We have all done it. The lecture gets too long, you stayed up late the previous night, the lights in class are off and there's a presentation or video playing; you put your head down on the table or on your chin or you lean back and close your eyes for just a second. Yup, you know what I mean. You've slept in school. Or at work. Here's another scenario; in primary school, your ride comes late and while you wait, you find a spot, get comfy and using your school bag as a pillow, you take a quick nap. If you know what I am talking about, I hope your experience was different from mine.
First let me give you the underlying events leading to this fateful day. It was the early 90s, and I was about 8. School ended at 1:45 everyday at Subuola Memorial and I would head straight for the big field that doubled as the school's soccer field and official playground. I would place my school bag by the goal post and join the games. The dominant game was 'catcher' and the only rule was that the catcher must catch the catchee and then the roles were switched. The games would go on and on as student after student would leave as his ride came until all the students had gone home. My ride usually came at 2:25, and the signal for me was when my dad's 1985 Peugeot 504 would honk "Wa-le". (Turns out that with the appropriate timing, honking twice on most cool cars produce a sound similar to my name but back then I thought it was just me). Well on this particular day, school ended on time as usual, I put my school bag by the goal post like I always did, and went to play with the usual crew. The weather was awfully nice, the sun was shining, and the temperature was absolutely perfect. The grass had been cut and was now dry so it no longer itched when you rolled on it. I'm sure you can imagine what happens when you leave pre-pubs on a large field with no supervision, dry grass, and lots of energy. The time flew by fast and I started noticing that I was playing with students I hadn't played with before. I was meeting parents that I hadn't met before. Then the games changed, and the kids had to explain the rules to the weird games we were playing. Sensing something was wrong, I went to the parking lot and asked if anyone had seen a cream Peugeot 504. No one had so I went back to the field and there weren't any games being played, just a few kids sitting on a grass in a circle. I joined them and made new friends. It started getting darker and I went back to the school gate to look for my dad. I came back and there was just this sullen fellow who was sad because his dad was late again. I sat beside him and we shared our life stories. What grade we were in, what our parents did, our favorite cartoons and other important things in life. We both liked Voltron, Go-go gadget, Danger Mouse and Superted. Important to us anyway back then. I tried to explain to him how Konky should be the real hero instead of Superted, but he didn't seem to buy the explanation.
His mom soon came and she asked if I needed a ride. I told her that my dad would soon be here. After they had gone, I looked around and I was the only one left. I decided to explore the school now that there was no one looking. This got boring real fast, and I briefly thought about going to the 'farm' but I was too scared to venture there in the dark. I headed back to the gate and sat on the side walk with my head between my knees crying and praying someone would come and find me. I head footsteps and a voice called, "Omo yi" ('this child' in Yoruba). It was Baba Ode, an old raggedy man that served as the school's security guard. He gave me some water and asked me to explain why I was sitting all alone in the parking lot after sunset. I explained my after school escapade to him and 'promised' that I did not hear the signal. He said everything was okay, gave me his mat and told me he'll go get some food. I rolled the mat partially and used the unrolled section as a pillow. The stars were out that night, and singing twinkle, twinkle little star brought a huge smile to my face. I stopped singing when I noticed the beam of light from Baba Ode's flashlight as he returned. The bread was still hot and I remember I took it with water. The next thing I remember was waking up the next day in the parking lot. I played back the events from the previous day and looking around, did not see Baba Ode. I rolled up the mat and put my shoes back on, got my bag and got ready for action. A voice behind me asked, "Se o mo ona ti wa a fi de'le?" I answered No because I had never taken public transport by myself and did not know the way home. I described my house as a white house next to the bridge, overseeing an expressway and close to the gas distribution center.
I cannot recollect the bus ride home, but I remember walking up the stairs and looking around at my neighbors cleaning up the compound because it was an environmental sanitation day. Lara was at her doorstep staring with a puzzled look on her face (hmm ... I wonder what she is up to now). Everybody else was just gazing in slow motion while I held my head up high feeling like a hero in the final scene of an action thriller. The rest of that fateful weekend have since faded into the vast oceans of oblivion, but reliving memorable days like these lights up that special, warm feeling of nostalgia and rekindles my belief in the benign nature of people, family, friends, strangers, and oneself.
More than a decade later, I really, really appreciate such a memorable recollection, but a part of me wants to demand an explanation for what happened that day. Hopefully one day, over some suya and malt beverages, I'll remember to bring it up. Love you, dad! Yesterday is gone and tomorrow will be gone
Think about this, what is life all about
We are called the human race because we are always chasing after something
The search for more, some call it
More money, cars, sex, ultimately in pursuit of what we think will make us happy
I call it the happiwhen syndrome
We "know" we will be happy when ...
Mine is "...when I am free and have enough money to travel around the world"
But at any given time, we are only a few free reflections away from happiness
Those fortunate enough to have not-too-cozy pasts
Can reflect and see "how far I have come"
Life cannot be a jungle to be endured
We were not "sentenced to life" at birth
It's time to walk those history lanes again
And share some moments with people from your past (thank __ for facebook)
Now I see what Bar Luhrmann meant in his song Sunscreen
"The longer you live, the more you need the people you knew when you were young"
I guess life is like sleeping in school
It could be a very memorable experience or a grueling sentence for being human
Share this article on your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
|
