The Evening Of The Morning

006

Goba searched the boot while Agbo asked a very little man for his particular, (no be Fela particular o) and the man handed it to him one after the other. As they did this, other cars passed freely.

"Merry Christmas sir," Agbo said.

"Same to you."

"Where is your driver's license?" Agbo asked.

The man handed it to Agbo. Everything corresponded. Goba returned with a fire extinguisher which he got from the boot and told the man that it had expired. It wasn't his job to ask.

"It has not been long I serviced that thing." The man said, reaching for it to see for himself.

Knowing the tactics Boga was using, Agbo ebbed from them and waved down the next car that was coming. The interior of the car was air-conditioned and Agbo felt it as the glass slid down to view the big woman, who filled the driver's seat. The woman gave Agbo two hundred naira and said, "Compliments of the season. Thanks for keeping the road safe."

"Thank you ma. Safe journey."

She drove off. Agbo looked towards Goba and saw that the man he was talking to entered his car, too, and drove off. Goba drew closer and said, "Boga is taking forever in that bush?"

"How much did that short man give you?" Agbo asked.

"Five hundred."

Agbo nodded. "Here." he handed the two hundred to him. "Do you know that girl?"

"The one staring at us?"

"Yes."

"She be twin," Goba said fitting his barret well. "I have seen Boga smiling with either her or the twin."

Agbo told him what I said.

"Yea, I have also seen him doing one of them in the bushes."

"That girl shouldn't be more than fifteen."

"You know these Hausa people na, they don't have control."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Bring tribalism to this."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. It is not as if Yorubas are better." Agbo completed under his breath and moved towards the hawkers. He looked for his little friend, who he gave money to buy a pack of cigarette every morning. He sighted him, several feet from where other hawkers gathered.

"Sobere, what are you doing here?" Agbo asked the boy when he drew closer.

"I am helping her," Sobere pointed towards me, who followed Agbo closely. "to watch her stuff. Merry Christmas sah."

Agbo looked at me for a while before asking Sobere for his cigarette. "The Christmas wouldn't be complete without it, eh." He collected, popped one stick halfway and offered it to Sobere but he declined.

"It is good for shitting oh." Agbo drew his ear.

"Thank you sah." Sobere shook his head.

I moved towards them.

"What is this girl's problem?" Agbo asked.

"Shade? She doesn't have one na." Sobere said.

"She dey disturb me."

"Shade, what's the problem?" Sobere directed the question to me.

"I didn't see Tani and that soldier. Sobere, please come and show me that tree."