The Girl and the Eldely Woman
On her way home, Rolake was weeping her eyes out. She was the only pupil going to Awoye because the other debtors were from Bamibola and Damiro villages. He has no one to talk to or console her to stop crying. It was almost midday and the sun was shining brightly. The big trees on the road served as shelter for her.
The sweet songs of the birds on top of the trees also served as consolation for her. So, she brought her wailing to an abrupt halt. Having got to the cross road that led to Bamibola, Damiro and Awoye villages, she felt so tired and dizzy. She felt like dying to be so humiliated in front of her juniors in the school.
Looking for a log of wood to sit on and relax a little before continuing her journey, she heard a loud roar behind her, "whoaaahh…!’’ She turned sharply, her heart beating very fast. Her school box dropped down from her hands as she trembled.
"Oh no, Kunle,’’ Rolake was breathing hard, placing her left hand on her chest. "You almost scared life out of me.’’
"I don’t know a debtor could get scared of a mere mock roar,’’ Kunle said, his tongue stucked out in moxkery of Rolake. "If you could be so bold enough as to owe ‘Mr. Eye for eye’ a debt, I don’t think anything should scare you.’’
"Oh, you’ve heard?’’ Rolake asked unbothered.
"Yes of course," agreed Kunle, "Nothing passes the ears of people like us in the school."
"Well, it’s better to be debtor than to be an unserious, obstinate, rumor mongering truant.’’
"What an insult!’’ Kunle shouted in anger, he didn’t see the sharp arrow of a reply coming at all until it hit him.
Kunle was a year older than Rolake but he looks much older because of his big stature. He was the tallest and biggest boy in Bamibola Community Primary School. The pupils dared not challenge him to a fight or even a quarrel because they’re intimidated by his big stature. He has fat cheeks which quivered and thick lips which folded into a roughly written "O’’ whenever he got angry.
"Are you calling me a lazy truant?’’
"If you think I was referring to you, then you must be guilty. Nobody gets upset on the insult which isn’t meant for him. Only the guilty minds feel so bothered about mere accusations.’’
Though Rolake was not the type who loves quarreling but her gentility has a limit. If someone tried to push her to the wall, she would become aggressive and insulting. Perhaps, she was nursing a wound in her heart and wouldn’t want anyone to add to it and go scot free.
"I may be a lazy truant as you claimed but remember, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Even if I don’t go to school or work all my life, being the only son of the great Chief Alade, I would become rich because I'm the only heir to his wealth. It’s people like you who are born paupers that require to work like donkeys to become better persons in life.’’
"Oh, is that why you lazy about?’’ Rolake asked, producing a mock cackle. "Well, that's true, I wasn’t born with silver spoon but I'm prepared to work hard and get myself a golden one. Therefore, when you lost your silver spoon out of laziness, I would employ you as laborer to work under me.’’
"Keep your filthy and mere fantasy golden spoon for yourself and family…!’’
"A child who depends on his father’s wealth risks being poor in future, my father would say.’’
"I think you’re stepping out of bonds, Rolake,’’ Kunle ranted, his cheek quivering like balloons with less air. "Do you know I’ve hated you from primary five? Do you know you just made me hated you more than ever?’’
"Hated me from primary five for what?’’ Rolake asked in amazement. ‘’What have I done to make you hate me?’’
"Have you forgotten when Mister Dada instructed you to flog me for failing his arithmetic question in the class…?’’
Mr. Dada was their arithmetic teacher in primary five. He came to the class one morning and began teaching. Kunle was at the back where he normally sat; disturbing the peace of the classroom with noise and didn’t listen to the lesson. Mr. Dada knew he wasn’t listening, so he wanted to implicate him by asking him a question from the lesson he’d taught. When the question was asked, Kunle gave the wrong answer. Mr. Dada was very upset. He’d put the question to the whole class but nobody was brilliant enough to correct Kunle. At last, Rolake stood up and answered the question correctly. Mr. Dada gave his long cane to her after receiving a round of applause, instructing her to give Kunle 6 strokes of the cane for correcting him. Initially, Rolake refused but Mr. Dada pressurized her, so she had no choice but to cane Kunle.
"But it was Mr. Dada who forced me to flog you. Obviously, I didn’t want to,’’ Rolake defended herself.
"Shut your dirty mouth up, you liar!’’ Kunle shouted. His cheek quivered. "I hate you, that's all."
"Oh, who cares about your hatred anyway?" Roalake asked, laughing. "I'm even trying to tell you the truth but you keep on, flexing your muscles throwing your tongue about."
"I don’t care about usless truth. Nor do I care if he instructed you to do it or not. What I know is that I shall take my revenge from you today.’’
"You dare try no such thing, not on your life!’’ Rolake replied boldly. "Do you realize you are talking to a prefect here? Do you think I’m one of those junior pupils you bully on daily basis? ’’
"A debtor prefect, right,’’ Kunle asked in a mocking tone, laughing, happy to see Roalake in angry mood. "You want me to touch you so that you can die and go back to where you came from, right? I heard you are an Abiku child. I won’t allow you to implicate me. I don't want you to let people lay the blame of your planned death on me, so I won't touch you. Or do you think I didn’t hear your stories? You killed your poor mother at birth so you could live.’’
"You must be out of your mind for such vile talks,’’ Rolake said, feeling very hurt. "Who told you such after-super fairy tales? Anyway, I’m not amazed. Rumours are spread by foolish people and accept by more foolish people like you.’’
"It’s not rumour at all. The whole villagers are aware of that. They all know of a peasant’s daughter who killed her mother at birth to live,’’ Kunle said, laughing louder, enjoying the fact that Rolake was hurt by his words.
Kunle had heard the lies from his farther, Alade, who abhorred Wole and Rolake so much and would talk ill of them to other villagers at the slightest opportunity.
"It’s not your fault," Rolake said shaking her head. "The crayfish says if not for condition it's back would not bend. If it’s not school fees that keeps me be on the road by this time you wouldn’t be wagging your tongue at me.’’
"Sorry for you. Ordinary school fees your wretched father couldn’t pay. What does he do with his last season farm harvest?"
"That's not your concern!"
"It's because II saw him when he came to disturb my father for a loan some days ago. But, I love how my father humiliated him, oh splendid…!’’
"Well, my father is not rich but he is not corrupt like your father who bribed the teachers for you to pass your exams.’’
"Who told you that cheap lie, you wretched rumour monger!’’
"I’m not you who rely on rumours to insult me. I heard him with my two wide ears, saw him with my two naked eyes. I overheard your father when he was discussing it with Mister Dada last section.’’
"You gossip!" Kunle shouted, jumping up in anger. "Can you repeat what you just said before my father and Mister…?’’
"I’ve no business with your rich for nothing father. I've ever wish to meet him.’’
*You must suffer for what you just said. I shall stuff sands in that your razor mouth today if care is not taken.’’
"I repeat, you dare not! Not on your life!’’
"You dare not!’’ Kunle repeated after Rolake, mockingly. "You wretched daughter of a pauper! I won’t lay my hands on a hungry looking girl like you. Who knows you mightn’t have eaten for many days.’’
"It's said that those who has head has no cap and those who has cap has no head,’’ Rolake said with a sudden smile, shaking her head. Her smile was full of spites. She wanted to make him fell hurtful as she was too.
"What do you mean by that…" Kunle asked, anger rising in his mind again.
"Good, I'll explain!" Roalake said. "Your wealthy father has paid your school fees. Good! But look at you roaming about like vagabonds. What a waste of resources.’’
"You dared call me a vagabond?’’ Kunle couldn’t contain his anger anymore. His thick lips folded into big ‘O’. He surged towards Rolake with a raised, clenched fists. "It's lost it! You’ve gotten on my last nerve! Today, I shall teach you the lesson you wouldn’t forget in your entire wretched life.’’
"Not on your life, I insist, you wouldn’t dare such thing,’’ Rolake stepped back, suddenly a footsteps was heard from the nearby bushes. Kunle stopped his purported assaults on Rolake. He sensed it might be an adult coming from the bush and would call him a coward for fighting a girl.
"You wretched pauper! You got favoured today! Next time, I belief you won’t be so lucky,’’ Kunle bellowed, leaving Rolake. Walking briskly ahead of her towards Awoye, he turned to sneer and make facial sign at her that he would deal with her another day.
"Wait! Wait and fight a girl, you shameless coward!’’ Rolake shouted, clasping her hands towards him. She also drew down her lower eyelids with her fingers, with her tongue stuck out, "whoo…whoo!’’