The Preacher Son

Episode 37

“Oya wake up go sleep” my dad woke us up from front of the television.

We had been watching our favourite program; super story on NTA makurdi and we fell asleep when the network news started and as if it was elixir for us. We all fell asleep.
We all got up while hitting our heads on the wall and stargering like drunken idiots, we succeded in reaching our rooms.
I shared a room with my brother then so i fell across the middle of the bed while my brother fell unto of my head.

I dreamt that i was carrying a big firewood on my head, i tried dropping it down but it was too heavy, finally i woke up and felt my head heavy, i slapped the fire wood and saw that i was my brother’s leg on my head that formed the firewood. I pushed it away and slept well.

“Na who dey point me light for dream na” i screamed out when something bright was shining in my face.
A heavy slap woke me up i jumped up like a wounded lion and shout;
“Morning neva do, una come dey wake person, abeg leave me joor”
“My friend shut up before a break your jaw” a hoarse voice answered me which made me jump to my feet and my eyes cleared.

I tried shading my eyes against the light and see more but my mother drew me down and i realised they were all lying down on the ground with their heads down.
“Where is your money” the leader asked us, my father did not answer him so he hit him with the butt of his gun.
They searched every where and found some money and they took with all our phones.
They gave each of us one slaps each because the money was not much, i wanted to say something but my mother held me down.
The only thing that pain me was my did jet li beat some armed robbers in the film i watched and i was not allowed to show my talents in kung fu.

After they left we all got up and my dad raised under my bed and the money he kept there was still intact, the only thing the thieves stole was just the phones and about 2500 naira.
The next day in church we recovered all through an offering.
Now what was on my mind was the christmas break with tolu’s family.

About two days to christmas i packed the little clothes i would use and went with my father to their house in the university of Agriculture, makurdi.

They lived in a spacious G.R.A where by houses are spaced very well that you could never llok from your house and see your neighbour’s so it was like a secluded environment from everything.

No wonder Tolu wanted someone to come stay with her, but why must it be me.
My dad finally left me there but not with giving me some advices about how i should behave and all.

I sat there thinking of how my christmas would be without throwing of knockouts, visiting friends and even teasing girls and pulling their hair. Or maybe God is punishing me for all the bad things i have done. I sat in my room miserably awaiting my doom.
“Come and eat” tolu voice interrupted my thoughts and i followed her to the table.
What i saw on the dining table made me look at bro Felix as a poor man.

The table was set with plates of rice and large chicken laps that could make bro Felix struggle to ply his trade in europe was staring at me face to face.

I had never eaten chicken lap whole in my life because my parents were they ones that took that part.

So the sight of the palatable meal in my front made me change my carreer focus from footballer to professor.

I quickly drew a chair and asked Tolu which was my own, she just smiled at me and pass to her parents room.

I sat looking at all the food and using the aroma to digest myself, i was tempted to taste the food small but i waited because it was not my house.

I waited for about 15minutes before the whole family came and the father prayed before we all ate.

Tolu later told me that before any body eats her father must pray first.

Chai, i was thinking that a was coming to enjoy, i did not know they had laws and commandments.

In my house you can put food and eat everytime but here you only eat when told to, this is not fair atall i m0an