Chapter 3: Tears, Pleading, and Locked Gates

My wife rush come block am, wrapper tie well, hand dey tremble as she place am for the guard arm. She even kneel small, voice soft but strong: 'Oga abeg, no vex for am, na tension dey worry am. Help us unlock the rest abeg, patient dey inside, we no fit delay again.'

Her voice crack, tears dey her eye. Even the nurse nod head, dey beg: 'Abeg, oga, life dey your hand o.'

The guard eye me, then talk to my wife. E sigh, look Halima, say, 'Aunty, na you get sense. See as your husband dey para. E no be my fault say una person sick. Why e dey do like hard man for my side?'

E eye me like say I be goat. Na only my wife e wan answer. My wife just look me, I understand—my mama life dey important pass. Any other thing fit wait. If anything do her, na me go suffer am.

She squeeze my hand, mouth, 'Abeg, leave am. Think of mama.'

I just hold my anger, keep quiet. My chest dey rise, fall. I no fit look anybody eye. My mind dey pray: 'God, abeg, just let mama survive.'

As the guard see say I no dey argue again, e bend down unlock the rest. E dey slow, but e dey do am. People dey look, dey whisper, 'Na so Nigeria be. If you no get connection, dem go use you shine.'

My wife pull me one side come whisper. Halima talk low, face close, 'This estate na resettlement area. The former property management people dem don chase comot. Na ex-community chairman dey run am now, all the guards na local agbero. No follow them drag.'

She dey beg me with eye. I dey nod, dey try control my vex. Nothing we fit do. My mama health first. To dey argue no go help if e go delay her treatment.

My mind dey say, 'This country ehn...' But I dey focus on mama. Nurse dey watch my face, dey ready for wahala.

Finally, the guard unlock all the wheels finish. The ambulance driver jump enter, start engine, ready to move. The guy no waste time. E just throw lock for ground, wipe sweat. Driver even curse under breath, 'Na only for Naija dem go clamp ambulance.'

But the guard block am: 'Wait. You park illegal. Pay ₦10,000 fine before you fit move.' Guard voice loud, e no send who dey there. People for compound dey begin talk, 'Ah, dem wicked o!'

The driver vex scatter. As the guy dey unlock, e don tell me say if no be patient dey, e for don beat am. Now dem still dey talk fine? The man no gree again: Driver dey ready fight. E face guard, voice high, 'Oga, you dey craze? Wetin you mean by fine? No let me descend for you!'

'Who you be? Go fine your papa! Abeg, comot for road!' E push guard small, nurse dey hold am back.

As the lock don comot, the driver no send again. E enter, on siren, press accelerator. If the guard stand for road, I sure say e for jam am. People dey shout, 'Wetin dey happen?' but nobody fit stop ambulance now.

The guard see say e don too much, no even try block road again. E just hiss, wipe sweat, look other guards. E dey vex, but e know say e don cross line.

But as I dey close door, I see am dey hiss for ambulance. I see him face for side mirror, e mouth dey move: 'You think say you go just go like that?'