I can’t believe am actually writing this story. Memories flooding back and still can’t believe it actually happened to me. It was during the Easter breaks about 20 years ago , and it was on Easter Friday to be precise. I was a very adventurous young guy who just loved to pose, cruise around, showing off like any other teenager and wanted to fit into the clique of the so called Happening boys.

I attended all the parties available, maybe I got invited or not .Well, it was kind of easy because I had a car all to myself back then on campus and it was my ticket to most parties because I had to transport the girls to and from the parties. Also when I am back in Lagos, I had access to other cars we had at home at any point in time My friends and I decided that we were going to a popular beach in Lagos on that fateful Good Friday.

I woke up early, rushed to the barbers to get a haircut and was just waiting, hoping time will fly so we could set off early to the beach. I was really looking forward to it, because I had plans of “oppressing” (showing off). Lingo from the old school we used back then. I was going to oppress my friends and the gals that day. I had been on my father’s case to allow me drive his newest car. Wow, how can I forget this, it was a BRAND NEW Nissan Blue bird car with all the works. If you know what I mean. The car was barely 2 months old. I asked the old man if I could take the car out. Without even stopping to think the man relied with a big fat NO saying he was taking the car out himself.

I begged, pleaded, and even promised heaven and earth but he didn’t bulge. He also said he was going out to see some friends. But I wasn’t going to give up that easily. Finally I walked him to where the car was parked; he got into the car, started it and was on his way out of the compound. But he kept looking at me and I gave him this innocent look, as if I was going to cry. Suddenly my dad stopped the car and asked me to get the keys to one of his other cars. I was shocked when he turned round and handed me the keys to the Nissan. My knees almost buckled with joy, I jumped up on him 1 half in a bear hug, half in an embrace with my feet up in the air.

All he said was make sure you don’t stay out too late. The time finally came and we set out. We form a convoy of two car, me and my co-pilot (a friend of mine) followed by the second car with some of our other friends. As we drove, the music was on full blast, guaranteed to leave your ears ringing. Obviously we attracted attention from the headbanging and in car dancing that many people starred at us. The air conditioner was tight and we raced all the way to the beach but my friends in the other car couldn’t keep up. We finally had to wait for them when we got to the beach and it was difficult getting a spot to park. In my mind all I could think of was partying hard and showing off what I was going to claim to be my OWN new car.

We finally got a space to park , and my friends were lucky enough to have gotten a space right behind my car as well. That settled , we unloaded the cars ,found us a booth on the beach and party was underway. Walking along the beach browsing, I couldn’t believe the numbers of girls on the beach.My mission was to find a great looking gal and chat her up. Which I did not too long after we arrived. We got drinking, chatting and danced to the music blasting out so loud. Asked my new friend where she lived and before she could offer an answer, I said “never mind, I would definitely be dropping you off at home later”. I guess that did the job, because she started lavishing me with attention, and then a few kisses followed.

I was on cloud nine, freshly shaved hair new car driving, hot gal kissing ,Hennessy drinking fly guy. I was now the envy of some of my friends and onlookers. Swaggerific!! It must have been after about 3 or 4 hours, when I told my friends it was time for us to head out and we all agreed, now I was kind of merry from the Hennessy I had been drinking , trying to impress my gal. Well, at least she was my gal now o. With arms around my new chick’s shoulder, we walked towards the car , and all that came to my mind then was, hey Iyanda, you better try and control yourself.

By now I was half human half drunken idiot and naturally I started talking to myself. I knew I had consumed way too much to alcohol. But chai there was no way I was going to mess up my swagger in front of this beautiful gal. My friends tried to calm me down as they too had notice I was in the verge of doing something crazy. Some even offered to drive me home, but I refused. My logic being one; my shit hot new car was waiting to be cruised some more, two; this smoking hot girl in my arm need to feel ALL of my swag. So I shouted back “once I get behind the wheels, ain’t nothing stopping me from getting home” as I lead the march back to the car park.

Maybe it was hallucination but I started seeing my dad’s face and his last words when he gave me his beloved car “Kola Be careful”. Finally we made it to the car park and it was jammed with more cars than I remember seeing when we arrived. I had walked past the place we actually parked the cars still talking to my new girlfriend. A call from the boys brought me back to life “hey Kola where are you going”. They had spotted the cars.

I turned around, with my gal in one arm and a bottle of Hennessy in the other. I walked back to where my friends were standing and I just reached into my pocket for the car keys, but the next thing one of my friend said sounded strange because he asked if I had come back to move my car and casually I answered No.

That’s when my world came crashing down on me. I took another second to process the the question. Then for what seemed like an eternity I looked right ,and saw my friend’s car then left, where my car (well my father’s, but since am driving its mine). SHHIIITTT!! I turned in a circle trying to get a complete panoramic view of the car park. All the cars where as we left them, except mine wasn’t there.

That sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach began to burn with the feel of trouble. I started running about the car park in a panic. First a dash here, then stopping to spin around like a headless chicken, then taking flight in another direction. The only thing missing was my arms on my head screaming “e gba mi o”. “Am dead” I kept saying to myself.

Running back to my mates the alcohol haze was beginning to lift fast to be replaced by complete and total shock. We all look at one another and all I wanted to hear was “Hey kola April fool”, but Oh NO, this is real. Now I was sweating like a mad man even though it was a very windy evening. I was in total shock, didn’t know what I was doing. I was almost in tears but couldn’t bring myself to tears, we started searching for the car but before I knew it I was on my knees and I was checking under the parked cars for my own car.

Fear was making me irrational as I entered more into a confused state of mind. I had heard stories of peoples cars been stolen but I never imagined I would be part of the list as well. It finally beginning to dawned on me that my Dad’s car had been stolen. Oh my Lord I just couldn’t think, cry or do breath. My friend ushered us to get into his car with the intention of going to the nearest police station. But I was so glad when I saw some police men in their patrol van not too far off. I jumped out of the moving vehicle and I ran towards the cops, I remember my words, “please please help me my father’s car has been stolen”.

To my utmost surprise, the policeman was so calm. He looked at me with eye that said spoiled boy has lost his father’s car. Then he did the most unexpected thing , he busted out in laughter, asking me if I was serious when he finally stopped. For a moment I thought all was well as he began to ask me question regarding the theft.

Apparently the police office hadn’t finished ridiculing me. He called over his colleagues and said “Nah this boy o”, pointing to me “he just threw away a whole car, em papa brand new car”. Gosh I was furious but all I could do was stare blankly at him pained. He finally took the details and, picked up his radio, this was almost 15 minutes later, am sure the thieves would have passed the border by now, and this silly policeman was just there making fun of me and lazily sent the message across the radio waves.

Honestly I lost two things that night, the car was gone and so was my new girlfriend. She had disappeared into thin air, my one great quality was now gone. No car driving boyfriend instead a young boy crying over his stolen car.

Now for damage limitations. I asked my friends to take me straight to the radio station, and I ran a public announcement on air, telling them a car belonging to Iyanda’s father was stolen, blah blah blah. This was followed by a call home. I got my sister on the phone and told here to put on the radio and make sure my dad listened to the announcement. I did all this without even telling the owner that his car had been stolen. I just wanted an easier way out of the mess. Now I just had to accept I was a dead man. Going home was the last thing I wanted to do.

However to my utmost surprise, my silly friends were not ready to go home, so they proceeded to a joint in another part of town and the topic for the night was how my car was stolen. The last thing I wanted to do right now was to have fun. I would shoot these disloyal friends if I had the chance.

Finally it was going home time and the nearer we got to my house the less friends in the car. They were all dropping off one at a time. Inside I was wishing that some of my mate would come in with me to face my father, but I wasn’t surprised when the last of them said it was so late to go in with me. Wow, I stood alone in front of my gate, wondering maybe it was worth it to go in or just run away. I finally summoned up courage and walked into the house and my siblings were waiting, asking one question after another. I asked after my dad and was told he was in bed. This can’t be possible, how can he be in bed, did he think I was joking, but hey I quietly walked into my room and just locked the door, I double checked the door was property locked because I didn’t want any surprise visitor at night. If you know what I mean.

Next morning I just went to my father’s room very early, and immediately I saw him. I just got on the floor and prostrated, stretching out like an eagle. I pleaded and said that I was so sorry. All this while, he had not looked at me and behaved as if he was not listening and when I was done apologizing, all he said was are you OK and hope it wasn’t stolen at gun point which I quickly replied” No Sir”. He just said we will talk later and which we eventually did. But I was shocked at the way he behaved and that made me even feel worse. He was so calm and didn’t get angry at all. I prayed so hard for him not to take my own car away from me and he never did. Well maybe that’s why I adore the man. Well I am still yet to replace the car. That was a terrible Easter present I got that year. I never went to the beach until many years later and I didn’t take my car. I went with friends because I wasn’t ready to take any more risk.


SOURCE : www.iyandasdiary.com