https://penastory.com/2016/10/07/spiritually-or-manually-inflicted-part-1-abolagba-da-jandy-joshua/

The day started like every normal day with my parents, siblings and I gathering together in the living room to have morning devotion. My Dad was a devout Anglican and if you observed him from afar you would conclude that he was a deacon or better still a priest. My mum likewise was obsessed with the duties she carried out in the Women’s Guild. Flowing from this insight on my family, one could say that we were a Christ like family.

The devotion started with my Dad leading us to recite the Apostles Creed. He never missed it. Later on, he prayed for me and my siblings, admonishing us to be godly children and eschew societal vices which youths engaged in. My elder brother, Damian was the only one in higher institution, he was about 20 years of age and although he portrayed a Christ like attitude at home, in school he wasn’t much of a religious person. You would wonder as to how I knew about this being that I was barely a teenager (13 years) and still in secondary school. I knew because he would always keep late nights at school when I go over to his apartment which he stayed in school. Dad was wealthy and willing to spend money on his family (both nuclear and extended) so as for them not to seem impoverished. Damian to my knowledge kept bad company in school I was well aware of this but he had chastised me not to mention anything I saw happening in his school at home. I didn’t want to annoy my elder brother so I religiously kept my mouth shut even when mum and dad inquired about how Damian was faring at school. All I usually did was to reply saying, “he is doing fine” and that was all I was permitted to utter.

Damian despite his lifestyle was not academically weak, as a matter of fact he was one of the scholars in his class and all the lecturers would sing of his academic gusto. Little were they aware of his escapades with his friends who ironically also did well academically. At a certain level, Dad decided to buy Damian a car, mum supported the idea (of course which mother wouldn’t, at least her son was doing well) and within a week my elder brother had a brand-new automobile. He was glad and when he was returning to school, he took me along because as at this time my school was on holiday and I had days to spare with him. I could make some meals too, that also made Damian to always crave for my company even though he knew I saw things which ordinarily I shouldn’t have seen.

At the end of class the following day, Damian came back to his apartment and whisked away some outing outfits in company of his not so friendly friends. They came back very late at night and I was already asleep, they banged on the door and when I opened the door, they rushed in. It was obvious they had gone clubbing or drinking, and the first thing they did was to for food, Damian asked me to bring the meal which I had prepared earlier. I brought it and they all devoured it before going off into sleep, their snores competing like two athletes on a track. The following day was a week day and they ought to have had a class but dem broses slept past their time for class thereby wasting the full day. At about 1pm in the afternoon, they woke up and headed their various ways, leaving myself and Damian behind. Damian freshened up and went to read. Later that evening he drove the both of us home. I took along my things telling him I would love to spend my remaining holiday at home. As we drove home, neither of us uttered a word concerning what transpired the previous day until we got to our street and then in his usual manner, Damian told me not to mention a word of what had happened should our parents inquire of his activities. As always I kept my mouth shut.

When we got home, mum sighting my luggage inquired about the reason why I returned so soon. The quickest reply that hovered around my mind was, “Mum, I missed you so I decided to come back home.”

To be continued

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