Chapter 5: Night Return

As we waka go bus stop, my leg dey shake.

For my mind, I dey promise God say if I escape, I go drop five litres of palm oil for church. Na so fear dey humble person.

Uncle Auwalu still dey fear. "Omo, today fear nearly kill me."

E dey sweat, even for harmattan. E no fit look my face well.

I say, "Uncle Auwalu, you try today. I go buy you better amala make you calm."

I dey joke, but I know say na only food fit settle fear for Lagos man.

Uncle Auwalu wave hand. "Fear no let me chop... But today, I believe that saying."

E sigh, deep, as if e just survive accident.

"Which one?"

I dey reason, maybe e wan drop proverb.

"Book na power."

E talk am with real feeling. Na true, na book save us.

That evening, as city light dey shine, I waka go the club. Receptionist greet me, "Oga, how many people?"

The club get that coded blue light, everywhere dey shine. Receptionist smile, her nails long, gum for hand. She dey eye me as if she dey measure my pocket.

I say, "Na only me."

I talk am with pride, head up, dey try look like big man.

"You wan bath, massage, or karaoke?"

She talk am coded, all those options dey for price list wey no dey public.

"I dey find person..."

My voice low, make dem no suspect say I no be regular.

"Oh, okay." Receptionist smile. "You sabi any of our girls?"

She dey check her list, dey size my shoe again.

"25."

I talk am sharp, like code.

I wait for soft-light private room, 25 push door enter. She still dey same, small makeup, no too fine but get her own level, like palmwine—smooth, dey linger.

The room dey smell of mild perfume, cold AC. She enter, wan talk, but her professional smile pause small. Then she smile again. "Na you?"

She fold hand, dey look me, then her smile settle. E be like say she no expect me come.

"Na me. I no welcome? No be you talk last time, first time na free?" I smile back.

I try relax, but my heart dey beat fast. For my mind, I dey reason whether she go remember the pendant. Her eye dey read me, but na soft feeling dey for inside.

Her voice low, as she laugh, she touch my hand lightly, say, "Omo, see who show. You sabi keep promise o. But today, abeg, gist me, no stress. Life no easy but we still dey."

I nod, my mind soft. Na so Lagos dey teach person—everybody get story, but na only coded gist we dey share for night. As 25 touch my hand, I dey wonder—maybe tonight, coded gist fit turn real story.