thorns in my boat(a soldier's travail)a story by awoyere Dominic

CHAPTER 4

I was anxious throughout the journey home. I
wished the driver could run faster, I felt like
taking over the steering from him but I had not
known how to drive then, I looked at the
speedometer and saw that the man was on 120
km/h already. I had butterflies in my stomach; I
would laugh out of excitement at intervals when
I think of the reaction I would get from my
kinsmen upon reaching the Village. I know some
passengers in the bus were nervous whenever I
gave out my intermittent chuckles, they might
be thinking I am not sane.
The Bus stopped at Ilesha at past two o’clock
and I joined a taxi to Ijebu jesha from where I
joined another taxi to my village Esa Odo, I
dropped at the Market junction in the Village
which is along the road to Ilare. I was fully
cladded in my military uniform, my Boots were
sparkling in the Sun, my green khaki stood still
as if it was carved out of wood, I re positioned
my beret perfectly on my head as I began to
march towards my house like a robot cop.
The crowd grew as I marched home wards, I
could hear whispers from women and Children all
around me, I did not look sideways, I heard my
name spoken, some were doubting if it was Ojo,
some say it is Makanjuola, others whispered
Stephen. I also heard someone whispered “is
this not the son of Iya oloju kan?” it is him!
Another answered, it is wa pa! (Short for wa
pami loni)
Then why is he walking like this? Another asked.
Why are you asking me? Look at him before you!
Ask him yourself! Another person countered.
I was hearing all they were saying but I was not
seeing them, I was looking at my house at the
distance.
Don’t you know they give them a certain
injection when they join the Army? Someone
proffered.
And so what? Another challenged. What has that
got to do with the way he is walking! Is he a
robot? Why are his arms spread as if he wants
to fly? And why is his chin so raised and he is
not even looking sideways!
Ha! Alaba watch your mouth o! Don’t you know
what they call Sojas during the war? Kill and go!
He is in a Killer mood now o! He can kill any one
of us now if he has a gun!
Ha! Olorun maje! (God forbid) who will give him a
gun here? And why would he kill us? Is this a
battle field?
The crowd grew, the whispers became murmurs,
the murmurs became clatters, soon it was noise
all over me, and I kept walking as they run along
to meet my pace.
I kept walking, I saw her from afar, she was
seated plaiting someone’s hair, two other
women sat on a bench opposite her, they had
Trays on their laps and their hands were busy.
I increased my pace, I wanted to run, I couldn’t,
I wanted to call her but my tongue was tied, my
head was swelling, my vision was blurring, the
tears dripped freely as I began to jog towards
my mother.
She rose from afar, I saw her rise, and she
looked towards my direction, our direction, me
and my crowd. She sat down and continued her
work. She stood up almost immediately she used
her hands to block the sun rays from her eyes
as she started towards my direction, some
children had already run to meet her and were
talking to her. She started towards me, her
wrapper loosened and dropped on the ground as
she limped toward me, she limped , she jumped
and she slumped as she was trying to reach me,
I screamed “Mama!” she got up and limped
quickly towards me shouting my name.
We met; we locked in an inseparable embrace. I
had never cried like that in all my life. We clung
to each other for over ten minutes crying. Other
women present at the scene were crying too and
rendering my ancestral praises. I found strength
and lifted my fragile Mother off her feet, I
carried her like a baby and marched towards the
house, she clung to me with her head on my
chest crying, we got home and I gently placed
her on the chair she was sitting before my
arrival while I sat on a stool close to her and
cleaning her tears with my immaculate white
handkerchief.
My Son you have changed! She managed to say
I know mama I replied
Shh! someone hushed the crowd: iya ati omo
nsoro! E dake yin! (Mother and Child are talking!
Be quiet!)
What happened to your legs mama? I asked: you
were limping!
Before she could open her mouth, someone
offered
She tripped and fell on her way from the early
morning stream!
She had a big pot of water on her head, it was
still dark! Another offered
It was very serious o! A third person said: we
thank God for Baba Miko and Okoro the Igbo
Chemist! Your mother could not walk for four
good days!
A fourth person said: your mother does not eat
else she would have recovered fully!
The first person said: how would the drugs
administered on her work when she does not eat
food? When we beg her to eat, she says she
heard that there is hunger at the Army training
ground; she said we should help her take the
food to you instead! She said she cannot bring
herself to eat when you are hungry and
suffering.
I nodded my head affirming all that was said,
which is typical of my Mother. I pulled her closer:
hope you will eat now mama? I asked
Yes my son! I will eat! In fact I am hungry now!
She said
Mama got up and stamped her feet twice on the
floor, she placed her hands on her waist and
wriggled it severally then she walked briskly
towards the room
Let me get some food to eat and then take my
drugs! Can’t you see I can walk well now? She
asked.
The shout from the crowd was understandable,
it was a miracle, and my presence had healed
mama.