Perhaps
it was the mattress because though it wasn’t written “waterbed” on it, it
behaved in much the same way like one except that this one gave me so much body
aches that I wonder why I would sleep on it a second time. The woozy feeling
that characterizes going to bed tired and waking up tired seemed to be my lot
as I dragged my bag, with a laptop that passes for a starter-kit for weight
lifters, ready to go to work.
Navigating
through the town from my home to my office had never been an issue but today,
it seemed like I was traveling to one of those remote villages with dilapidated
classrooms…to write JAMB! (If you’ve written that exam once or more, you’ll get
the picture perfectly.) I tried to keep the strut in my steps as I walked to
the street ahead to pick a cab. The walk was unusually long and I couldn’t help
but think of how I would be able to do all the things lined up for the day. At
the junction on any other day, I would keep walking till I got a cab or just
pick a bus for all its worth but with my bag pack feeling like a ton of bricks,
standing and walking both seemed like daunting tasks so I chose to just glide
so as not to get the feeling of either alternative.
All
the cabs appeared to be avoiding my street until this particular cab surfaced
in the distance and my hand was out in a flash motioning for him to notice me
first amongst the many others that were all along the street, way ahead of me.
We both seemed determined because he sort of ignored the other people and
headed straight for me. Now I think I understand why he did because on getting
to where I was, the Golf Volkswagen car he was driving seemed to move further
than where he wanted it to stop and before I got where he was, he was making
the attempt to open the door as though he had seen me on TBN or CNN. I got to
him and the look on his face had nervousness written all over it. I told him
where I was headed and he said “oga, I just dey start this work, I no too sabi
road”. Now, am quite sure that if I wasn’t feeling the way I had described
earlier, I would have heard him clearly, especially those things he wasn’t
saying and that I was about to find out.
I
got into the cab and reached for the seat belt and we were to move when he
asked me what direction he was to go and I said the same one he came from. His
attempt to turn the car around sort of made me take back the instruction to go
that direction and made clear to me the reason he had asked if there were any
V.I.O’s (Vehicle Inspection Officer) on the route. I had told him I don’t
usually look out to observe them because half the time, am reading something
and only looking up once in a while. By now, I knew reading would not be an
option this morning but to be sober and vigilant!
Clenching
the steering wheel, changing the gear and looking up to see the road ahead as
though he was replaying the process in his mind as was told him by his driving
instructor, I knew this was a good time for me to get out of the car but my
curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what would happen. I can’t die
in a car accident so I knew being in the car was insurance for him because with
the way he was sweating, without a license, he needed insurance!
The
paint on the cab was quite fresh as I saw through the side mirror which
suggested that he must have just acquired the car, got it painted for town taxi
business and got the “taxi driver’s list of music cd’s for dummies” (which he
was still acquiring by the way). The cars whirring past us were somewhat more
intimidating now that I wasn’t sure the way this guy was feeling about it.
Getting
to the expressway on the bridge before the Sheraton Hotel, a Toyota Camry car
joining from the overhead bridge on my right hand side came in so fast that
this guy pulled a stunt that caused him to bash into the car to our left.
Seeing our car screeching, somersaulting and then bursting into flames, the
normal outcome of events, played out in my mind in rapid succession but I knew
none would happen. I then told him to pull over and motioned for the cars
coming behind that we needed to stop. You can be sure that he got insulted from
a car driver that was miles away and whose car wasn’t even the one hit. The
owner of the bashed car came and parked in front of us and I told this very
jittery driver to just calm down and sincerely beg the other driver because he
was out rightly wrong in this case. He got out and before the car owner could
make a “you don bash my car” accusation, this guy was on the ground prostrating
and begging with such superfluity that you would think he killed someone. After
about five or so minutes, the Alhaji and his colleague let this guy go
mentioning to him that an apology would not repair the car.
We
got to the office in one piece except that I was actually exhausted, “driving”
from the passenger’s seat in front, with this guy that by this time looked like
he could use a life jacket! I paid him his charge as we had agreed and he
wanted me to manage the change he was giving me because he couldn’t find some
few Nairas to complete the said amount. (Can you believe this guy?) Well, I
told him if there was anyone to manage, it should be him. I think I’ve had my
month’s share of managing this morning alone.
Reflecting
on the incident, I now know that when we pray for patience or any other virtue,
God doesn't just give us a potion with the label "patience" on it.
Rather, He gives us opportunities to be patient and acquire the virtue. It
reminded me that God sometimes sits in the car of our lives when we don’t have
a clue as to where we’re going and like this driver, we should learn to just
say “yes sir” and “ok sir” to our Instructor on the journey of life – the sweet
Holy Spirit. With Him by our side, our car can take a bump once and again
without casualties.
‘Bayor
Emmanuel Martins
