This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 Oyibo Pep

The heat burned through my soul due to the scorching sun. I could not rest my hand on the metal pillar or on the cars stuck on the traffic congestion. This is despite the fact that I'm tired of standing all day selling my wares.
To give my leg some respite, I remove my shoes, which I sat on. I tried to hum some songs to myself. But this was no time for me to hum like a primary school child. Instead, I closed my eyes and started to count my fingers.
“Efe, how far market dey go?” Chidi asked, snapping me out of my childishness
Answering Chidi's questions is one of the hardest things I do. If I'm not careful with the answer I give to him, he'll either claim I'm lazy and don't have the hustling spirit or he'll laugh his evil laugh.
“Today good no be small” I replied
“You don chop?”
“Not yet”
Chidi pulled out a doughnut that he broke in two and gave me half. He opened a can of 7up that he started drinking. I watched him drink but didn't say anything although I was thirsty and wanted to drink.
“No dey look me” He said while handing the 7up to me.
I held the drink up trying to see how much of it is remaining in the can.
“See Efe, beggar no dey get choice here oh” Chidi quipped. “Na the street we dey together”
I munched the food in time to catch up with Chidi who was already leaving the point he saw me. The thing about being in the street hawking is that you have to be sharp else you'll return home with nothing.
Chidi always told me how he's taking the hustle serious so that he can shake his village in a few years. That's his dream. As for me, I don't have any village that I'll shake. To my relatives, my parents inclusive, I'm a black sheep that even wealth cannot atone for. I don't know though if I buy the latest Volvo for my dad whether he'll reject me. But as I said, I don't know because I don't see the money coming anytime soon.
“You see that mob” Chidi pointed to a Mercedes GL. “Na there I wan cack put. I need sell all this commodity sharp sharp”
I tagged along after him as I was learning the rope of street hawking. I've been here just a month and have been lucky to meet someone like Chidi that's been giving me the necessary advice and assistance I need in selling. Chidi sells caps, hats and scarves. His major plan is to sell enough and open his own shop.
Chidi was able to sell some of his caps while I sold a few of my merchandise – singlets.
“Why your face come dey like daybreak eba na?” Chidi queried
“My singlet no complete again. Wetin I wan come do na?” I moaned