So Abdul woke me up by 6 this morning. He said,
"Musa, Musa. Let's go and play. "
I have been eagerly awaiting this moment for days. Just last week, I was a regular beggar at Mariri until I met Abdul. In my usual manner, I walked up to him and asked for some notes for breakfast. He had sized me up with his tiny eyes which were obscured by his dusty and long lashes before giving me a hundred naira note.
He walked away, then, walked back.
I remember him asking my name and age. I replied, not that I knew my exact age, for I only knew the day I left home to beg and lost my way.
We talked at length about things I cannot remember now, and then, he put me in his car and told me to wait.
.....
"Shehu, Shehu. Let's go and play, " he told the other boy beside me.
We both got up and went outside. Abdul had brought us home on the same day and never stopped telling us about the game of luck that we were about to enjoy.
We got in his car and Abdul began driving. I am not really good with numbers and time but I know that we were in the car for a very long time. We slept, we woke, we slept, we woke until we slept to be awoken by hard back slaps.
"muje, " went up in the air like a barrack siren.
All over, there were young boys of my kind, moving, some half-asleep and others, half-confused.
Finally, detecting a familiar face, I ran to Abdul.
....
" You take this container in your pocket and cover it with your hands. Do not remove your hands from the pocket except you get inside the gate, "he says.
I ask," What if my nose itches and I have to remove my hands to scratch my nose? "
" You lose the game and you lose the chance to find your mother again, " he replies.
Taking long strides towards the gate, I walk, hand in pocket. Just at the gate, an elderly woman asks me to help her lift her pot of Foorah to her head. I oblige. And as I move to carry the pot...
(the story ends. The pot, the dreams of finding mother again, Musa and a few others become a set of 'Use-to-bes')
SOME TIMES, THEY ARE UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE BEING USED FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A GAME...
"Musa, Musa. Let's go and play. "
I have been eagerly awaiting this moment for days. Just last week, I was a regular beggar at Mariri until I met Abdul. In my usual manner, I walked up to him and asked for some notes for breakfast. He had sized me up with his tiny eyes which were obscured by his dusty and long lashes before giving me a hundred naira note.
He walked away, then, walked back.
I remember him asking my name and age. I replied, not that I knew my exact age, for I only knew the day I left home to beg and lost my way.
We talked at length about things I cannot remember now, and then, he put me in his car and told me to wait.
.....
"Shehu, Shehu. Let's go and play, " he told the other boy beside me.
We both got up and went outside. Abdul had brought us home on the same day and never stopped telling us about the game of luck that we were about to enjoy.
We got in his car and Abdul began driving. I am not really good with numbers and time but I know that we were in the car for a very long time. We slept, we woke, we slept, we woke until we slept to be awoken by hard back slaps.
"muje, " went up in the air like a barrack siren.
All over, there were young boys of my kind, moving, some half-asleep and others, half-confused.
Finally, detecting a familiar face, I ran to Abdul.
....
" You take this container in your pocket and cover it with your hands. Do not remove your hands from the pocket except you get inside the gate, "he says.
I ask," What if my nose itches and I have to remove my hands to scratch my nose? "
" You lose the game and you lose the chance to find your mother again, " he replies.
Taking long strides towards the gate, I walk, hand in pocket. Just at the gate, an elderly woman asks me to help her lift her pot of Foorah to her head. I oblige. And as I move to carry the pot...
(the story ends. The pot, the dreams of finding mother again, Musa and a few others become a set of 'Use-to-bes')
SOME TIMES, THEY ARE UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE BEING USED FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A GAME...
Sad reality of the world we live in today!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. Thanks for taking time to read through
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