Chapter 2: Shame and Street Sense

To make money hard, but to spend am? Na play. Na only government pikin dey fear spend. For street, we sabi run am.

I flag down keke, just load five years pass on top. Na so I mount like king. Driver dey look me like say I be local celeb.

From there, I drop reach car shop—wetin we dey call auto mart for Naija (Sales, Service, Spare parts, Survey). One sales guy in suit welcome me.

Outside, keke horn dey blast, danfo conductor dey shout for passenger. Na so Lagos dey. You know those kind auto mart where dem dey size you up before dem answer. But me, I just dey form big man.

"Oga, you come check car?"

The way he smile, you go think say I be senator pikin. Na so I shine teeth too.

Wait, no be for all those Nollywood films dem go talk: "If you no fit buy, no touch," then I go drop cash, shock dem?

Na so dem dey do for film, but real life dey different. E remain make dem ask for my BVN. So all those big man films na scam. Na so dem dey fall hand for real life. No be everything wey film dey show true o!

Sales guy even help me park my keke. I just sigh. The guy no even look down on my keke level, e just dey professional. I gats respect am.

"You get that legendary Highlander?"

I drop the name like say I fit buy ten. But the guy no shake.

Even though I get million for pocket, with more dey come, I no fit just blow everything at once, come dey broke for half month. Street sense dey tell me say make I no run package for myself. I gats pace am, before dem go carry my gist for Twitter.

Make I just spend small, buy normal car. When system begin drop seven digits, then I go reason big boy ride. No be by force to overdo. Let me start small; tomorrow still dey.

As I talk finish, sales guy face change colour. Na like say I mention wetin dem no dey sell there. The guy dey use eye measure me up and down.

E don set! E go soon insult me say I no get money, then I go show am cash, live my main character life. I dey prepare to act like all those boys for TikTok wey dey show off bundles for counter.

"Oga, Corolla dey for the other side. Here na Kia dealership."

He just clear me straight—no time to waste. See as I carry myself go embarrass zone.

Na that time I see the logo. I just wan enter ground. I look up, na big Kia sign. Shame just dey do me like cold bath for harmattan morning. Chai, see as shame dey do me. If ground open, I for enter. Na only prayer hold me.

I blush, point random car. "Erm, this one. E dey available?"

I use finger point anyhow, just to cover my shame. The guy no even smile—na business face.