An Interview With The Public Enemy (Episode 2)
Within 5minutes after
alighting from the BRT bus I arrived at my destination, I felt for the air around
me and did a quick survey, I knew that finding my target person might be so so
easy, if you reside in Lagos you would know that people get suspicious about
anything out of the ordinary, I looked around at the small groups of people
gathered at one corner, junction and bus-stop waiting for their destination bus
or motor-bike to show up, there were the corner of the taxi part for those who
want the luxury of traveling privately, not too far from the road was a seating
bench and a woman selling snacks right in front of it, she also sold cigarettes
and sweets too, beside her was another woman, younger and tiredly bleached skin
selling drinks and some light alcohol drinks (not forgetting the well known
‘ALOMO‘, a herb and alcohol mixture to cure some ailments) Not too far from
this women were a group of three men dressed shabbily, talking loud about
soccer while a forth one seem to have taking a liking to the lady selling
drinks, she didn’t seem to be interested in what he was saying to her as she
was effortlessly ignoring him.
I cleared my throat and
took in a deep breath, I wasn’t sure I had found my target person, I think I
was getting nervous, and I began thinking about a lot of ‘what ifs’, I studied
the faces of the group of three and thought that I would dare disturb their
debate, I wasn’t too sure about doing that, to my left hand side another agbero
had gotten iton an argument with a bus conductor, the bus conductor had refused
to provide the money demanded by the agbero, this action had angered the agbero
and he was swearing and threatening to
beat him up, I shook my head when I compared the both of them, the conductor,
which was shorter and smaller than the agbero was promising to make the mother
of the agbero regret his actions, I on the other hand was wondering why hey had
to drag in the poor woman from wherever she was into their silly fight. The whole
scenario was amusing and to tell you the truth I’m a lover of a good fight, but
this two are not compatible for a good fight, which would be some cheating
though. Before forgetting my mission over here, I went back to the group I had
been watching and I noticed that one of them had left the group and was
approaching the quarrel, the other two ignored the argument and were now
involving in another kind of chat, I decided to make my move.
‘‘Excuse me please, where
can I get a bus heading to Iyana-Ipaja?’’ I asked the one that had the most
tolerating face out of the two of them, they stopped arguing and looked at me,
they were a little bit surprised as people rarely spoke to them asking for
directions, the nicer looking one of he two looked down at me and replied ‘’you
cannot even say Good Afternoon abi? ahn! ahn!”he said shaking his head at his
partner. ‘’….but I took excuse, I said excuse me please” I said already feeling
impatient, on hearing the part of my taking excuse he decided to point me out
on my directions and I said ‘’thank you’’. Like I went in circles I was
practicing my approach towards him again, so I went back and this time I
greeted, they both turned and seeing that it was me again they smiled this time
around, the forth one who had listened to the first conversation we had decided
to join our new group, I took out my notepad and a pen to give them an idea of
what I wanted, I introduced myself with my a made up name, the forth guy gave
me a look that made me uncomfortable and I returned the look with a stern one
and he chuckled ‘’Kilon se e, se aale fe iru e ni’’ In english- ‘’ What is
wrong with you, can’t we marry someone like you?’), I ignored what he said and
turned back to my important audience, I wouldn/t be thinking about making any
trouble especially not this kind of trouble.
It didn’t take me so long
to convince the one I had my eyes on from the very start to have lunch with me
and I promised to pay him for his time, I insisted we get going to the nicest
and closest eatery to bargain on how much this interview would cost me, I had
lied that I needed the interview for an article in school but he didn’t seem to
care, he simply told me to give 10mins to meet me up at the eatery of my
choice, I came him a suspicious look and he then explained he needed to change
his work clothes to a casual look, I looked at him from his face to his shoes
with my best poker-face and believe me I was rolling with laughter within me,
work clothes indeed. I told him to meet me at the chicken republic just some
kilometers away and he agreed, I took my leave feeling eyes staring and
crawling over me, people might actually think I’m some girlfriend or something,
I don’t even want to think about that.
I selected an open space
that didn’t look in anyhow special to anyone, I wouldn’t want anybody getting
any ideas in their head, I replaced my own chair to face the entrance and
allowed his chair to face mine, I decided not to make an order yet till he came
around, I was afraid he might not even show up if he didn’t find sense in my
request, I was getting really nervous for every lapsing minute, I took out my
notepad to put down likely questions and markings so that I don’t forget what
to ask and so on. Out of uneasiness I ordered for a bottle of coke to drink
while I waited.
Few minutes later he
arrived and stood over me, I raised my head and smiled asking him to please sit
down. Now you would wonder the cause of my smile right? I don’t know how he did
it but he cleaned up nicely, at least for an agbero, he had changed his clothes
and his flip-flops to a leather type that made him look neater, I think he
washed his feet too because it wasn’t looking like a miner’s feet anymore, plus
he wouldn’t be attracting so much attention to our table as I was thinking he
would, I mean with all the crazy look, dirty feet and smell. I asked him what
he would like to eat, I have never seen an agbero looking so calm in my whole
life ................ to be continued.
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