Chapter 6: Spirit of the Passat

As I talk am, Tunde burst laugh. “Una hear am? E say if I make am miss meeting, na me go suffer.” E dey use me catch cruise, dey show power.

“Ifeanyi, you no know say for this city, even if I no let you go, wetin you fit do?”

“You be small clerk wey dey carry bag. If you no show for meeting, who go notice? You think say you matter?” Tunde dey shine teeth, dey count on him finger as if e dey calculate my value.

“You talk am yourself, so no go regret. By the way, your papa sef suppose dey that meeting, abi? You know how serious e be.” E yarn am like say e know my family more than me.

I look all my old classmates, I just dey disappointed. Even the ones wey I help for exam dey shine teeth join. For my mind, I dey remind myself say na God dey see heart.

Na so reunion suppose be? For my mind, I dey wonder if na curse to ever try belong.

I never know say my normal gentle self go turn wetin dem go use dey wash me. Life fit humble person for where e no expect.

As I no talk, Tunde think say I don fear, begin yarn more rubbish, “Ifeanyi, if you wan go, drink these two bottles of Chelsea for me, make everywhere rest. If not, no try leave.” Dem dey expect say I go fall for peer pressure. For Naija, na so dem dey test person mind.

Tension for room don high. People dey wait make drama burst. Na small thing dey make gist for social media these days.

I stand, talk cold, “Tunde, last warning. You know who you dey block today?” My voice low, but the room quiet, everybody dey listen. Even bouncers pause.

“My advice, leave me go now, else na you go regret am. You hear?” I talk am straight—not to do gra-gra or disgrace anybody, but I no wan make dem continue dey use me shine. I dey respect myself and my papa name.

As I talk, Tunde just hiss, face others. “Una hear am? E say na me go regret. Where this im confidence dey come from? E sure say e no fix pump for body?” Dem all dey snicker, some dey sip drink slow, dey wait wahala.

Halima, no fit take am again, try help me. “Tunde, abeg, we be classmates. Free Ifeanyi. Maybe e really get urgent matter.” She dey wipe sweat from her forehead. Halima always get soft heart.

Tunde roll eye. “Halima, you dey craze? Na me dey make wahala? And you—shey you dey crush for this clerk? Abi you like am?” E laugh, boys join am. Dem dey look Halima with side eye.

Halima face red. “No dey talk nonsense. We all be classmates.” She adjust her scarf, eye dem back. Some people begin dey tease her, but she bone face.

Some people join mouth. “Yes now, Halima, wetin concern you? You wan drink the two bottles for Ifeanyi?” One guy talk am, everybody chuckle.

“Na true, Tunde dey help am. E no dey see this kind drink before.” For my mind, I dey wonder who give dem moral for all this rubbish.

Tunde dey enjoy all the wash, still dey try disgrace me. “Ifeanyi, your mouth don dry? No be you dey brag just now? Why you quiet?” E snap finger for my front, dey try make me react.

I no wan argue again, I wan go, but Tunde eyes change, e signal two waiters make dem hold me. Their grip strong, but I just dey calm, dey plot my next move.

“Wetin, you wan waka without drink? You no dey rate me at all?” For his mind, respect na to bow for him. But I dey see the empty inside all the gra-gra.

I push the waiters comot, laugh. “Whether you get sense or not, no concern me. You wan make I teach you how person suppose behave?” My laugh low, but I let am ring small.

Tunde glare me. “Drink am. If you no drink, I go scatter your car.” E point finger, spit dey fly from him mouth. E dey boil, like say e no believe say I go stand my ground.

I grit teeth, talk strong, “I no go drink, and I no believe say you get mind to touch my car.” My own eye sharp now, the old Passat fit old, but na memory full inside am. I squeeze my key tighter. If e touch my car, e go know say Passat get spirit.