PROSE: ON A KEROSENE NIGHT

 Rose Olabode

….continued from the last post

When you returned to your Igbo friend to fix the screen guard, the day was already getting dark and you were getting 6 pm vibes. You hurriedly did the other things that preceded buying your kerosene. And that included purchasing the keg that you would buy it into.

You rushed back to the ATM only to find a longer queue. You tried to use the former trick you employed earlier, but the beefing security man seemed to have something against you. He sent you back like one would do a goat. And you wondered if the red blouse on you was entering his eyes too much. When one of those in the queue shouted, “Let her come and queue!” with as much bile as she could vomit, you realized that the people in this queue were either wiser than the former or wouldn’t just let someone else use something if they could not use it. And soon, you realized that they were average. It was neither of the former nor the latter.

From the long queue, the next two entered the bank premises. And while you stood, two women came later and successfully executed what you had been refused. And while you all watched on, one of the FCMB officials - you know he is one because he wore one of those purple shirts with funny captions at the back - begged the shiny head security man to let a girl in the banking premises. A bare-faced girl smiled as she walked into the bank area to sit, waiting for those using the inner ATM point to finish their business. By this time, you were the fifth in line to use the single ATM outside, and it did not look so bad until you used the ATM and realized you had forgotten your card pin.

Oh, your days! Did you look stupid after two more tries? So, you had the option of stepping aside to allow the next person to use the ATM while you tried to transfer money to the card you had previously emptied or leaving for Queens without your kerosene.

You chose the first option and decided to transfer money, but the banking app was as static as the Olumo Rock. Probably the network, you thought.

Like a flash, you remembered you had an urgent 2k in another bank. You quickly transferred the money. As soon as that was completed, you again faced the security man’s baseless dislike of you.

You entered the bank when it was your turn with another girl who had discussed sending money into your account since her card wasn’t working on the former ATM you had queued for, only for this man to attack you again. You were exasperated.

"If someone who looks like me refused to marry you, let the hatred stay with her, abeg!"

You thought.

“Kinni?” You blurted out in pure Yoruba instead.

“Se emi nikan ni? Ede maa maa so pe kin maa

lo!” 

The fury on your face was enough to calm a storm. The man said some stuff that your ear could not catch and you used the ATM some minutes later, hoping that Keto still had what you were undergoing this unnecessary craziness for.

To be continued…