. She cried more.
Stella dipped her right hand in her fancy nylon bag
searching for something she had kept inside earlier in the morning. She planned
stopping by the market to buy some of the things some of her customers sent
her. She didn’t tell Mary because she knew Mary would not like the idea, for it
would warrant them staying longer than planned….she eventually brought out her
hand after locating what she thought was the 250k she had kept inside before leaving
home. She brought out the money from inside the short she had stuffed it in,
dancing synchronously at the sight of the well-arranged 1000 naira wad of cash.
“Jesus! Mary exclaimed. Don’t tell me you had such amount of money with you all
along”? You are very lucky, everyone was
saying. Just go render thanks to your God they added. While condolence was been
rendered to the woman and her husband after she had narrated how she had told
her husband the dream and how both accidents had been a warning in disguise.
Mary and her cousin boarded another carefully selected bus, leaving the crowd
behind.
Church vs Community
PFN, Anambra community bicker over killing of snake...
pfn-anambra-community-bicker-over-killing-of-snake/
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