ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 ✔︎

2°

Uzo

We walked through the dusty and cracked ground, there was no way one could avoid body contact in the over crowded market. The atmosphere was a mixture of air and noise pollution.

"Sister come check this top." A dirty man grabbed my arm. I shoved him away and walked faster to catch up with mama and Adaku.

Traders were shouting on top of their voices which made it hard for one to figure out what each said.

"You wey dey go boutique na mumu!"

"Come buy your fine fine pant o!"

"This one na bonanza!"

"Come see American wonder!"

Some desperate ones even went as far as dragging passers by which was absolutely inappropriate.

Mama strolled into a shop that displayed sandals and shoes. A man who happened to be the shop owner was cleaning a shoe for a young boy to wear. His mother stood beside him a frown weighing her brows down.

"I don't like it."The boy whined.

"Shut up! Do you I'll buy you a very beautiful shoe so that those thieves in your school will steal it? Money doesn't fall from trees! Even if a thief decides to steal all the shoes in your school, when he sees your own, he will jump and pass." she said. Mama laughed and her dimples became even more pronounced. I indeed resembled her.

"Children of nowadays, very selective." mama chipped in.

"Yes o my sister! When we were in school did we wear sandals? Did your president wear sandals eh?Are you going to school for fashion or to study?" she said.

The boy's face was squeezed and his eyes were teary.
"Tie that shoe in nylon for me jare let me leave this place." the woman said to the shop keeper and he scurried to get her what she demanded for. He handed her the bag with the shoe in it. She gave the man his money and made her way out the boy following her like a lost puppy.

"Bye bye o!" Mama waved

"Oh my dear.....bye" she replied and left the shop.

"I hope you're not planning on selecting ugly sandals for us." Adaku eyed mama suspiciously.

Mama chuckled "Don't give me that look. You two are big girls, you should make your own choice." She grinned and sat down on a stool waiting for us to make our choices.

Adaku found a very beautiful sandal in no time and it fit her perfectly. I wished I had seen it first. I watched Adaku's narrow feet slip out of the sandal and her lips curved into a smile exposing her gap teeths.

"I'll take this one." she smiled

"Is it allowed? I don't want to hear stories that touch the heart. If they seize it you're on your own"

"Ah ahh! Mama, I'm in SS3 remember? No one will seize it. "Nyenu biko" she hissed.

I spent nearly fifteen minutes searching for a perfect sandal but the beautiful ones I saw were either bigger or smaller than my foot. At last, I settled for a dark brown leather sandals with large shiny buckles and we left.

Mama did a little more shopping and soon we made our way out of the market struggling with filled shopping bags.

"Mama did you buy the carrots for salad?" Adaku asked. "Yes I did" mama replied and we crossed the road over to where Papa's car was parked. Mama always used papa's car when she needed to. She sold her car when Papa lost his job and the family was going bankrupt. Mama opened the door to Papa's Toyota Matrix and we got in. Mama turned on the engine and the vehicle roared to life.