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All his life, Daniel has only wanted one thing and that was to spend his life in America. He believed that his country, Nigeria was not a suitable place for him to be. He would chant it every chance he got to his friends and family and they would laugh and think it to be a childish thought that would go away soon. They had no idea that Daniel had meant his words even as a kid.
"Daniel!!!" Mr Johnson, his father screamed out his name.
"Yes, Dad." Daniel responded and hurried out of his room, scared of what his father might have to say to him.
"I got a call from your school and it turns out that you had the worst grade as usual." His father said with a frown.
"I'm sorry Dad but...." Daniel tried to speak but his father cut in.
"You're sorry?" Mr Johnson bellowed. "How will you get into the university with this constant failure?" He scolded Daniel.
"Dad, the teachers ain't teaching anything new in the school." Daniel tried to defend himself but he only aggravated his father more.
"How dare you give such a lame excuse? You complain they aren't teaching you new things but you still haven't excelled in the old things you've been taught. What is wrong with you?" His father said with a clear tone of anger.
Daniel's constant failure in school had become a source of worry and heartbreak for his father. Daniel went to the best school and had the top best teachers attend to him but yet, at the end of each section, he'll bring home a shameful result.
"Daniel, why can't you just be like me? Why must you always act dumb?" Mr Johnson yelled out in frustration.
"Dad, just send me abroad. I'll do better there." Daniel said to his father.
Mr Johnson gave a wry laughter and stared at his son in astonishment. He restrained himself from hitting him.
"You want to go abroad when you can barely construct a simple sentence? Is this a joke to you?" His father asked him again, highly offended.
"Dad, things will be different there. I'm sure of it. I can't understand anything in this country, no matter how hard I try." Daniel said trying to convince the father.
"Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong in your upbringing. How can you be this foolish?" His father said and at that moment, the door opened and his mother walked into the house.
"Is anything the matter?" Sally, Daniel's mother asked.
"I've had it to my neck with your son. Talk to him before I lose it." His father said and left them.
Sally turned to face Daniel but he put his face down.
"What did you do this time?" She asked him.
"I got a bad grade." Daniel responded.
"Is that the only problem because your bad grades isn't a thing of surprise anymore? You must've done something else to aggravate your father in that manner." She said again and led him to a couch where they both sat down.
"I told Dad to send me abroad." Daniel confessed.
"Abroad to do what?" She asked him.
"I feel that my destiny is not here in Nigeria. Let me just travel out to America. I'll do better there." Daniel responded.
"Sending you to America is never going to be a big deal for your father but you must first make him proud before he can do that. Focus on your studies here first so you'll have something to hold onto while leaving. Is that too hard for you to understand?" Sally asked her son.
"I don't want that mum. I'll get all I need when I get there. America is an easy place." Daniel whined.
"What makes America so different from Nigeria? If you were requesting to maybe leave school and start a business, it would've been understandable but this is something I can't even comprehend. What has gotten into you? Why are you making things hard for me and your father?" She asked him.
It was obvious that she was losing her cool already. Daniel stood from the couch and went into his room, ignoring her beckoning.
Some months later, Daniel was admitted into one of the best schools in the country. He knew too well that his father must've pulled some strings to get him into the school since his result was nothing to write home about.
"Mom? Dad? Can we talk?" Daniel asked as he walked into his parent's room.
"Yes, son. I was going to call for you later but since you're here, by the weekend you'll be getting all you need to start your university life." Mr Johnson said with a smile.
Daniel sat close to the mum since she would be less hostile to him when he dropped the bomb he had in mind.
"Dad, I can't go to the university." Daniel announced and the room fell silent. One could easily hear a pin drop to the floor.
"Daniel!" His mother called out his name.
"Mom please, I know what I want. I understand how much both of you care for me but this university thing is not what I want for myself. There's no need to venture into something that I don't desire." Daniel responded.
Mr Johnson stood from the bed and left the room. A few minutes later, he walked back in and paced about in thought. He opened a drawer and pulled out a fat envelope containing lots of money.
"Daniel, we can't be having this sickening conversation all the time." He sighed and set the envelope on the table. "Inside this envelope, is the whole money you need to begin your university education. Your fees and your upkeep are in there. The ball is in your court now, so do whatever you want with the money." He said to Daniel.
"Honey, what are you saying?" His wife asked him in shock.
"Let him choose his path. I can't be in constant argument with him." He replied.
Daniel was confused by the sudden change of heart of his father but he smiled to himself.
"Thanks, Dad for your understanding. You're the best." He said in excitement.
"Anyways, be it known to you that you'll bear the consequences of your actions if there are any. You'll have to agree that whatever happens, I and your mother won't be involved. Are we clear?" Mr Johnson warned Daniel.
Despite being aware that he was taking a dangerous risk, Daniel agreed to his father's proposal and with that, the deal was made.
Daniel got a contact who convinced him that he could help him get an international passport and visa at an affordable price with no stress. He gave the man a huge amount of money and for some weeks, they were in constant contact with each other until one day, Daniel called and his number was said to be no longer in service. He visited the man's home but he was told that the man had been planning to leave the country and he had finally traveled out. Daniel broke down in tears.
'What will become of him now?' He thought to himself.
The next morning, Sally walked into the room to see Daniel tying himself to his ceiling fan. She screamed out and pulled him down.
"Daniel, what is going on?" She screamed at him.
"Mum, I'm done. Let me end everything before Dad finds out." Daniel sobbed.
"Talk to me. What happened?"His mother asked him, still holding him close to herself.
"The money is gone. I was scammed, Mum. What do I do? I can't go to the university now and I still can't go to America." He said still crying.
"This isn't enough reason to take your life. If only you had listened to me and your Dad, it wouldn't have gotten to this." Sally lamented.
"I was blinded by my silly imagination and ambitions. Now, what do I do?" Daniel sobbed uncontrollably on his mother's chest till his whole body shook.
Source
Thanks for reading.
