TIME, CHANCE AND MORE II

Some weeks would pass when they would both not set eyes on one another. She often wondered where ‘Smiler’ was.

“Where does he even work? Has he been taking another cab? Will I ever see him again?”

He would disappear for two weeks and then re-appear, making her even more curious. She wanted to know more about him, about his appearing and disappearing acts. She was aware that he knew she worked at one of the banks along Ring Road because they both alighted at the same place and she had caught him looking at her while she sashayed into the gate. He however never got to catch her turning back to look at him as he tried to cross to the other side of the road.

He was attractive, yet he was a mystery. She wanted to know more, but it was those times when she willed herself to try get a way to get into a conversation the following week that he would disappear. It took time before she knew he worked shifts.

Tolani was not alone!

Ike would want to talk but quite unlike him, he remained tongue-tied. The effect she had on him was the kind no other female ever had.

“I will make that move tomorrow”

The tomorrow came but she was nowhere to be found at the bus stop. He would then not have a chance because the weeks that followed would have him working either the night or afternoon shifts.

As he made the final decision one day, he got a letter from the Human Resource department that he had been transferred to another end of town. He had two more weeks to resume at the new branch. He was even more determined to at least hear that voice speak, to and with him. He wanted to know her name, he wanted to be more than a co-passenger, he had to find a way to make it happen. How else, if not by making sure they join the same cab on his final morning shift week.

Ike made sure he left home a bit earlier than usual that week. He always alighted at Boluwaji, the stop where Tolani would normally pick a cab. She was nowhere to be found all through that week. There was no way he could trace her to her office because he did not know her department. All his efforts proved abortive.

He smiled sadly as he resumed in his new office, remembering how the pretty girl always made him look forward to his trips to work via the ‘rubbish express’.

“She’s the one that got away”

**********************************

Tolani had missed seeing ‘Smiler’. She had gone on a well-deserved break, holidaying away from Ibadan while her annual leave lasted. She was determined to speak to him on the day of her resumption. She was pretty sure she would be in the same taxi with him at least three days that week so she was not bothered much when he was not seen throughout that week. She kept believing till Friday, and assumed that he was working the afternoon or night shift. The two weeks lapsed and she still did not see ‘Smiler’.

She had come to know that he worked shifts on one of their trips to work. He was answering a call and telling the person at the other end why they could not see. His voice was music, sweet melodious music.

“Guy no vex biko. Na night I do two weeks ago and last week na afternoon shift. As I dey morning this week, we go fit see and settle everything.”

He was speaking while still smiling in a way that could ward off any form of resistance from anyone. His voice did not sound like that deep baritone of many men, it had a distinct feel to it. A voice that sounded like one that should whisper sweet nothings and scream loud somethings to one.

For all of her beautiful memories, Smiler was nowhere to be found. It struck Tolani that they did not know each other’s names by any chance. Here she was, wanting to know his name and more but where else would she find him except Boluwaji. She smiled, then giggled as she brought herself back to the present.

“Abi Smiler has also gone on leave ni?”

She waited and hoped to see him one day. It did not happen. It never happened but she never stopped thinking about him everyday.

She made it a routine to smile to herself as she took a cab daily till she no longer had the need to join a cab to work, having bought a car of her own. It later became a reflex action for her to regularly look out for him anytime she got to Challenge, hoping against hope, that she would sight him.

Days turned to weeks and months. Life had happened and other things competed for Tolani’s attention. Yet, Smiler was never forgotten.

“Smiler has joined the Canada train jare. We will meet when I get to Canada”

Tolani thought to herself and let out a chuckle that caught the attention of her colleague.

“Tolani kilode?”

“Never mind my dear. I just remembered something”

TIME, CHANCE AND MORE

 

Grrrrrrrrrrinngggggg!!!

He tossed in bed and changed sides. The part of him that never slept immediately started querying the alarm.

“How could it be dawn so soon? Did I not just sleep about two hours ago?”

His mobile had come to life with the alarm function. The light emanating from the five-inch screen lit up his dark room and he gave up on sleep.

Having slept past normal time and getting to work late on a few occasions, Ike had learnt to set three different alarms so as to be spared the ire of his horrible Boss. He had experienced Wilson’s meanness on two different occasions and did not want to have any cause to cross paths with the foul-mouthed Supervisor.

On this particular day, he was at the receiving end of different punishments for arriving exactly fifteen minutes late. Wilson halved his pay for the day before giving him a thorough dressing down in the presence of his subordinates. He indeed wondered why the boss could not cut him some slack seeing as tardiness was never something to be associated with him. To forestall a reoccurrence of that unpalatable situation, he set extra alarms to support that function he used the table clock for, and since then, found it a permanent position on his bedpost.

Working and living in Ibadan, after growing up in the mad house that he called Lagos was a huge experience of relief. The singular fact that he could effectively time his commute from the end of the city where he squatted with his cousin to his place of work in the popular Oluyole Industrial Estate made him prefer Ibadan. He could leave home as late as 6:45 a.m and get to work fifteen minutes before his resumption time of 8 o’clock.

He got up from the bed to start the process of making his regular breakfast – rice and stew. With the food cooking, he quickly filled the big plastic container with water before rushing to take his bath. He had, of course, perfected the art of multitasking so one thing did not disturb the other. Within an hour of waking up, he had forgotten how much he struggled with sleep. The day had started, and he was lucky to have no midweek blues.

He exited the house and made for the junction, walking as fast as he could because every minute counted. If he delayed by a minute, he would not be able to join his favoured cab man. His precision in timing was such that he would join a particular cab which most times ended up conveying a particular set of people to the ever busy Challenge area.

  **************************************************

Tolani’s bank job was draining her in all ways. She was unsure whether she had a minute of a day’s twenty-four hours to think of nothing but the job. If it was not one target she had to meet, the perpetual fear that she could get to work and be unable to log into her work computer crept in on her. Sure, that meant only one thing – the end.

She had complained to her parents but all they did was urge her to endure. Whenever she expressed her frustration, her retired civil servant father would smile in return and tell her to ‘soldier on.’

“My darling Omotolani, getting tribal marks always comes with pains and aches. It is when the wound heals that it becomes something to show-off .”

Tolani  usually imagined what tribal marks had to do with her condition, although she understood his message. Every day was a tug of war because if there was no reason to shout, her supervisor would create one and eventually end up making a scene. She no longer looked forward to working days and would start counting down to Friday from Wednesday.

To make it worse, her commute from home to work and back was really annoying. She would need to leave home early enough to link the expressway before the mad rush that characterised every business day started. The only bright spot for her on her way to work daily was the drama that was never missing on the different means of transportation she took. Being pretty and petite meant she was mostly the centre of attention. Her form earned her stares and smiles, and she had to become used to it, and even try enjoying it. Her part of the big city also meant she encountered many illiterates and semi-literates while trying to link the expressway. She found their interactions in the taxis entertaining. That alone, and one more reason, encouraged her to anticipate a new day.

  ************************************************

All smiles as they approached Boluwaji bus stop on the expressway, Ike alone knew the reason for his state of mind. A set of co-passengers would mostly alight at Academy junction while the cab driver mostly had the next stop in sight. It was at that stop that the passenger with whom he always wanted to ride would join the cab.

Whichever angel was in charge of their itineraries made sure they journeyed together at least three out of the five working days of the week. He mostly chatted away on his phone while she could hardly wait for the cab to speed down the highway to Boluwaji where she  joined the cab for another drive to Challenge.

Immediately Tolani joined the cab, her favourite part of the daily commute would start. The mobile phone-loving co-passenger was one she always looked forward to journeying with. A smile always plastered his face as he half focused  on his phone and stole glances at her. They got to sit at both ends of the Micra taxi most of the time, he behind the driver and she behind the passenger in front.

He never caught her looking at him; he was always the one gawking at her and getting caught. He would then face his phone and resume smiling, as if gaping and getting caught.

“Can’t he just say hello or something, instead of staring?”

She liked the contours at the edges of his mouth whenever he smiled. She would not mind being engaged in a conversation. She would melt the ice one day if he didn’t make the move. Yes, one day. Soon.

This daughter of Eve looked every inch his ‘spec’. Her petite frame so well accentuated by her feminine features, her skin tone that was neither fair nor dark; and indeed, the way her sing-song voice rendered every other sound cacophonous whenever she wanted to pay the cab driver. He wanted to talk to her; he really wanted to start a conversation but she seemed too distracted by other thoughts.

“The perfect day would come soon. Yes, one day.

MY STORY AND MORE (VI) BY KAYGEEGAL

YES, WE HAD AN UNEXPECTED BREAK. YES, WE ARE VERY SORRY. IT WAS DUE TO ‘CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND US’. PLEASE ENJOY THIS SERVING AND DON’T FORGET TO USE THE COMMENT BOX

************************************************

LOLA

So I picked up a newspaper on my way to the office. No, I don’t read papers but colleague does. As usual I read the headlines only and one struck my heart…he hadn’t quit.

“INFERNO AT NNP HEADQUARTERS”

I remembered the video instantly, Hon. Akinlade and Salau Alimi’s visit and the conversation with Bones. I remember how Bones cringed as the two men appeared.

“How are you, Bones?” Hon. Akinlade greeted and got a nod as response from Bones.

“I heard you are good”, Hon. Akinlade continued.

“It depends on what you are talking about”, Bones responded sharply. Some confidence he quickly gathered.

“Without mincing words, you heard what happened to my company”, He paused for a response, got none and continued. “Excavation is still ongoing with many people still buried alive”.

He betrayed emotions and a tear escaped which he quickly plucked away from the corner of his eyes. His moist eyes however shone brightly.

“My daughter could still be there, they haven’t found her body and Salau’s son-in-law’s” He pointed at Salau Alimi who bowed his head in a mixture of sadness and something close to guilt.

“I want retaliation, a painful one, for whoever did this”, he said with a force that carried as much fury and other negative emotions with it.

I felt for the man. He wanted retaliation on his enemy who was right behind him but his heart was driven to another, another who knew nothing.

Bones grabbed Hon. Akinlade by the left shoulder with his right hand and looked into his eyes.

“You will get what you want Honorable”.

I watched the promise he made to me fly away from under the tree where they were having the discussion.

Akinlade got the retaliation he wanted; only that it was not an absolute one. It was the beginning of a fresh war.

I sunk on the seat in my cubicle. How I managed to get there was a miracle.

“Dear Lord, I need a helper”

……………………………………………………….

Boye finally called. God answers prayers!

“I miss you so much baby”

He sounded like he missed me truly.

“For how long do we intend to do this?”, I mused. We break and mend quite often.

“I’ve missed you too”

I could not help saying, almost tearfully.

Almost two weeks without him had been hell, not because he was not around or did not call but because if he had been around, I would not have gotten myself into Bone’s mess. I missed him because he was not there to tell me to tread softly.

Maybe what I needed was a strong man. A man that would command me and I won’t dare disobey…just maybe.

“I’m sorry I bothered you so much about the Masters, I gave it a thought and I concluded that I don’t have to force you to do anything. I’m sorry it caused friction between us”

He was talking in his coolest, calmest and most seductive voice. He actually was cooing, not talking. I smiled

“Baby, its fine. I missed you too, I missed you so bad”

“How come you didn’t call me to say that”

He knew how to whine like a baby. I made a mental note of how he would make his face at that moment: he would put and make that annoyingly seductive baby face. That always got my heart racing.

“So what’s been happening?”

“Bones!” I was going to say, then I remembered the hatred between both of them.

“I have been busy, work has been tiring.”

Work had not been tiring, my life had been! Helping Bones was tiring! Knowing that your life is in danger was tiring!

“Really? I got a call from Mr. Audu saying it seems you are a li-little under the weather”, He stammered on the ‘little’

My temper shot towards the sky. “How could he say that? Did I tell him that?”

“Baby, calm down. He said you look at people suspiciously and watch your back as you walk and avoid people and….baby, are you OK?” Maybe he was short of words.

“Don’t mind him, he is just being paranoid”, I said coolly.

Maybe it was true, maybe I was exaggerating, maybe I was actually the paranoid one looking at everybody like they knew what I got involved with and they could read the secret from me loud and clear by just looking into my face.

Boye cleared his throat from the other end and broke the silence, interrupting my thoughts.

“He suggested you go on vacation for two days at least. What do you think?”

“He did?” I sighed. Boye has a way with people, I was sure he it was who cajoled the man into accepting the vacation plan, something I hated so much. Maybe because I was used to fighting my way up instead of looking for short cuts. I knew I had not earned the vacation but it was fine.

I concluded with Boye on the vacation plan.

“Bones can look for another accomplice”, I made up my mind.

******************************************

BONES

He looked at the beautiful petite lady blocking his exit and rolled his eyes.

“This is what I get for saving you? A stupid attitude?” He said irritably.

The petite lady was visibly shaken and blocked the door to prevent Bones from exiting.

“You claim that you saved me and you are keeping me here forever? That’s what you call help? Kidnap is what you call help? Answer me!” She tapped his chest, screaming at him.

“How many times will I tell you that you are here for a reason? Do you want to get yourself killed? You too answer me!” He wanted to slap her chest just the way she did but stopped midway when he noticed her terrified face.

“Just a few more days. Please, you will go home after the elections. That’s when it’s safe for you”, he said forcefully, with a bit of plea.

“No! I’m going today, I’m going now! If there is any place I will feel protected, its with my family!” She retorted, defiant.

“You are wrong, my lady. Those interested in your death are in your family. You….”

“Shut up liar! Not my family! Whosoever paid you to kidnap me will rot in jail when I’m out of here. You, and all your accomplices are jail birds already”

Bones laughed hysterically in a manner that sapped all the confidence she had mustered. “Jail birds? Maybe, just maybe. Did you read the paper I brought this morning?”

“So?”

“Your own father paid me for that, young woman”

He watched as the fear written on her face was joined by confusion. She went quiet, colour draining from her face for some minutes. When she found her voice, she spoke.

“No! You are a liar!”

“I’m a bloody liar, yes. Na wetin I be be that. Just hold your peace ehn, we go find out who dey lie, who dey deceive and who the deceiver be. Your eye go clear“.

She was at a loss, all her defiance and boldness had melted away. Bones did not allow her regain composure before speaking again.

“Check the last drawer in the bedroom, I kept some CDs there. Pick them all and come be my guest.”

He made a face, twisting his lips in pity and pointed in the direction of the home theatre with his eyes.

As if remote controlled, she started towards the bedroom with a “No, please Lord…”

Her head was in all sorts of thoughts. She wondered which was worse: being kidnapped by a stranger or knowing that your stern father who taught you morals and religion is a criminal who was involved in several killings.

MY STORY AND MORE (V) BY KAYGEEGAL

LERE

The issue with Bones, Lola and the unconscious girl had drained him physically, mentally and even emotionally yet he had had to report for an emergency surgery the following day

It was the end of a crazily busy day. Two herniorapphys, an exploratory laparotomy and a werthem’s hysterectomy all crammed into the same same surgery day. While dragging myself to the car, the song I was playing on the phone was interrupted by an incoming call.

“Dr Aileru? What on earth does she want and why”, I asked himself.

The voice on the other side of the receiver was one which spelt urgency.

“Lere, God has answered our prayers. We’re finally going to hit the biiiiig time “, she was almost screaming.

“Calm down and speak, Godammit!!!”, I thundered.

“The Government needs doctors. Volunteers. Heroes”

“For what?” I was impatient at that point.

“The Federal Government needs doctors to fight this Ebola scourge and I just pencilled down my name, and of course, yours too”.

I almost ran out of breath.

“What?? Ebo-kini”. Never! Nooo! Never!!!”.

“Guy, calm down. We won’t touch them nah. Our job is just to do secondary screening – take history and examination of people suspected to have Ebola, travelers mainly, in and out of the country. The venue is the International airport. And the pay, the pay, the pay Ehn, na helele o!”.

“How much are we talking about here?”, I asked”.

“Well, four hundred dollars per shift, four days a week”, she screamed.

My heart, I can confirm skipped. It stopped, started, stopped and started yet again.

“Okay, when do we start then?”, I asked.

“Tomorrow”, she answered.

“Done! I’ll be rich, finally”, I screamed and ended the call. I got into my car, that had the inscription ” oyota amry” (some alphabets had escaped) and turboed away.

The next two months working as an ‘Ebola Doctor’ was intriguing. From health workers lying around at night like dead dogs, zero provision of welfare facilities to workers to gross inadequacies of basic tool-kits to prosecute the mission.

Of course, the government reneged on promises made to us, especially on the financial front. We were eventually paid a micro-fraction of what they promised to pay. We were branded mercenaries, unpatriotic people who were mainly after the cash. At last, we won the ‘war against ebola’, against all odds, and that was enough consolation.

On my last day at the airport, I took a walk around. Equipment, now littering the whole place, unused. Quasi-structures erected in the form of temporary emergency offices that had gulped a fortune, hungry-looking disgruntled health workers , flat atmosphere.

“Another scam. We were used. The government took the glory. We were the ones who laid our lives on the line, they were the ones who took the glory. Nigerians…we are what we are”, I thought to myself as I mumbled a goodbye to the security man at the airport exit…
********************

BONES

He scanned his environment wondering how long it would take his client to show up. He prayed silently for his back up to have his back with efficiency, accuracy and precision.

His last conversation with Lola replayed in his mind at that instant.

“Its highly dangerous and I’m not getting involved again”, she spat that evening.

“Lola, please…you don’t want these people to kill me now”, he pleaded.

“You got yourself into this, you should find your way out by yourself”, she was getting furious by the minute.

Bones tried again. “Lola, I’m not afraid of going down but I’m afraid of not getting paid for the job I risked my life for and we will share it: you, me and Lere”.

“Don’t sweet tongue me with money, I seriously don’t want this kind of earning”, she replied.

“Remember you can do your Masters with it without the help of your rich, selfish boyfriend.” Bone smiled convincingly.

“Leave my boyfriend out of this. If I had listened to him enough, I wouldn’t be in this fucking mess with you. You even got Lere involved! He just got married for Pete’s sake!”

“Who be Pete? Calm down jor. I just wan make dem pay me for this and I will opt out.”

“Are you sure? This is your first and last mission?”

” I promise you.”

“I’m trying to believe o, don’t fuck me up o…ehn ehn”.

“I won’t”, he promised.

“I need a camera, a professional one”, she requested calmly. The thought of handling a camera always excited her. She wanted to be a camerawoman, she despised being called cameraman.

“I’m a woman!”, she always slammed. She left two media houses because they said camera handling was a man job. They offered her the job of a presenter but she would not take it. Its either camera handling or get another job out of media house.

“You will have the camera and the map tomorrow”, Bones announced, noticing how her face lit up.

“Good!” She smiled, feeling the thrill already. Her hands itched.

“I won’t get in touch again…I expect you to be where you should be”.

She nodded.

Bones heard the bush rustling, two men approached.

“How are you, Bones?” The voice belonged to Hon Akinlade. On his tail, was his client…Salau Alimi.

His heart pumped rapidly, excessively.

“What’s about to happen?” He mused.

He was expecting his client, Salau Alimi only. He ignored the question and prayed that Lola, Mentor and others were seeing what was about to unfold.

MY STORY AND MORE (IV) BY KAYGEEGAL

Hello folks, this week’s episode of Kaygeegal’s MY STORY AND I is here. Thanks to all who take time to read, and comment. We hope you enjoy this serving as well. Have a fantastic weekend.

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“We stand against any form of violence as the elections approach. Nobody should take advantage of this election to perpetrate violence. If our opponents cannot take the heat anymore, they should back off or restrategize instead of engaging in this lawlessness”

“Sir, are saying that this is the handiwork of the opposition party?” Asked a petite man from DBC Radio.

“Well, this is politics and some people take it as a do or die affair. Like I said earlier, we won’t give chance for any form of violence.”

“Do you have a name in mind sir?” Another reporter asked.

“No, I don’t. It can’t be done by an individual, this looks like a party decision to bring us down or to scare us. You know what? It can’t, not in anyway because we are coming out strong.” He glared at the camera as if communicating directly with the opponent.

“But Sir, aren’t you at advantage too?”, the petite reporter quizzed again.

“How?”

“If anything happens to Hon. Akinlade and he can’t continue with his aspiration, you would be the flagbearer and…”

He was cut short.

“Akinlade is my best friend! You can’t call that an advantage”, he retorted.

“Maybe you don’t see it as an advantage but if Hon. Akinlade cannot continue with this because obviously he is a gentleman who doesn’t like to be threatened, do you agree with me that he will step down immediately his life or family’s is being threatened?”

The reporter continued defiantly, catching the interest of the others who left her to continue the questioning.

“Yes he may, but we won’t let him. The opponent cannot shake us”, Mr. Salau Alimi replied calmly.

“Yes he may, and when that happens can we safely conclude that you are the flag bearer?”, another reporter asked.

“Listen you all, this very building has in it my daughter’s husband, my best friend’s daughter, colleagues, investors and staff! You ain’t talking about if they are still alive or how we are trying to save them. All you talk about is me being the next candidate… I wonder how humane you media people in this country are”

He dropped microphone, visibly irritated and stormed off the stage.

***************
“Woow, what a stunt!” I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears.”Did he just pretend as if he doesn’t have a hand in it? What da fuck!”

Lere and Bones kept mute with serious concentration on the TV as if we did not just hear the worst lie ever.

“You guys shouldn’t keep quiet as if this is normal…this is not! Hon. Akinlade’s daughter is lying down in my own room with pains written all over her body and he has the gut to hold a press conference just few hours after in order to blame the opposition party. Chai! How I hate politics.” I cringed.

“We’ve been in politics all along, we’ve been played and we have been encouraging them. None of us is doing nor saying anything.” Lere sighed and continued, “look at Bones here…he is being used too.”

“Don’t tell me that! I only want my daily bread”, Bones cut in sharply as soon as Lere stopped.

It was my turn to look at the unfolding argument between them, there might probably be a fight.

“Can’t you find a honest way of getting your daily bread? Must it be through killing for politicians?”

I could hear the angry note from Lere’s voice, somebody who just treated a stranger for free and didn’t even ask much questions.

“I know your problem, you are fortunate enough to have rich parents that sent you school. Now you can sit down there and judge me! When you didn’t experience half of what I went through”.

Bones was emotional and it got to me. Tension was rising and I knew I should wade in.

“Bones, nobody is judging you here, we are just saying your barbing profession can sustain you.” I reached out to him with my right hand he shrugged it off.

“I guess you were not here when I was struggling to pay shop rent, electricity bill, fuel for generator, generator maintenance, TAX! I’m paying TAX! How much was I gaining? Talk!”, he yelled at me.

I curled up on the single sitter and refused to respond to his rant.

“All I’m saying is, you don’t need this mess you got yourself into. You are even better off as a bus conductor”, Lere chipped in.

“Doctor pray. Pray that you become a bus conductor now”.

“It hasn’t come to that now, I trained to be a doctor and you chose who you are today!”

I stood up, having had enough of their verbal exchanges. Bones had already made up his mind, and as long as he remained the Bones I know, nothing can change his mind. I went to the restroom to relieve myself.

Sitting on the WC got me musing over the situation.

“Lere is wrong, its not only Bones that is in a big mess, we all are. God! What will happen to us, I have a dad in the hospital, Lere is married and Bones…well, his family stopped bothering about him…hmmmm”

I sat there some more minutes doing nothing. The feeling to use the toilet had disappeared and ended in nothing but a long pee. I involuntarily cleaned up when it was evident nothing but a pee was coming. I pulled up my touser, flushed and returned to the living room hoping they would have stopped their heated exchange but I was absolutely wrong, they were still at it.

“I don’t know why you bother yourself so much about these good for nothing politicians when we all know exactly what they did to you personally” Bones was on his legs now barking at Lere.

“What are you talking about?” Lere requested mildly.

“The Ebola case! How much did WHO said they would pay doctors working with Ebola patients? Didn’t they pay that exactly money to Nigeria? Answer that.”

Lere forced out a tight “yes”.

“Now tell me, did up to 40% of what WHO pay end up with the doctors? Answer that too”

“No…but…we knew doctors were cheated, they risked their lives and yet…”, Lere stammered, linking his words incoherently.

“So, doctor are you still not in favor of getting what you can get from there while you can?”, he asked sarcastically.

“I still don’t believe in this very path you are treading. We should be responsible as citizens too”.

I could see how much Lere was trying, he should just give up. Bones was stubborn.

“You want me to remind you of your days in LUTH during your housemanship?”

“I told you the stories!”

“Revisit it doctor, and let me know if you still want the honest path…I have business to take care of. This lady can’t hide here”.

He left us with our thought. To a large extent, I blamed the government for making Bones what he had become and at the same time I wondered what was going through Lere’s mind. The result was a block, I could not make anything out of my thoughts.

I sank deeper into the sofa, thinking of a way out of the situation.