Sunday morning came too quick for me. I woke up and fixed a quick breakfast of moi- moi and chicken, of course I bought it the previous day. I didn't go to church because I knew I was still battling to resume going to church and I had a trip to make to Lafia.
I got to the park by 1pm and just as I was about entering the car, I heard a voice from the car say to me "what is a fine girl like you doing in Lafia?" I turned and looked up, and behold it was a lady's voice and she had a warm smile. I answered and asked her what a beautiful girl like her is doing at Lafia too. We both laughed at out loud at our predicaments. I told her that I worked in Lafia and she said her family is there and she has lived all her life there.
Hence, a beautiful conversation enveloped and I learnt she was schooling at the polytechnic in Nasarawa Toto ( You have to pronounce the Toto subtly) and was just returning from her Uncle's place in Abuja whom she has not seen in a long time.
From our conversation, I deduced that she was naive, young and vibrant waiting and wanting to explore life. I could relate because I was once like her, energetic and adventurous. I have always dreamed of living a life of my own, away from my parents and siblings to discover the real essence of my existence while breaking new grounds for myself. I knew I was older than her with at least 5years.
I loved her confidence, so I asked for her number and promised to take her to the movies when next she comes to Abuja. In her, I saw a girl I could mentor and be a friend to.
She told me a very bizarre story about the crisis that rocked Lafia in 2014 and how she watched one of her neighbours behead a Fulani herdsman. She said that day started like every other day and she was helping a neighbour pick melon (egwusi) when people started running helter skelter like they were being chased by their ancestors and not knowing in what direction to go to. She gathered her siblings who were playing and ran to their house and was watching the whole event when her neighbour beheaded a man. She tried to escape with her little siblings and their house was at verged of being burnt. Finally, they were able to escape to a neighboring town to an aunt's place.
She said the memory still haunts her till date. After the story, we both enjoyed the silence that followed for the rest of the journey. I was just relieving and relishing on what I just heard. My mind was very picturesque with some gory details.
I finally got to my destination and bade her farewell.
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