Chapter 4: Night Visitations

The night after I finish the tattoo, my uncle-master Baba Mo come see me.

The kind knock wey Baba Mo give my door no be regular—three times, then pause, then two more. Na so old hand dey greet, sign say na tattoo brotherhood. Before, na him dey tattoo for Yusuf, especially for Yusuf women.

Baba Mo na old war horse. Him head bald, but him eye still sharp. As he enter, he just drop for my old wooden chair, breathe like person wey carry heavy load. The women wey dey follow Yusuf plenty, dem dey change like film. As Baba Mo talk, every woman get her own special tattoo.

"If no be say I don dey drink too much these two years and my hand dey shake, this work no go reach you."

As him talk, I dey feel small pride, but also fear—because if Baba Mo refuse job, that one mean say wahala dey. I rush make tea, give am one cup, just dey nod.

He sip the tea, eye dey look me like teacher dey judge student. "Remember, no talk too much. Money still dey come."

The way him talk am, my mind just dey heavy. For street, if old man dey warn you, make you hear. I use style ask Baba Mo about the tattoo wey I do that afternoon. E get as e be, e dey fear me.

He look me, eye sharp, then look window, as if spirit dey spy us. Baba Mo shock small, then say, "Na for money e dey. Abeg, just do your work. The young prince no like people wey dey poke nose."

But for inside my mind, I sabi say all no clear. For Naija, when elders dey talk in riddle, e mean say danger full ground. But later, e clear say no be just money matter at all.

I begin dey pray make all these wahala just pass me. But for Lagos, spirit matter dey hide under money matter. You fit dey do normal job, na so your leg go enter another world.