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Episode 12 - LAGOS CAMP EXPERIENCE
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PLATOON TWO
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Immediately, I jerked my hand off his grip, he winked at me and licked his lips.
“See you around Derin” He said, he rubbed his bald head and bounced off. I turned away and walked as fast as I could to were the people assembled.
It was an open field within the camp. There were plywoods constructed in box forms to make it look like a stage. There were three unequal rectangular boxes placed behind each other like stairs, so one has to climb the smallest box to the smaller and then to the small which served as the main stage.
Everyone disassembled and form different lines for their various schools as the names of their schools were called.
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Episode 12
LAGOS CAMP EXPERIENCE
Registration ended 7:30pm that day. Most people could not finish including me but I succeeded in writing my name and the school I came from. I also went to the Maami Market to get myself a bucket and brailer (bathing bowl) which I would use to bath. I already took my bathing soap and other necessary things from home so I was quite comfortable.
Maami Market is the most popular market in every NYSC Camp across states in Nigeria. Basic amenities like food, clothes and plastics are sold at cheaper rates and phone too are charged at very affordable prices. It is very well recognised by Corps Members of every batch.
I was unable to get a room allocated to me on the first day so I just joined a room in one of the tall buildings (the female hostel). I took my luggage in and found an empty mattress. The mattress was not so clean, but I had to manage it.
The room was full of females, it was noisy and smelling as a result of combination of different perfumes, body odour, colognes etc. It was not something I was used to. I was nauseated and almost threw up but I bore it quietly afterall, I am in Lagos.
I got the mattress and as I was searching for a place to lay it, someone tapped my shoulder and said “excuse me, good evening, please where did you get the mattress?”
“Good evening, I just picked it up at the corner of the room. It was the last one there” I responded.
“Oh, Ok, thanks” She said.
“You are welcome” I responded. Then she turned as if she was going to leave and turned back to me again.
“Erm, I'm sorry to be a bother but do you mind if I share the mattress with you? it's ok if you say no because you don't know me and...” She asked, she sounded a little nervous.
“Oh sure, you may join me but the problem is I don't have a space yet to lay it, that's what I'm looking for” I said with a smile.
“Thank you” She sighed and smiled back and then she laughed “Funny, I have a space, I secured it the moment I got in, all I needed was a mattress and I'm glad I found you” She added.
“Oh perfect! It means, I have what you need and you have what I need. Trade by Barter, seems like we are back to the oldies” I responded and we both laughed.
“This way please” she turned back and led me to the other end of the room where her space was. I had wanted that space but I saw bags there, it was then I knew, they were her bags. I was glad I could help. If I had said no, I would have had a mattress without a space and she would have had a space without a mattress, I thought to myself.
As we laid the mattress, we both packed our bags in front of the mattress so our heads would be just behind our bags when we laid down.
“Thanks for being so kind, I could not imagine laying on the bare floor. My name is Lewa, Iwalewa Olafare” She said.
“Wow! Such a beautiful name, I like the combination Iwalewa, Character is beauty, Olafare, wealth pulls success. I like you already just because of the name.” I replied.
“Thanks” She said with a smile that revealed her cute dimple. “So, what's yours?” she asked.
“My name is Aderinmola Adeyosola but you can call me Derin for short” I answered.
“You've got a great name too, crown walking with wealth and wealth flowing with the crown, Royal family?” She asked again.
“Yes, sort of” I answered.
We both talked about how the day went at the camp while we tidied up and laid down to sleep. When I noticed Lewa had slept before me, I laid on my back and stared at the ceiling, someone had switched off the light of the room and it was dark already. I reflected on how the day had been, it only made me smile. I missed Annabel, her number had not gone through all day. I turned to lay on my side ready to sleep.
My back faced Lewa, I checked my phone for the time, it was 10pm. I sighed again with a smile and closed my eyes to sleep in anticipation for a better day the next day.
... to be continued
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