All Against Me
I was awakened early that Friday by a repeated annoying sound from a bike in the compound. The more I tried to close my eyes to fall asleep again, the louder the sound became in my ears.
Ohh! "Dad has started again," I murmured as I reached out for my phone from under my pillow. Gosh! It was only a few minutes after six (6) in the morning.
I raised my curtain slightly and behold, my Dad was having a touch in his mouth, working on his bike. The place was barely bright and birds were chirping.
Hmm! I sighed and dropped the curtain and headed for the door.
"Good morning sir," I greeted him, directing the reflection of the light from my phone in his direction.
"Morning Emreal, why are you up this early?" he asked"
I almost replied, "wasn't it you and this bike that robbed me of sleep?" Then I remembered where I came from and held my peace. In this part of the world, our fathers are like semi-gods, we dare not talk to them in a disrespectful manner, it is highly frowned upon.
"Nothing sir," I replied.
"Okay, since you are here already, kindly come near and help me with the flashlight so that I can couple the bike," he replied as he fired the turtle repeatedly.
I was there with him until the day became bright. I wanted to tell him that the money he gave me for transportation to school had finished and I had an examination by 12 pm but I held my peace and waited until he said "push the bike outside and wash it."
"Sir, the money you gave me for transportation is finished and I have an examination by 12," I replied calmly as I pushed the bike forward and the stand went in making an audible sound.
What? You exhausted that money so fast. Do you know how difficult it is to get money nowadays? He shouted.
Hm! My anger grew hot, my facial muscles became tightened, the smile on my face vanished. I almost lost it but I managed to put myself together without saying a word and proceeded to push the bike outside.
I seriously don't like it when my parents make it look like I am wasting their resources. It makes me wish I had a source of income to settle my bill. That response from him ruined my mood instantly.
"I will take you to school, just remind me when it's time but you will have to trek back home because I have an appointment later in the evening," he added when he realized that I was offended.
"Okay sir," I replied with my voice deepened.
After the conversation, I washed the bike and did other chores.
Around 11 am, I called my Dad on the phone and reminded him and he said he hadn't forgotten.
I got dressed early knowing how funny he acts sometimes, he could just come any moment and say let's go and if i wasn't prepared, it would become a problem.
After preparing, I remained in the room, reversing what I read as I continued checking time.
When it was a few minutes to twelve, I called him again but he didn't take the calls. It was then I lost my peace, I called a couple of times again without a response.
When it was finally twelve, I was confused, angry, and disappointed. I quickly resolved to go to my mother's shop to get some money. While I was about heading to my shop my father's call came in.
"Sorry, I can't make it, go to your mother's shop, get some money from her, and go to school."
I became so upset, he should have told me this earlier on. It was already about fifteen minutes into twelve and there was a rule that stated: "once it's thirty minutes into the examination, no student should be allowed into the hall."
I picked up my bag, locked my door, and took a bike to the shop. I didn't waste more time explaining things. "Good morning mom, Dad said you should give me five hundred naira to go to school."
"Yes, he called me," she responded as she dipped her hand in her purse and handed the money to me.
"Thank you," I replied hastily and climbed the bike to school.
Arriving at the hall, the supervisor was at the front of the class monitoring the examination.
When he saw me, he came to the door and looked at me from head to toe briefly. "How may I help you?" he asked without giving me the chance to greet him.
"I am part of this examination sir," I replied.
"What is the time?" he asked, with his eyes fixed on me.
I scratched my head in silence, looking at the ground.
"Let me see your receipt," he demanded. At that point, I felt ventilation everywhere in my body.
I put my hands in my bag smiling but the smile suddenly turned into dismay as I couldn't find the book I inserted the receipt in.
"Young man, you are wasting my time," the invigilator shouted.
"Sorry sir, I, I, I can't find my receipt," I stuttered emptying my bag and sweating profusely.
"You are not serious," he responded and walked back inside the hall.
There is a rule in my school, before anyone is allowed into the examination hall, he or she must present the original copy of their school fee receipt and a signed examination card.
Unfortunately, I left both at home. Missing that examination meant I was going to have a missing script and it was my final year, I couldn't afford to come back the following year to write another examination.
I lost hope yet i just stood there by the door, looking helpless while searching the bag intermittently.
After standing there for a while, the man came back and said, "how I am sure that you have paid your school fees."
"Sir, I paid, something came up while I was preparing to come for the examination. In the process of rushing here, I left the book I inserted the receipt and my examination card in at home," I replied calmly.
"Alright, you only have thirty minutes, I don't know how you will do it but that is the only help I can offer you." The invigilator responded after being quiet for a moment.
"Thank you, sir," I almost hugged him out of excitement as I ran inside, and grabbed the question paper and the answer booklet from him. It was an examination that I prepared so well for but I had to rush it and even leave some questions unattended because of lack of time.
When I got home, I was so angry with my father, but after he explained that he had to go to the village urgently because the meeting they were supposed to have by evening was rescheduled, I had to consider and forgive him knowing how distant our village is.
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