The Teaching Child...

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

Oshodi was busy as usual; buses and their conductor noises filled the air. The smoke from their exhaust pipes darkened everywhere while people thronged themselves. Everyone walked like he has a mission to accomplish, and Lanre followed suit too. He was at Oshodi road now, checking around for the Koye junction when he spotted a bar named 'Koye Bar'. "What a ease?" he sighed. "Good afternoon, sister" He bowed his head as he greeted one of the workers there "please, I'm looking for Koye junction." "Koye Junction? There is nothing like that here...the only junction here is this one, and it's called 'Agege connect'" She motioned "but the person who described this placed mentioned Koye junction" Lanre argued "maybe, the person who described the place was referring to our bar; you can wait here a bit. You might be lucky the person comes here and you meet." 

Lanre had been waiting for hours beside the bar, where the food is prepared for the customers to eat. He sat on his small bag and rested his back on the rough-surfaced wall, taking a short nap. While he slept, a group of boys including Shola had come to drink at the bar and they were done; they were about going when Adamu saw Lanre and started to laugh. He laughed at how he slept. While others kept wondering why he laughed, he pointed to him, Shola looked at the boy again; he ran towards him. They were not drunk so he could talk normally without any interference of naughtiness. "Lanre!" he tapped him. Lanre jerked, rubbing his face repeatedly "shola, shola" 

"Yah, it's me." Shola answered.  

"I had been waiting here for hours; since four p.m." 

"Oh sorry, I had to gather some things together" 

"So, how is it going?" Lanre asked.  

"What are you still doing there?" Shola's friends called him. 

"Shut-up! I am coming with him." Shola replied them "Lanre, so, let's go." 

Lanre joined the group of boys as they moved altogether to their house, situated at Olowookere Street. It was much more like the area Lanre once stayed, Arowojogbe Street. The unpainted houses were old with rusty roofing sheets covering them. They hardly got electricity supply. The area housed many of the Lagos lower-class. After walking distances, they got to the house, the same pattern like he expected, 'face me-face you' apartment where the house is divided into two rows of rooms directly facing each other. They owned two rooms; beautifully decorated with carpets, curtains, and few electronic gadgets.  

"You are welcome to our house" Bolaji stated as he kicked the bed playfully. "you are free; this place is cool for your home" 

"Yah!" Shola added. 

"I really appreciate you guys for these. Especially you, Shola. I don't know how to thank you. You just saw me and took pity on me." Lanre declared.  

Shola giggled as he undressed. Few minutes later, Ismail entered with a bowl of spaghetti sauce; it had been cooked before they left for the bar. Entering, Shola and Bolaji rushed for towards Ismail for the meal while Lanre looked on. "Oh, you're there watching us?" Ismail put Lanre on the spot "guy! That's how we do here...you'd better break loose; we are youths, no dulling, soji yourself-wake up. Lanre answered him with a smile. 

It was time to sleep; Lanre was left alone in the first room housing Shola and Bolaji. They were in the second room planning how the next business deal will go. They are into phone and its accessories. They have their base in Oshodi market with Bolaji and Adamu as the manager; substituting each other when one is not available. Shola and Ismail are responsible for the field work while Ubah handles the operational plans, and every other thing. They were organized. Shola and Bolaji are the only ones still remaining in the secondary school while the remaining are into the business full time. "Now that we have Lanre, of what help can he be?" Ubah asked.