Dirty: A Tale Of Akintoye The Wanderer

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‭Luke 5:31-32 NLT‬
Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."

AKINTOYE TOSSED AND turned on the bed that night, unable to handle the strange dream he was having. He was in it but it felt like someone else was living a different life. As if he was watching a movie and hating every second of it.

He sat beside a worn out table. It had old carvings that seemed to have been made by a mere knife, pen marks and doodles all over. Gone was the smoothness of the wooden surface, only rough edges and exposed rusted nails which promised harm to anyone who came close enough to it.

Akintoye fiddled with the food in front of him. The Jollof rice placed in front of him was delicious but it was the memories that came with it which made his gut churn. He had no appetite when all he could hear was his sister's scream, when after watching her take her final breath and carrying her in his arms all he had left were memories he wished would go away.

Inasmuch as he loved his sister he couldn't bear closing his eyes and seeing her radiant smiling face, her innocence when she stared at him wide eyed with curiosity, the nights she'd spent by his side seeking refuge from their father and their parents' horrible fights. How could he forget her happiness when he brought back sweets for her after doing all those odd jobs? How could he erase the joy that overtook her when they had the chance to eat good food?

If she was there...If...He had been using that word a lot lately. What if he came on time? What if they left sooner?

Sunny would've enjoyed the food before him. She would have danced for joy because it wasn't everyday the two got to eat sweet Jollof rice with chicken. It was a struggle alone on some days to get bread.

Akintoye sighed and pushed the plate away.

"Are you done?"

He looked up at the big woman who had been paying extra attention to him. Her back was faced to him as she washed the dishes in the sink. Instead of replying he turned his head around to examine the room she called hers. It was better than where he was living previously. The only thing that was constant was the numerous beer bottles lying around. The big woman didn't mind though.

He'd been with her for a week and never saw her drinking once. When night time rolled around she would look him in the eye and say, "Sweet pea, go stay up in the room. Lock the door and don't open it for anybody, even me, okay?"

The big woman dried her hands with a towel, approaching him with a disappointed frown on her face. "You have to eat something. I do the best I can to bring this food on the table. Do you know how many people out there are looking for this chance you've got? You gotta eat or you'll starve to death." Akintoye still wasn't looking at her. He didn't give any care for what she was ranting about.

He wasn't lucky.

"Is that what you're hoping for eh? That you'll join that little girl up there too? Well try as you might but I'm not letting you do that. Life's hard but we're no quitters. We're hustlers."

He was still looking anywhere but at her when the door slammed open and an averagely tall boy swaggered in. Compared to Akintoye's thirteen year old form the guy who came in was tall for a sixteen year old, already sporting one or two hairs on his chin, sagging his jeans and dangling a cigarette in between his dark lips. He trudged in and went straight to the big woman.

"Mommy B what's up? Cook anything?" He collected the plate of food in her hands, ignoring Akintoye who sat there.

"Yes, and keep your smoke out of my home." The big woman grabbed the cigarette from his mouth. When Akintoye turned to face her she had walked out leaving the two boys. Akintoye stared at the guy in front of him.