Me: Do you have change?
Driver: How much are you with?
Me: Ah. N500 o. Abeg if u no get, tell me make I drop now.
Driver: *checks* OK. Don't worry.
In my mind, I thought he wouldn't bother for the tp since he didn't really find anything where he checked.
Few minutes into the ride, the only other passenger begins to ask for Addy Street. He didn't speak loudly so I think that's what he said. I began rambling my brain for an Addy Street on the route but I couldn't remember any Street, close or lane with that name. Why am I even concerned about this street? The driver probably knows it because he didn't ask for any description.
As if he read my mind. The driver who later introduced himself as Mr. Bassey began to ask of the mysterious Addy Street. 'abeg which one come be Addy Street'.? The passenger had a particular look like he wasn't sure it was even called Addy Street.
"I don't know the street sir. Someone gave me an address.". The passenger replied. That surely piqued bassey's interest. "so, my friend, where are you from" asked bassey. I found the question weird because the passenger who later introduced himself as kofi(I cannot remember the guy's name so we'll go with kofi) never said he wasn't from calabar. Again. Not my business. All I wanted right then was to go home and complete my how to get with murder.
"I am from Ghana sir. I came here to sell in the trade fair sir at calabar municipality. I sell trousers for guys, Italian shoes, dashiki and Brazilian hair... " kofi kept going on with the list of things he sells while my mind lingered on the little fact that there is currently no trade fair at calabar municipality but rather at the Christmas village. Whatever, I thought, maybe he meant the Christmas village.
Mr. Bassey decided to give kofi a brief history of his life. "ah. Really? My wife had a shop there. She just gave birth last week. In fact I just dropped her at home. I'm going to go and pick things from Highway for her." he decided to include me in the conversation despite my frowning face. "sister, are you from here"? " Yes" was the only answer I gave. Take a hint mister. "Well, kofi, he chipped on. Calabar is a really nice place. All you need to do is pay your tax and..." that was the point my head shut them up. "sister, am I right? Are we not hospitable people?... Sister are you listening"? In my head, I told him to quit it with the 'sister' and that am not interested in the conversation. But again, the only thing I said was "yes"...
"You people seem like nice people. I will give you a discount if you bring Friends to my shop." Kofi said. "do you like my offer"? he asked me. I ignored him. " Mr bassey, sister doesn't trust me. I will swear to God and if I am a bad man, let me die now" he licks a finger and touches the sand, then touches the driver. Get out of here now. My head screams. "oga abeg drop me now now now". I say sternly. "OK ok. Make. I turn" bassey mumbles. "I said drop me now." I get ready to scream. In the process of opening the door to get out, Kofi touches me with the sand. "what the heck is wrong with you? Did I say I want to be part of your stupid swearing? Ehn? I don't want your rubbish discount? Why did u touch me?.. " I scream. "am so sorry. Please don't eat any periwinkle or fish when you get home. You are not a society person so this thing will affect you. Let me remove this thing from you" Kofi who was particularly shy when I entered the taxi begins to get bold as he speaks on. Mr.Bassey's ears perk up as he asks "mister, where in Ghana are you from? " "ashanti region sir" Kofi answers.
My brain begins to connect periwinkle and fish to ashanti and that's when I remember that ashanti people are involved with water. Mr. Bassey begins to talk about how a lady was delivered from mammy water on Sunday in his church and starts to beg Kofi to remove whatever he put from him. Bassey starts listing his possessions from his shop to the money in his bank account to the money in his car. "you did not mention the N16,500 under your pillow" Kofi says. "please, that one is not mine. It's church money. Abeg" My confidence began to ebb from the moment I heard 'mammy water' the weird listing of possessions made matters worse.
Oh God, why did I enter this car in the first place? Let me call my mom. If they have put anything in me. My pastor will pray for me. I begin to pull my phone out of my bag when Kofi says any attempt to make a call will leave me deaf and any taxi I enter will have an accident. I had never felt so much fear in my life. What if I trek home? I thought but my very palpable fear held me down.
"Bassey. Spit in your hand. Let me confirm if the thing has left your body" Kofi says while Bassey immediately spits into his palm. "okay, turn your palm" Bassey turned his hand and the spit had miraculously dried and moved to the other side of the Palm. "oh God, what is this? Please help me" I start praying. "if you don't keep shut, I will disappear now and leave you with the things in your body. I am even trying to help you" Kofi says "please O. Please don't disappear" Bassey beg. "please O. Don't disappear" I also join in the begging. "OK ok. Say ten hail Mary's" Kofi says "I-i-i don't know the hail Mary" I lie. There is no way am obeying him. "OK. No problem. Spit in your hand" he says. "what?" I half shout.
At this point Bassey cuts in "please finish with me. She is not ready." "okay now. Cough it out" Kofi says. Bassey starts coughing out coral beads.
mmaitah..co.ke/2016/01/girl-meets-world-and-coral-beads.html?m=1