Chapter 9: Soundtrack of Lagos Nights

City library dey close by eight. To waka come house no pass thirty minutes—another reason why I like here.

E dey near bus stop, so transport fit save your life.

As I enter, Morayo greet me.

She dey smile, dey arrange her bag for table. She sabi greet well, no dey form. Na so friendship dey start for Lagos.

"You don chop?"

"Erm, I don chop small."

Na lie, my belle dey sing. But pride no go let me talk.

"Chop more." She give me food box. "My boyfriend bring am—everybody get one. I warm am for you."

She dey show love, her voice gentle. Na so I dey reason say better people still dey for Lagos.

"Thank you."

One fine guy show head from Morayo room, wave me.

The guy dey shine, him beard dey cut well. He no talk much, just smile. I just wave back like mumu.

I really dey hungry—since morning na only akara I chop, I even skip dinner. I open box: Tantalizers steak rice. First time wey I go chop anything from Tantalizers, e sweet die—cost too.

The smell alone fit wake dead man. I chop like say tomorrow no dey. I dey thank God say better food still dey reach my hand.

After ten, everybody enter their room. I lie for my narrow bed, wan rest my brain after long day.

The bed hard, but tiredness pass comfort. I just dey look ceiling, dey imagine tomorrow.

"Mmm—"

That kind moan na like water drop for hot oil.

My body freeze. My ear open. For my mind, I dey beg make no be what I dey think.

Then small small laugh dey come out from Morayo room, dey enter my ear.

E be like say dem dey do play-play, but na real matter. I dey try block ear, but noise dey pass everywhere.

"No, e dey pain me, ah..."

Show don start…

Omo, na wah. I dey reason say I fit cover head with pillow, but e no work. My eye dey red, sleep run.

The sound dey go up and down, like different size beads dey fall for plate.

Na true. Sometimes e go low, sometimes e go loud. Na like generator wey dey try on.

Omo, I be man—small boy for my twenties. I no know how women dey feel when dem hear this kind thing, but me, sleep no catch me at all.

My chest dey drum. I dey try remember Bible verse, but nothing work.

First time wey I dey hear this kind live soundtrack so close. E be like thunderstorm just pass for my head—from small rain, to heavy rain, thunder everywhere, then rain stop, but I still dey soak, dey lost for road.

I dey sweat for cold room. My mind dey wonder how I go survive here.

"Whew, e don finish."

Na so I sigh, dey thank God say show don end. But my body still dey hot.

I check my phone—na eleven. I really need sleep, if not tomorrow go hard. I pull blanket, turn. But sound still dey, like person dey breathe for my ear.

No be ordinary breathing. E get rhythm, dey bite ear. I dey reason say if I go carry mat sleep for corridor.

"Mmm... again?"

I just sit up. "Ah ah, again?"

I shock. My body dey weak. E be like say I enter Nollywood film.

Another rain beat me, just like before. How I wan sleep?

I bring out cigarette pack, wan smoke, sigh. I feel say something dey mock me—my empty eye, empty pocket, and empty cigarette pack.

I dey search for lighter, my hand dey shake. I dey reason my life for kitchen.

Clack—the glass door open. Na Sister Bisi again. She see me dey sit for bed like old iroko tree, just burst laugh.

Her laugh dey genuine, e sweet. She just shake head, "I no even bother knock. I sabi say you no fit sleep."

As her laughter fill the kitchen, I realize say for this Lagos, na cruise and wahala go be my daily bread.