Thorns In My Boot

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 25

I later took a commercial motor cycle to the

barracks to spend some time with Ayo the

Barber, it was a Saturday and he did not go

for lectures. I sat there and listened to the

barracks gossips as customers came in and

left. I was flipping the pages of a newspaper

but my mind was somewhere else. I have

waited for over a year without a head way

to my being recalled into the Army. How

much longer do I have to wait? What would

I be doing while waiting? I thought of going

back to Abakaliki but I know Amaka would

not like the idea so instantly I made up my

mind on what to do as I wait to hear from

the Army.

On Monday morning I went to withdraw

twenty thousand naira from my account and

I went straight to Nnewi market in Anambra

state to buy a fairly used Motor cycle. I

bought a Yamaha 125 series with a very

sound engine and good frame. I got it

serviced there and rode it all the way to

Enugu.

The next day I chartered a Pick up Van and

went to my Unit to see the quarter master

and together we went to the store to collect

my property. The R.S.M came around as we

were loading the van with my Luggage, I did

not greet him, he went around the Van

looking it over and inspecting the goods we

were putting inside, he used his swagger

stick to hit severally at the van making as

unpleasant noise, he then came behind me

as I bent to lift a Chair into the Van and he

poked my butt with his swagger stick. I

stood up and turned to face him.

Criminal! He snarled

I gave him a cold and hard stare and he

turned and left saying Get out! Get out of

here with your stolen property!

I continued with lifting my luggage into the

van.

On Wednesday I sorted out my documents

and went to the institute of management

and technology (I.M.T) Enugu and purchased

a form into the preliminary department to

study business administration. (PREBAM) I

submitted the form and the next day I

started lectures with the students while I

wait for the admission list to be published

before I could pay my school fees and do my

registration, however the first semester

exam was in a month’s time.

I also went to the office of the West Africa

examination council W.A.E.C and purchased

the General certificate of education form

(G.C.E) the examination would be written in

November through December.

My age had been reduced by two as evident

in my sworn affidavit so by the time I would

graduate in 2002 or 2003 as the case may

be, I will still be eligible to go for the

compulsory national youth service Corp as I

will still be officially below thirty years of

age.

After one month of buying the Bike and

running around for School activities, I was

short of cash, I needed money to fuel my

Bike, I needed money to buy hand outs and

text books at school, and I needed to buy

books in preparation for the G.C.E

examination. I also needed to feed and buy

school clothes. With all of these expenses

before me, I had no choice than to start

using my Bike for commercial purpose,

commercial Cyclist are called Okada Riders in

Enugu, so I became an Okada man at

weekends and after School hours on week

days, I was lucky I bought a good Bike so I

was not having problems with the engine

like some other Okada men. It was fun

conveying People to their destinations for

money, my knowledge of the geography of

the state broadened and I was my own

boss.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

On a Saturday in September I drove tom

Abakaliki to visit mama and her new baby.

She delivered a baby girl in July, a carbon

copy of mama but with long limbs and

hands like the father, they say she will be a

tall girl when she grows, she was named

Abosede because she was born on a

Sunday, she was named Ekundayo which

means from sorrow to joy and her father’s

name was Michael kayode Ayeni.

My Folks have fully settled down in Abakaliki

and they have lots of friends and well

wishers both at work and at church. Baba

Miko had bought a lot of tools and

equipment for his Carpentry and furniture

works, he has paid the part payment for a

Shop but the present tenant was yet to

vacate the place since he still has three

months to the rent expiry. Baba Miko was a

seasoned Brick layer as well as carpenter

back in the Village though he was poor and

I marveled at the transformation in the life

of the two, it is true that if two people are

meant for each other, everything they do

together always flourish because all their

elements will work together in harmony and

whatever they venture into will prosper.

I told them what I have passed through

since our last meeting till date. They

encouraged me with words and mama said

she feels my case needs spiritual

intervention, she said we should take the

R.S.M up in prayers and fast for three days

waking up at every 12.00PM to pray and

commit my case to God to fight my battle for

me. We all agreed to start the fasting and

prayers on Monday but I did not do it, I

forgot about it the moment I climbed my

Bike en-route Enugu on Monday Morning.

I came back to Enugu to face a very tight

schedule, Examination was around the

corner, I had outstanding quizzes and

assignments to tidy up and submit. I had to

read for my Prelim examinations as well as

my G.C.E. I still hustled with my Okada at

night and on weekends, but I was not

deterred, I was used to hard life, a man has

got to be a man!