~AMERICAN BOBO~


PART TWO

Several minutes later I’d gotten home, feeling satisfied about the stylish way I walked home, typical runway steps, how high I pushed my nose. How classy and sophisticated I replied greetings and even ignored my former friends along the way, This America shaa, it's like I was born for it, I already behave like them. Chooii!

Local girls with no class at all, they dunno waris going on, I'm on my way up. However as I walked into the sitting room I saw that my brother had a sullen look on his face and I wondered why. He was my only true alli and pal, supported my American trip and even did favors for me, for the benefits of the dollars I'll send later I guess, this one that can do anything for money.

‘Chubby what is it? “ came my quick enquire. No reply.
‘Chubby talk na' I persisted.

‘E Don travel o. ‘ Chubby said in vernacular.

‘who don travel! ‘ my heart beat did a quick double sequential beat but I assured it everything was OK.

‘your bobo Don travel' he put his two hands atop his head.

The air in the room became too dense, I couldn't breath, I felt like I was choking as I pulled off my scarf and began scratching my hair. Quick sweats broke out on my forehead..My legs felt like they'd been jolted awake by an electric shock.

‘where him travel go?’ I asked, totally confused. Chubby looked at me like I was demented.

‘America nah! ‘ He vented.

I flung my purse to the ground and followed suit,landing with my buttocks unto the cement floor of our small parlour, I spread my legs and screamed so loud. Just the way my mother had screamed the day she'd lost all the money she usually tied to the edge of her wrapper.

‘Ewoo!!’ came my second reaction after the first scream, followed by, ‘chim'o !’
An unintended exhibition of the strength of my eastern tongue followed. "Ewo! Anwuóla'm oo! America'm ooo!"

No. If I stayed in the room I knew I would die, I couldn't drag in air, my nostrils were betraying me.. How would I explain that I have been looking for my period since one week now and I was sure American Bobo had stolen it. This reminder shot me off the ground and out the door like a woman whose house was engulfed in flames.

Just then I bumped into both my mother and some of my compound women standing outside, more than few of them I’ve had rude encounters with.

‘Sopuruchi, wetin happen? Where you dey run go? ‘ My mother called out my name as she asked in wonder.

‘Him Don travel oo!’ I replied, feeling tremor rock all over my body. ‘Mummy my husband Don leave me go ooh!’ I wailed, ignoring the smile that sprang up all over the other women’s faces but my mother’s .

My mother scowled, ‘you dey craze? Who be your husband? Na why you come dey cry?’ She asked progressively.

‘Na period oohhh!! ‘ I could feel my world crumbling as I jumped roundabout my position, with a disheveled hair and screams like a woman who’d just gotten news of her husband’s demise.

‘You say Wetin?’ my mother dropped her handbag with a loud thud, ‘Wetin do your period?’ She didn’t wait for a reply before grabbing the wooden plank used to protect our ‘I pass my neighbor’ generator from the rain.
‘ Mummy I Don miss am ooo. ‘ I cried, moving steps backward as she approached.


You say wetin do your period?’ she repeated the question while grabbing for the wooden plank used in protecting our ‘I pass my neighbor’ generator from the rain.

‘ Mummy I Don miss am ooo. ‘ I cried, taking tentative steps backward as she approached.

‘Na lie o. Useless girl.’ She cursed as she came after me with plank in hand. ‘Where you keep the period? You go find am o! Stupid pikin! You must find am!’ She kept cursing amidst pants as she increased speed, as much as her legs could allow.

I ran just, the way the mad woman in Ahia Obodo did every time she stole a piece of the sellers item. I knew I was finished. Completely done for. No American husband, no period. I could hear the laughter of everyone in my street getting louder as I ran past each house, but my only concern was my mother who was my on my tail, screaming and cursing. I had no where to go, Not even a friend to run to. Oh my life, what had I done to myself?

Echoes of laughter gradually turned into cheers of ‘happy new year!’ Everyone was cheering with so much joy and noise. Awareness found me as I jumped up from the chair I had dozed off on. It was twelve midnight and the clock in my parish had just shrieked its alarm, ringing the first of January and I was only dreaming.
As if on cue my cellphone vibrated in my hand, I flipped it over and saw the displayed screen caller name as ‘my American bobo.’ quickly I clicked on the disconnect button.
‘Thank God say I dey my period.’ I heard myself whisper gladly and smiled.





(Anwuóla'm oo = I'm dead oo)
(America'm oo = my America oo)