It was December holiday again, the best time of the year. This is the time of the year when many people who live in cities, big towns and out of the country, travel down to their villages to spend time with family. December holiday is an opportunity for people to go back to their roots, that is for those who can afford it. Spending Christmas and New Year with family is a wonderful experience for those who have experienced it. In fact, it is the best time of the year.

I can still remember the last holiday I spent in Nigeria with my family. The last time I had seen any member of my immediate family was about four years ago, and even then, it was not in Nigeria. So, when I announced that I was coming into the country, everyone was very excited. I got into Nigeria around 2:00 PM and by 5, I was already in the village. Because I had not been in the village for close to ten years, I couldn’t find my way around.

I had not gotten a Nigerian SIM. So, for a start, I couldn’t contact anyone to come and pick me up. So, when I got to the village junction, I was frustrated. I badly wanted to get home after two days of traveling. I was also afraid of being taken advantage of. It was very easy for anyone to know that I was new in the village. The way I dressed, the way I talked, my mannerisms, everything was capable of giving me away. I had always known that when you were in a situation like that, the best person to seek help from should be a female. Females are less likely to swindle or rob you. That is what I did.

“Hello!” I said to one young lady that was passing by. “Could you please, direct me to a telephone booth. I need to make a call.”

“Good afternoon, Sir. I am sorry, but there are no telephone booths here. However, I can help you get a recharge card.” She replied.

“But I don’t need a recharge card. I haven’t gotten a SIM yet.”

“Sir, are you out of the country?” She asked getting interested.

“Yes, I am.”

“Sorry, I can’t help you.” She spoke and started leaving.

I stood in the middle of nowhere wondering what to do. Then, I saw a group of Okada men standing about thirty meters away. Now, that was a risk. Because I was new, it was very easy for an Okada man to take advantage of me. What was I going to do? I was confused. However, taking an Okada was my only option now. I had no other choice. So, I summoned my courage and went to get one.

As I approached them, they all became alert and started beckoning on me to come. I looked carefully and decided that the elderly fair skinned guy with an old and well used Okada could be more trusting. So, I approached him.

“Oga, na where you dey go?” He asked.

“Emm, I am sorry, I am not very used to this place. Can you please, take me to Iraodi?”

“Sir, Iraodi is not a small place.” He spoke. “I need an exact address.”

As I was struggling to remember the exact address of our house, one other man who had been keenly looking at me, spoke.

“Wait a minute. You are Riquel’s brother, right? Riquel Banlanjo.”

“Yes, how did you know?” I asked, surprised but relieved. At least someone had recognized me.

“You are a spitting image of your brother. God!! I didn’t know people could resemble their brothers so much.” He spoke excitedly.

“So, you are saying that you know my brother?”

“Yes, of course. I even know where he lives.”

“Thank God, then I will go with you instead.”

I apologized to the other Okada man for wasting his time and went with the other one. When I got home, the entire family was at the front of the building waiting for me. That holiday was very memorable and I hope to visit Nigeria again in the coming years.

However, this story is not about that holiday. This story is about another very eventful December holiday that I spent in my village in Cameroon. I had parents from both countries, Cameroon and Nigeria. So, I had the rare privilege of traveling between these two countries whenever I wanted.

It was December holiday again and the bus stops were parked full with passengers and commuters going up and down, trying to get buses and other types of vehicles that would take them to different parts of the country.

Van was a final year student of the University of Yaoundé 2, or so I thought. He was one of the myriads of passengers who were looking for transportation to go their villages. He had managed to get a bus that was going to his village, but he was the first passenger in that bus. That meant he had to wait for another two hours for the bus to get full. Vexed, he sat at one of the many drinking places that were at the bus stop, bought a cold bottle of Coke, since it was a very hot day, and sipped slowly, waiting for the bus to get full.

Some three hours later, with the bus full now, they were ready to leave. Their journey began smoothly, but that was not to last for too long. Soon, they got to a place where the tarred section of the road came to an end. Henceforth, they had to continue on the bumpy, stony and potholed part of the untarred road. Thus, the journey that was one smooth and enjoyable, now became bumpy and tiring, but they had no choice. They had to endure.

After about two more hours on the bumpy road, the driver suddenly brought the bus to a screeching halt and announced that their journey might be delayed. There was a long line of cars on the road directly in front of them. There were so many cars that you would think at first sight that it was a pile up. The driver got off the car and went to investigate. A few minutes later, he returned to the bus and gave the passengers the bad news. A bridge had collapsed and the road construction company that was working on the road was trying to see if they could make a temporary passage for the cars to use.

The passengers all stepped out of the bus because it was very hot inside. They strolled to the houses of the village where the bridge had collapsed and sat on their verandas waiting for new developments. Hungry and tired, Van leaned on the wall of one of the houses and dozed off for a minute. He had barely closed his eyes when he heard that that driver was calling for all of his passengers. They all went and assembled in front of the car and the driver started speaking to them.

“I get bad news for wuna. That bridge no go finish na today and we no fit go back. So, I di advice any man for look for hotel for spend the night. Tomorrow, we go continue our journey.”

“You are not serious chauffeur, are you?” Van was the first person to speak.

“My brother, we no get choice. Na so the situation dey. We only get for wait tomorrow or you fit waka with foot, cross the water, then take motor for the other side continue your journey.” He explained.

“Who will be in charge of the transportation when I take a car on the other side?” Van asked.

“Na you sef sef noh.”

“For weti? You get for give we half our transport, so that we fit use am for pay the other motor.” One other passenger spoke.

“I no fit give wuna any money because I don already hand all money for agency.”

“You are mad, have you heard? You are crazy. How do you expect me to have money to pay for the rest of the way. Please, I want my money back or at least part of it.” One girl spoke angrily.

“I don’t have any money to give any of you. You guys better get used to the idea that you might have to spend the night here. Yes, it is the only way.” The driver spoke in good English and Van was shocked.

“Driver, you just spoke good English.” Van was thrilled.

“No, I didn’t speak English. You are the only one who went to school. You guys have two choices. Wait in the village until morning or cross the stream on foot and get a car that will take you to your destinations on the other side. What is it gonna be?” The driver asked, thrilling Van the more.

“Driver, you are even using ‘gonna’. That means you are not just educated; you are also an Americana. When did you get back?”

The rest of the passengers laughed at this but the girl who had complained of not having any more money was having none of the fun. She started crying as the driver walked away to an ogogoro bar that was beside the road. Van looked at her, felt pity and moved towards her. He put one hand across her shoulders and asked.

“Why are you crying, my dear?”

“I have to be at the village today. It is very important to me. The driver has refused to refund part of my fare. I planned to use it to get another car across the stream. I don’t have any money with me.”

“So, that is why you are crying? I beg dry your tears. I will pay your fare. Don’t mind that driver. He is a scammer.” Van assured her.

“You will?” She asked, surprised.

“Yes, I will. What is your name?”

“Rose and yours?”

“Van, my name is Van but they call me Naked Wire or just Naked for short.”

“I prefer Van. Thank you very much. God will bless you.”

“God will bless you, too.”

Both of them didn’t have large luggage. So, they carried their bags on their heads and waked until they got to the stream. Thankfully, the stream was not very deep and the currents were not powerful. So, they put their bags on the ground, rolled the feet of feet jean trousers until it got to their knees, carried their bags again and waded across the stream. When they got to the other side, there was a car that needed just two more passengers to be full. They got in and continued their journey.

An hour and thirty minutes later, they arrived their village. It was a great relief from both of them. Tired and hungry, but happy, Rose walked up to Van.

“Naked, I want to say I am very grateful to you for your gesture. If not for you, I would have still been on the road.”

“Hahaha! I can see you are beginning to prefer the other name, Naked. Anyway, it is fine by mine. Don’t worry, I am a knight in a shining amour. A knight like me should always be chivalrous when he meets a beautiful, young damsel like you.” Naked spoke.

“You are so funny and intelligent, Naked. Looks like you have read a lot of Shakespeare.”

“Yeah, a lot. Anyway, how long are you staying in the village?”

“Until after New year.”

“That means we will see again, right?” Naked asked.

“Of course, we will. Bye, see you another day.”
“Bye, Rosy.”

I was in the village already. I had come from Buea, where I was also schooling at the university. I had come to the village one full week before Naked could come. As a sharp Buea guy, I had already secured two village babes for myself. Neither of them knew that I was playing them. Each one thought she was the only one in my life. They had all abandoned their village boyfriends as soon as I showed up with my city swag and university English. They all planned to spend the Christmas day with me in a special way. Village girls could really take good care of you when they are in love with you and you are from the city.

As for me, I had no intentions of spending the Christmas day with them. I didn’t want any fighting. Both of them were so possessive and so proud of me that they intended not to give me any breathing space on that day. That would mean trouble for me. So, I planned to avoid both of them until the day passed.

It was Christmas night now, and I was in a popular bar in the village dancing with some of my male friends. I was at the far end of the bar because I was hiding from my village babes and didn’t want to be located by any of them. I had already made sure that my phone was off and no one could contact me. I didn’t know that I wasn’t smart enough. That was the best village club. So, after both of them had gone to my house and had not seen me, they figured that the only place a man of my status could be was at that club. So, they came there.

I was busy dancing when someone tapped me on my shoulder. I looked around it was Chancele, one of the village girls. I froze in shock.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to look for you.” She replied.

“I can’t remember saying that I was missing.”

“I went to your house and I didn’t see you. I tried your number and it wasn’t going through. I figured you would be here, and here you are.”

“Oh, what a coincidence. That means when you came to look for me in my house, it was the same time I went to your house also to look for you. We just happened to take two different roads.” I lied.

“That’s okay. As long as I have seen you, that is alright.”

“Okay, you want to dance?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s do it.”

We were busy dancing to the tune of Rush when someone stepped in between us. It was my other village girl, Cominash. Trouble was coming. Where did Cominash spring from? Chancele gave me a questioning look as if to ask who Cominash was. Before I could answer, the latter spoke.

“May I have a word with you?”

“No, you are not having any word with him.” Chancele answered in my stead.

“Hey, I am not talking to you. Never you interfere when I want to talk with my boyfriend?” Cominash warned.

“Your boyfriend? Ebuka, what is she talking about?”

“Please, you girls should behave yourselves. We are in a public place.” I said and tried to leave, but Chancele held me back. She wanted an explanation, but got more than that.

Cominash gave her a slap that made her see stars.

“Don’t you ever hold my boyfriend like that.” She shouted.

“You slapped me?” Chancele asked, grabbing her by the neck.

Fighting had broken out. What could I do? I figured the best thing for me to do was to leave immediately. I abandoned both of them and went out of the club as they fought against each other. I wanted to get away from that place as soon as possible. Those girls have brothers living in that village. Chancele’s brother had actually, already warned me to stay off his sister. So, if their brothers heard that their sisters were fighting over me, my goose would be cooked.

I decided that my day was over and I was going home immediately. I stopped many bikes but all of them was occupied. Christmas was a busy day and people were going up and down the small village. I was getting impatient. I needed to leave immediately. Finally, one of them stopped and agreed to carry me, but he was not alone. He was carrying a girl.

“You have a passenger already.” I told him.

“It doesn’t matter, Boss. It depends on you. If you would persevere, I will go drop her first, and then, I will take you home.” The Okada man spoke.

“Alright, that is fine by me.”

I got on the bike and he sped off. As we went, I realized that though the girl and I didn’t leave in the same compound, we were going to stop at the same place. When we got off the bike, she wanted to pay the bike man, but I stopped her.

“Don’t worry, fine girl.” I will pay.

“Thank you very much.” She spoke, gratefully.

“You live around here?” I asked as soon as the bike man had gone.

“Yes, and you?”

“I live here, too, but I have never seen you here.”

“I am here for the holiday.”

“Oh!! I should have figured that. You don’t look like one of these village girls.”

“You are very funny.” She laughed.

“So, do you think we could see maybe tomorrow?”

“Okay, it is fine by me.”

“In that case, may I have your number?” I asked.

She gave me her number and I took hers, too.

“What is your name?” She asked.

“Ebuka, and you?”

“Rose.”

TO BE CONTINUED
https://storymack.com.ng/december-rush-chapter-2/