Looking through the recent advert
for Alexander McQueen dresses brought back this memory. Its one memory I will
not forget in my lifetime. Things we do because we are ignorant and we want to
belong.
Christmas was fast approaching and
every family was busy buying clothes and shoes for their kids. The fragrance of
Christmas breezed past my home and we also needed to get the once in a year “Aso
Odun and Bata Odun”. However, there was a little problem. Dad has been the one buying our Christmas clothes
and we staged a demonstration against that. We told him we needed our money in
cash so that we can go to the market and sort ourselves out.
I knew I led the family Aluta as
little I was and quite unusual of dad, he gave in and gave us our money. I was
in secondary school. Boarding school to be precise. The money dad gave us was
quite on the high side in respect to the year in question, it was enough to get
us a nice dress for Christmas celebration.
The second day, typical of every
harmattan period when you have the sun basking in the freedom of the universe,
my sister and I set out for the market.
On our way, my mind did 360
degree. I thought about what I will buy, how I will look and topmost was the
sense of freedom I got from dad for collecting that cash. I told myself as I smiled
sheepishly, enough is enough jare. Dad is a man. How can he understand what I need
as a young girl. How foolish was I. The same dad, who has bought my clothes
since I was six when we lost mum, the same man who knows the in and out of the
markets in my area, the man who took it upon himself to raise four girls without
fear or trembling…
The list is endless but…I never
cared. I reassured myself that it was never his job to buy clothes for girls.
He can do well in the boys department but for me, I know my needs and taste so
he should give me my money.
In less than 20minutes we were in
the market and that was where the temptation started. You will agree with me
that during festive periods, there are usually large turnouts of traders and
wares and it will take a lot of caution to stick to your list.
Suddenly, I saw the Radio. It
looks good. A radio? Like seriously? What else do I need to feel among in my boarding
school? What else. I was never among the richest so my provisions are limited.
I wasn’t that pretty (wasn’t ugly either. I was in the middle range. Don’t try
me now o. Time can change a lot of things). The only thing that set me apart and
made me popular and even gave me a post as a prefect was because I was
brilliant. Yes I was. Nobody can argue about that. I was damn straight brilliant
for my age and class and all the rich babes still comes to me for help
So I thought to myself, if I buy
this radio, I will take it to school when we resume and boom, I will be the
next big thing on campus. At least, people will talk about me for two weeks. So
I cunningly asked my sister about her opinion.
While she held her money tightly
in her palm, she told me how sonorous the voice from the radio will sound, she told
me how I will suddenly become the “big girl”, she told me to go for it but she
held her own money like it was going to disappear.
She is my elder sister and I looked
at her for that approval. She gave me and supported me. So timidly, we both
went to the seller’s store. We greeted her, told her we wanted the radio, she
gave us her price, we bargained and I bought the radio.
I tried switching it on but I noticed
it wasn’t working until my sister told me I needed to buy a battery for it to
work. Funny enough, the little change left with me was just enough for the battery
so I looked at my sister to see if she
can do me a favour by paying for the battery from her own money but she didn’t
bulge so I had to use my remaining change.
I was so excited that I didn’t even
bother to put the battery inside the radio. Instead, I jumped into the next cab
and headed straight to my aunt’s place. My aunt, she is a drama to behold. A
lot of people think I‘m dramatic, wait until you see my Aunt. Drama is her
middle name.
We got to her house and I was
excited to show her my new investment. Her kids were young, they were in
primary school. As we stepped into their
living room, the kids were so happy to see us and they rushed to embrace us. I
love them so much. My first cousins. Adorable kids back then and lovely ladies
and mothers now.
