XII.Onitsha

  We left from the village early in the morning. Chidemma came with us. We went to visit one of Alex's cousins. We stopped at a market and Charles went to look for an exchange. All kind of sellers came to the window exposing their goods, hoping that i will be interested in their goods. In the left side there was a buffet where people could sit down, drink and eat traditional foods. Chidemma bought some cashew and we ate it together. Charles was wasting too much time and i was worried. Another vendor came. He was selling motivational books. It looked interesting but then I remembered how they have so many fake things and i noticed the bad quality of the paper and i gave up. I was ashamed that i spend so much time studying to books he was holding so i bought a children.s book for my daughter. With the air condition off the air inside the car was unbearable. I opened the door. Chideraa saw a vendor that was selling bread and she asked me to buy the bread for her just because it had a ScoobyDoo package. I was getting thirsty and i got off the car to check what drinks they had. I choose a CocaCola from the box with ice that the woman was keeping them It wasn't cold enough but i was thirsty so i bought it. Alex and Chideraa went to eat  at the buffet. Chidemma said that people were happy that i am eating their food when they saw me chewing on the dry donuts.

   I was wondering how any other woman can wear false eyelashes and i cant. My eyes did not want to stop dropping tears and gum was filling them, making them unbearable. I  tried to clean them but in the process i removed some lashes and they weren'.t equal anymore. So i started tearing them all off. I was hoping that i will not  got off my own lashes along with the false ones. 

   One boy entered the car from the driver's seat. I did not know him and i was surprised by his action.I placed my bag in a safer place far from his reach, then he introduced himself. He was Alex's cousin.
    He joined Bianca and her dad a the table and they ate together. Then we went to his house. My bad was occupying one seat at the back so he joined Chidemma, Charles and Bianca. It was funny and embarrassing how so many people were crowded on the back seat but it was normal thing there, they call it " manage"
    Getting to his house  required us to cross over a head that scratched the car underneath which i did not find necessary but they insisted to park the car in the yard. The 2.5 meters tall fence had pieces of glass  sticked at  the top edge  We climbed up the stairs to his apartment. Bianca was happy to see a more normal house. The entrance was getting us straight to the balcony. From the balcony we entered the living room. We sat on the armchairs. It was starting to get warmer and we were sweating. I felt so dirty and it was unbearable. Chidemma told me that we will spend the night there. I was angry that she knew it and i didn't. I said to myself that the moment i reach home i will start learning igbo again so that i will not be the last to know what happens around me.