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Episode 9 - Trip to Lagos Camp
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Platoon 2 - Last Episode
We arrived at the NYSC Camp 2:30 on the dot. I was surprised. I wondered if we walked for an hour from the bus stop to the camp. She must have noticed the surprise look on my face, so she answered my facial question.
“Derin” Sheila said as she came close to me “This is orientation camp, there is no small girl here, those soldiers are mean, drop all those your ajebota traits, shine your eye, look for right connections. This is Lagos, e ni mo way lo mo we, she who knows her way is the brilliant one, so no slacking babe.”
I called Shaye but his line was not going through, Irene's line was switched off, my mum's line was busy but my father's line rang.
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Episode 9
Trip to Lagos Camp
As I dialled my Father's number again, I could hear it ring at the other end the first time but he did not pick. My heart raced, I needed a breather “Daddy please pick” I muttered to myself. The sight around me was scary enough for me to want to go back but I still wanted to remain in Lagos. I called again, this time around he picked. When he picked the call, I swallowed a big lump of saliva as a sigh of relief.
“Hello Daddy, I landed safely, I'm on the Camp ground now.” I said as fast as I could.
“Hello Baby,” my father spoke from the other end “How was your trip?” He asked. “Fine Daddy” I replied. “I met two ladies who put me through, one was a mother, she dropped me at the Bus garage from the airport...”
I relayed the story of how I got to the camp to my dad. Typical of him, he listened patiently and laughed heartily as I described each phase of my experience. After speaking with him, I spoke with my mum who was through with her call. My conversation with mum was brief because she had to go back to the kitchen, so my father and I spoke again.
I gave my father the update of what currently happened like a news reporter would to her viewers. He listened with keen interest and did not mind if I used my credit to call. He asked if any soldier had spoken to me yet. He also warned me to be careful around boys and as usual he reminded me, “Derin, you are to young to start having male friends”. At twenty years, it baffled me why my father still said that.
Our conversation went on for close to twenty minutes. I felt relieved from the panic attack I almost had before I called my dad. I laughed, smiled and thanked him for giving me a chance. Then, I looked up from where I was, I saw people assemble at a particular corner of the camp. It looked like a meeting was about to be held.
“Daddy, please I have to go now. It looks like a meeting is about to hold. Bye sir” I said.
“Bye Dear, I love you.” My father said.
“Sir?” I answered in a questioning way. I was not sure what I heard. I had never heard my dad say “I love you” before even though I knew he loved me.
“I said I love you” he repeated.
“I love you too sir” I responded. My cheek bones ached a little because of the wide grin that came as a result of my dad's parting words. The words rang in my head again.
“I hope that grin will still be there after three weeks” A male voice said behind me.
... to be continued
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