Chapter 2: Phone Call Wey Scatter Sleep

“Olisa, abeg rush come house! Dem don post the village road plan already!”

My phone begin ring for dawn, sharp sharp. Early morning, na my mama call me.

I fit hear for her voice say wahala dey. I wan act like I no dey moved, but my hand dey shake small. As I press answer, breeze from window blow, bring in the smell of early morning pap from neighbour house. Even as I dey Lagos, the call drag my mind back home.

“Village chairman no dey waste time—e don post plan sharp sharp.”

I imagine mama dey stand for front of house, wrapper tie for chest, phone for ear. That kind urgency wey only mama fit get when matter concern her pikin.

“I no sabi anything about road work, and I no fit help. This one reach to make me rush come back?”

I put her for speaker as I dey brush my teeth.

Old people sha—anything small, dem go make am big.

I rinse mouth, dey look mirror. For my mind I dey reason, ‘Abi mama dey exaggerate again?’

Village dey build road, na me go come back? If I no show, dem no go build the road again?

I just dey form big boy, but inside me, small fear dey creep in.

“No, Olisa, the road wey dem dey build for village no go reach our house o.”

Mama talk am again.

As she repeat am, I notice the tremble for her voice. E be like say small cold dey worry her, but I know say na vex dey inside too.

“E no go reach our house? Wetin you mean?”

I confuse, no even sure wetin she dey yarn.

My heart begin beat. For this my family, wahala nor dey pass us. I dey expect say road suppose pass front of our house, na why I drop money.

“Your papa check the plan. The new road stop before our house. He even go quarrel with village chairman. You suppose come see am by yourself.”

Mama voice don dey shake small.

I picture papa, cap for head, wrapper for waist, dey para for chairman. That man no dey ever gree lose.

“Ehn?”

My hand wey dey hold toothbrush freeze.

I feel as if cold water pour for my body. For person wey dey try show say e no send, I dey shake.

“Mama, no worry. I dey come now now. Abeg, help me hold papa—no let am waka go anywhere.”

I quick rinse my mouth, use towel clean face, wear cloth anyhow and rush commot.

As I dey fly around room, wife just dey look me. “Olisa, calm down now,” she talk. I just wave hand. This one pass talking.

I match the accelerator till I reach house.

Sun never even rise finish. For my mind, na speed I dey use run from wahala, but na home I dey rush go protect.

As I enter village, road bad no be small—pothole everywhere, car dey jump like frog. If no be say na SUV I dey drive, I for no fit enter at all.

Dust dey rise everywhere, sun dey bake tarmac. I see okada man nearly fall for ditch, e curse for Pidgin, "Chai! This road go kill person!" E pain me reach bone.

My house dey for the last end of the village, na the last house for road. Na bush dey behind, goats dey bleat for backyard, sometimes snake fit pass.

As I dey near house, I see children dey play football for one patch of sand. I horn, dem scatter like chicken. "Uncle Olisa, welcome!" one shout. I just wave hand, my mind no dey there.

The whole ride shake me sotey I nearly vomit, but I manage reach house.

My wife help me carry bag, small pikin hug my leg. I just dey look everybody, dey try smile.

“Olisa, you don come! Abeg, talk to your papa, e still dey vex.”

Mama wait for gate, hold my hand, dey whisper.

She rub my back small, like say I be small boy. I fit feel her worry, even though she dey try hide am.

Inside, papa sit down, face strong, dey smoke, vex just dey show for him body.

Mosquito coil dey burn for corner, but papa just dey puff away. For table, empty cup of tea, spoon dey inside. Na so I know say e never chop.

“Papa, your pikin don come greet you.”

I drop two cartons of Benson & Hedges wey I carry from car for him front.

As he see am, him face light up small. "Na my pikin be this!" him voice deep. Even as e vex, he still like better thing.

“That yeye Chairman Musa—village dey build road, dem leave our house! I go talk to am, e still dey form, dey talk say make we obey village plan. Obey fire!”

Papa throw away cigarette butt, dey curse.

He slap thigh, spit for ground. You know say for our side, once old man begin curse, matter don enter.

Village chairman name na Musa.

Everybody for village sabi Musa, na old army man, but e dey claim civilian when wahala dey.

“Papa, for this kind time, you suppose make correct tea, light better cigarette, on TV watch Super Story, make mama cook beta food, open Peak milk for afternoon, just dey enjoy.”

I dey press papa shoulder, dey smile.

I know say e go soon soft. Papa no dey too vex for long if you dey pet am well.

“You this boy, na to dey play with your papa you sabi?”

Papa eye me, want vex, but e still laugh last last.

The laugh come out like growl. Mama just shake head, “Una two no go kill me.”

“Papa, na just road. No let small thing give you wahala.”

I rub him back. I know say for papa mind, na family name e dey protect. For this village, if dem ride you, everybody go hear am.

“Abeg, relax for house. Make I go village committee see wetin dey happen. If person wan show, make I handle am.”

I beat chest.

I dey try show courage, even though my own mind dey shake small. But for papa and mama, I go do am.

“You wan handle who? Thirty years ago, if Musa try shout for my side, I for don beat am sotey e go forget him name.”

Papa light another stick, yarn with pride.

He puff smoke, eye dey shine. Old soldier blood still dey inside him body. For village, na story of papa fight full everywhere.

“Yes na, that time you fight reach everywhere for village—nobody fit try you.”

I tap him leg. Even mama dey smile small. For our house, na only fight story dey unite us.

“If your mood good today, Musa for don turn Musa Baba or Musa Saka.”

I quick add my own.

Everybody laugh, including small pikin wey no sabi the gist. That small laughter, e sweet me well.

“You this pikin, na rubbish you dey learn? You no fit serious small? Abeg, comot here before you make me vex pass this one.”

Papa pause, carry cigarette pack throw me.

I dodge am, catch am, begin do small dance. Mama just hiss, “See your head.”

“No wahala!”

I salute am like soldier, waka go committee side.

I walk slow for street, greet old men for junction. I know say all eyes dey my side. For village, news dey fly pass bird.

At least, I don make papa smile small.

My mind dey set for battle.