THE WALL BETWEEN- Haruna Shukurat

CHAPTER 2

I spent most of my days on the farm helping Grandpa, he had many customers who were mainly market women. They all have been coming to buy fresh vegetables and other farm produce from him. Granny sometimes helps in garri production, my grandparents are Ijebu and our garri are usually white which made it second to none.

Today was quite different, I had to go the park to send Garri and plantains to a customer from Lagos, she had called Grandpa earlier in need of four bags of garri and five bunches of plantain. It is common among customers who can't make it to the farm to make orders through phone calls and send money through the bank.

Two motorcycles were hired to carry the items and I boarded one to the park. Whenever Grandpa's truck is faulty, I would take motorcycle which is quite fast but stressful. The potholes on the road make it really stressful as the motorcycle sometimes got stuck inside the holes and my bottom hitting its iron.

After a while, I got to the garage and looked for the next bus going to Lagos, it was afternoon already so the buses I met were few. I heard a man calling "Eko, Eko, Eko..... ", he was standing beside a white bus, I had asked the motorcyclists to help drop the items beside the bus while I engaged him.

"Your load na 4000 o" said the bus driver as the items were been dropped off, he was a young man in his early thirties, light skinned and wore Ankara.

"3000", I priced, " these items are not much" I said lifting the bags of garri.

"hehe!... ,u fit carry am on your head go Lagos" he said, I almost burst into laughter but he wasn't joking. It is a norm for the drivers in car parks to give such statement when passengers price fares unnecessarily.

" I will pay 3,500, that's what. I have on me " I said bringing out my purse

"Ok, na because you be small girl o" he said throwing the items into the boot. I gave him the money, exchanged contacts with him and the customer.

I waited till the bus got filled and watched it leaving the park before heading home. Sometimes goods are stolen in such cases. I have experienced such, the first time I was sent to the garage. I had gone to the park with a bag of Elubo, two bags of garri and a bag of yam. I got to the park, made transactions with the driver and left without waiting for the bus to get filled. When the bus arrived Lagos, the customer saw her goods though, but the bag of yam had been replaced, as the customer complained that quantity had been reduced. Someone had either removed some yams or exchanged the bag. I was blamed for not waiting at the park to avoid such. Ever since then, I have learnt to wait until the bus leaves the park.


At home, my uncle and Grandpa were in the sitting room watching the nine o'clock news on NTA, it was their favourite TV programme. We had just finished having dinner, Grandpa was sitting on his favorite sofa which was made only of foam, and Granny's wrapper.

I walked up to him as the news ended and handed him my printed result, " I passed my WAEC" I said as he checked it.

Grandpa passed the sheet over to my uncle who was stretching his hand at the paper.

" 2As, that's nice" Uncle said smiling.

"So what's next " Grandpa asked.

"I am taking Jamb, I want to be an architect" I said in one breath.

The room became quiet, Grandpa and Uncle stared at me. "I'll think about it" Grandpa said breaking the silence.

"You always said I am free to study anything" I said, trying to understand what he meant.

"I know what I said, and I am also saying I'll think about it" he said almost screaming, his eyes suddenly turned cold and he was visibly upset. He stood up from the sofa and went into his bedroom.

Granny who was standing behind me whispered "Oh my child", I tried looking at my uncle but he had his face buried in his hands.

I left for my room almost in tears, I couldn't understand what Grandpa meant by "I'll think about it". If he doesn't want me to study architecture or he wasn't impressed by my result.

There was a knock at the door it was Granny "Hiqmat, open the door", I reluctantly opened it. Granny had pulled me over her sagging breast trying to comfort me.

" Your Grandpa is not in good mood tonight " she said, "Someone had came over while you were away, and got him angry".

"Who was it, and why did he upset Grandpa?" I asked. "He's someone who hasn't really checked on us for a longtime" Granny replied, her face turned pale at her response.

"Meanwhile, your aunt, Baraqah will be coming around soon, so go to bed and don't think, ok!" she said shutting the door behind her.


…to be continued.