The Painful Pleasure (TPP)
EPISODE 5
Since we lived in the outskirts of Ibadan, i had to board two different taxis to get to Iwo-Road (like the extreme end of the city, where you get buses going to other parts of the country). My mum followed me to Apata where i took a taxi going to challenge, she waved at me and smiled with tears (who does that). I waved at her and i rememberd the ‘ranti omo eni to nse’ speech. This means: remember the son of whom you are.
You guys know what I’m talking about, there is no one in Nigeria that won’t hear this speech from either or both parents when going to the university. These includes stuffs like:
1. Koju mowe e o: face your studies
2. Ma ko egbe kegbe o: Don’t keep bad company
3. Ma kobirin o: Don’t follow girls e.t.c.
But since my mum knew me to be someone that doesn’t really like ladies, since i don’t talk to girls in the area, only 1 and 2 above was applicable to me.
To cut the long story short, i got to Iwo road, and i gave a small boy 100 Naira to carry my load for me with his wheel barrow. I could have carried it myself, but i just felt that if everyone should think that way, how will the poor boy get his means of livelihood? “At least he is better than those guys with no physical disabilities who beg around.” I said to myself.
I went to the Bus, and seeing my load, the driver said briskly “E maaa sanwo eru o.” Which means i will have to pay extra for my luggage. I nodded my head in agreement, and asked him how much that was, he said 200 Naira, after so much bargaining, and so much chastisement by the other passengers, he agreed to take 100 Naira, so with 400 fare, that will be 500 all together. “Its not that bad.” I. said to myself.
So we were waiting for the bus to get filled. You know those guys now, they won’t move an inch until the bus is full. I sat at the third row as the bus has five rows. I would have sat at the second row but the driver had told us that three people will sit on a row, except the second row where four people will sit. Why he said that i didn’t know, and i don’t want to know. Because i wasn’t really used to traveling, i wouldn’t want anything that would cause me inconvenience.
On my row there was just one space left as we waited patiently. One baba with bald head was already on my left, “who will be my right hand traveling partner” I wondered. . . There she comes, my sitting partner. As i saw her, i knew she was also going to resume in OAU. . .
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