The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 4
Preparation was in top gear for resumption. My mum surprised me when she bought ‘born-vita’ and peak milk. “I appreciate your efforts but we don’t even eat this at home maami, you don’t have to buy all this. We are not that rich and you know it, the money you used for this provision, you could have kept it for something else.” I humbly protested. She replied immediately ” If i don’t buy this for you who else will i buy it for? All my discomfort, is it not for your comfort, i toil day and night so that you dont have to do that. Over my dead body will you go to school without provisions. I want you to be alright, i want you to enjoy life, soo gbo oko mi, just try and understand me.”
When she had finished saying all these things, all i could see was a mother who was willing to sacrifice her life for her son, who was willing to sacrifice her happiness for her son’s. I was so touched, and didn’t even know what to say, than to say thank you ma. I drew closer to her gave her a hug, and with tears rolling down my chicks i said “I will never let you down maami.” She replied saying “I trust you son, i know you won’t.”
Though my mum was so happy that i finally gained the long awaited admission, but she still can’t believe that her one and only son will leave her to go to Ile-Ife. But what can the poor woman do, will she ask me not to go? Hell no! She won’t do that, she was as happy as i was as far as the admission is concerned. I thought for a while and then i started having mixed feelings as regards the admission. “Well it’s not like I’m going for life, i consoled myself.
The resumption date was clearly stated- 13th of June 2011. Well, i had less than a week to go and i was so ready to face the new life, meet new people, learn new things, unlearn some things, teach people stuffs, correct wrong impressions and become new.
People were giving me money from different angles. “Pele o, omo ile-iwe gba koo fi se owo oko.” They were always tipping me, and my mum won’t stop telling them about my going to school. “Omo yin n lo school ni next week o” which means: your child is going to school next week. Am i really their child? No I’m not, but Yoruba people have funny ways of talking e.g “se o ti ri aburo e.” This means: have you seen your younger sibling, when you are probably from Ibadan, and the person being referred to as your sibling is from Kaduna. But i actually enjoy the whole stuff, because once they call me someone’s child, that person must ‘shake body’ (meaning the person must give me money). Since my father is no more, “whoever gives me money is my father jare” i said, smiling.
The day finally came, and all i had to carry was my ‘2 by 6’ mattress, the few clothes i have, my provisions, and some food items (garri in particular). And i headed straight to the Bus-Stop.
Click 5 below to continue reading
