Things started to fall apart when father lost his job. He had made mother resign some years ago, making him the only one catering for the whole responsibility. Father was a secretary at the Railway Station. My sisters had to stop schooling since we hardly feed from hand to mouth. As the only boy in the house, I offered to be a bus conductor.
Father disagreed, 'My only son can not do that' Mother cried out her eyes insisting I won't be a bus conductor. I agreed and decided to watch as events unfold. Hunger has shown us the other part of life,it takes grace to eat twice in a day. Ronke became an apprentice at the tailor's shop, Funke decided to hawk oranges and Seyi concluded she will learn hairdressing. Yet,things didn't really turn out the way we expected.
Without my father's consent, I became Ajigi's bus conductor. I go out of the house under the pretence that I am going to see my friends,give flimsy excuses or disappear into the thin air before I can be questioned on my destination. Ajigi accepted to give me 500 Naira per day, it's a whole lot of money, at least it will feed my family. I turned to a liar because I want to take care of my family. I innocently hand over 450 Naira to father almost everyday and when he asks for the source, I tell him I met a good Samaritan or come up with another lie. Mother in turn cooks delicious meal for us and we eat till we are satisfied. The reason why mother left her job is unknown to us and each time I talk about it, she changes the topic.
I finished the day's job and I was heading home when I saw father in a beer parlour. I hid behind a pillar and decided to see things for myself. Father spent extravagantly and even had a small girl beside him looking at him seductively. My anger rose, here is father living away his life while we are suffering at home. I made up my mind to give the money to mother and not father anymore. He seems irresponsible. I wore a fake smile as I entered the house. I met mother picking the beans we bought the other day, I joined her and handed over the money to her. I trust mother, she will save for the rainy day.
It was one of those days when I sat with my sisters at the backyard,gisting about the day's event. They are the only ones aware of my job as a bus conductor. Seyi just finished sharing her experience for the day and Funke was making the fire when we heard someone scream. At first, we thought it's from the next compound but it became nearer. I instructed my sisters not to move an inch and promised them to be back in a jiffy. I headed towards my parents room because it seems the noise is from there. I made to open the door but I just stood at the entrance, I decided to listen. Mother talked like someone under pressure and she wasn't so audible but Father's voice was loud enough.
'Where did you get all this money from? You think I won't find out?You have started sleeping around with men again! I stopped you from working because of your infidelity,now where did you get this from? Answer me!'He ranted without waiting for her response and descended on her. I could see them through the key hole.
Everybody knows father has insecurity issues,little did we know he stopped her from working because of that. He has never trusted mother even when it's obvious mother is a saint. She has never cheated on father, I know and she will never do that. So father has been beating her, no wonder her eyes were like overriped avocados the other day. She had told me she hit her face against something. Then, father has been the cause of our suffering. I grabbed the door handle as I was determined to save mother from him. Father has gone mad again.

nice write up

heykaydeejay:
nice write up

Thanks

Nice

lovely starting