Feeling the cool breeze under the big garden tree in front of the library few weeks after our project, recalling what I read.
"Have you seen the exam timetable? It starts in two weeks,"
I heard one of the students said to the other.
"Yes I have seen it, I am not even prepared for the exam at all",the other student replied.
"Whose business is that? You better start preparing", said the first student.
Exam in two weeks? That is a great problem. I am 100% prepared in fact more than that but I hadn't paid my school fee and the rule was no fee no course form that meant no exam. Although the fee was just #18000, the little I got from work had been used for feeding and buying some other things, now no work again and I need to pay my fees. Tunji had been able to pay his through the help of his uncle that came to visit him some weeks ago. "How will I raise the fund in two weeks?" I packed the books I was reading and went to meet Tunji at the hostel.
"Tunji, there is qualms", I said waking him from his sleep.
"Problem, what is that", he said yawning.
"Exam is in two weeks",
"So? What's with that, are you scared?" He asked.
"Why should I be scared but have you forgotten that I've not been able to pay my fees?"
"Oh that's true, am so sorry I forgot. What are we going to do now?" He asked.
"I don't even know, I can't even think of a way to raise that amount."
"You will have to call your mother, don't worry about her lending the money, you will surely pay her back",
"I am aware of that, but Tunji I am scared."
"You don't have to be, call her now so she can do something about it. Here take my phone I still have airtime on it", he said.
"Thank you very much Tunji, I really appreciate," I said while collecting the phone.
"Just call her and leave all these emotional talks for some other times, you should try all means to convince her."
"Hello, mama................" she picked up and we talked for few minutes. "Alright ma", I said almost in tears and hanged u
"What's up?"Tunji asked as I dropped the call.
"Nothing o, there is no hope at all."
"Don't worry, all is well", he said patting my back.
"Mama wants me to come home and work on the farm with her, I think I will be on my way first thing tomorrow morning because if I don't, she said the only alternative is to wait till the ending of the month which you know is not any way possible.
"Alright no problem, ensure you take care of yourself, I wish you the best."Tunji said as we went ahead to pack some of my things.
I knew about the work, some of the farm owners will pay little amount, and some won't even pay at all, complaining of economic meltdown. There was little or no hope of me writing the exam with my mates. I wished mama had listened to me, I knew going to school would be very difficult due to our penury state. More to it, my department was a money swallowing dragon it was from one practical to another. But I was sure I would not drop out, I would try my possible best to graduate with the first among the best results.
*****
Few weeks later at Mister Okonko farmland, this was as silent as a graveyard with various plantations on it. While my mother and I were busy working on the farm the hawk makes a loud noise that made me looked up, seizing the opportunity to stretch my back, looking to my side I saw a goat giving birth in the livestock area, the blood from the goats kid made me want to throw up.
"Mama, exam starts tomorrow and we have not gotten the money still, what am I going to do?" I said after a while breaking the silence.
"I don't know my child but am sure things will go well, we will get the money and you will write the exam", she said.
"I pray so mama because,hmm, my effort will get wasted if I did not write the exam."
"I said we will get the money", she said stressing her words almost sobbing.
"Okay ma", I backed down and continued working in silence. I knew my mother was giving me false hope, she had no expectation and all we had been able to raise was#10000. I just hope something happens before the next day."Grr, grr, grr", my phone rang me out of my thought, "hello Tunji", I said as I picked the call.
"Bayo, what happened, you ought to be back by now, our paper is 8am tomorrow morning...."
"Yes Tunji, I am aware of that but guy the room to write the exam is not yet opened because the key is half way remolded, as you know it will be difficult if I don't get the key to open the lock."
"Okay, but the student that are yet to balance up their tutorial fee paid me this morning, so I have #3000 with me now, how much have you gotten?" Tunji replied.
"I have gotten #10000."
"That means we have #13000, is it possible to get #5000 before tomorrow."
"I don't know but I will give it my possible best",
"God will make it easy."Tunji prayed.
"Amen thank you", I replied and dropped the call. At that instance I felt that urge that I am back on track.
Night came and there was nothing, my hope that was rekindled when Tunji called had subsided since we were not able to make a kobo that day.The man we worked for failed to show up,although my mother kept saying I would write the exam but I knew it was just a sweet talk, I have missed it already. We got home at a very heavy hour, just because we waited for the man who later called to inform us that he wouldn't be able to make it. My mother ran helter scepter but all to no avail, I tried selling my phone the day before but no buyer showed up, which led to my thought before Tunjicalled at the farm. None of us could sleep that night; it was like the seven maiden virgins waiting for the husband with their lamps at the peak of the night. I laid down watching the seconds turn to minutes, minutes turn to hours, before a twinkle of an eye, the dawn arrived but no angel came with a sack of cash despite the fact that I became a maiden all of a sudden and watched my mother crying all night until she slept off thinking I had gone to bed. I got up when it was 6am and started the house chores, I can't just help but to think about how I hadlost this admission and even wasted money for acceptance, farm equipments and so many other things. The money would have turned to millions if I had established a business with it, but mama kept saying "it was my father's wish". It could be his wish but God had destined otherwise and now everything had gotten wasted. "Why is this even happening? Why has God decided to suffer us this much? I don't know why all this is happening but I hold to one believe that it will become history". I kept muttering with no specific terminating point.
"Bayo,Your phone is ringing", my mother called from the room which brought me out of my wonder land. I rushed inside to pick the call,
"HelloTunji", I said over the phone.
"Bayo, how far are you on your way?"
"No o, I've not gotten the money, it's still the #10000 that is with me", I replied in tears,
"come now I just spoke with a friend of mine, he promised to lend me #5000, run along and take it so that you can pay the fee, but you have missed today's exam, it's already 7am and there is no way you will pay and register the courses within the remaining minutes."
"I know this paper is gone, I won't bother registering it. I will be there ASAP thank you very much,"I replied feeling elated with my face beaming with smiles.
"Okay I will be........" I dropped the call, without waiting for him to complete that statement, because at that point I felt like the happiest man on earth.
"Mama I am going back to school, Tunji has helped me out with the remaining fee", I said to her hugging her closely.
"Thank goodness, I pray God bless that boy."
"Amen, ma" I said while packing my stuffs, "goodbye ma", I prostrated and stormed out of the house without even taking my bath.
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DESTINY OR DENIAL
Mystery / ThrillerDestiny or denial written with simple English depicts the life of an ambitious boy, who upon all odds finds his way to the higher institution. He lost his father at a tender age and his best friend. He found himself in prison overnight and lost his...
