I didn't even realise the presence of the wall Gecko until I tilted my head. Its body, a light ash, perfectly complemented the colour of the wall - ash. I thought it looked at me and wondered why I stay indoor these days. Why I disrupt its serenity. Why I try to starve it with my recent constant use of insecticide.
My slight movement had made it move further towards the ceiling and disappeared through a hole that was a passage for the wire that connected the bulb above and the switch on the wall.
"Old building. The useless Landlord didn't even use a conduit" I thought
I stood up and walked towards the curtains, I slid it open and looked through the window. From my flat which was on the second floor, I could see the blazing reflection of the sun splutter on the numerous zinc roof of other buildings.
"Shanty town" I thought.
Suddenly I could hear the sound of metal clapping against glass from a distance, a familiar sound. The sound was faint, then it became more audible. A masculine image had emerged, becoming more visible. I noticed a young man with a well folded cloth to help the load, a square box, on his head.
The man had stopped, he put down his square box made of transparent glass and wood. His face looked very dark, the kind of darkness that may have been avoided if he stayed away from the sun more often. His forehead looked distorted with horizontal flabs of folded skin induced from years of carry his square box.
He had just sold puff-puff to a little boy, maybe five balls of puff-puff or more, I wasn't sure. With his iron fork on his right hand, a black nylon on the left, he seemed to know the exact puff-puff for specific customers: old stale dark looking puff puff for the primary school pupils and fresh, yellow brown puff puff for the more matured.
He put them into a black nylon and handed it to the boy, the boy gave him money. I wasn't certain how much but I was sure the small boy walked away without collecting any change.
The man didn't lift his ware immediately - as he often does after any sale - rather, he stood relaxed. I noticed he asked Iya Lucky, the madam who has a shop opposite my building, if she had something.
I could understand her gesticulation, her face assuring him what she had was good. His hand forming tightened fists as he repeated his question.
I was certain he asked again
"madam you sure say e cold?"
Her smile, her certainty. She also formed tight fist swung up and down in reassurance.
She stood up and went into her shop. He watched her as she went in. I'm sure he also watched her gait, her shape, her buttocks. I was certain he felt it was awkward to watch an old woman's buttocks.
"Old woman nyash" I was sure he thought.
He looked anyway.
Nobody believes looking at an old woman's 'nyash' has any sexual undertone, it could simply be likened to a man looking at another man walk down the street. It could mean anything but never a sexual meaning.
He look away as the woman disappeared from his view and mine.
As the fierce rays of sun continued to scorch his dark skin, he stood unperturbed. I noticed him count wads of notes, well arranged according to their denomination: N1000, N500, N200....N5. He pulled out N20 and tucked the money he got from the little boy somewhere inside.
As he collected the 'pure water' from the woman, I noticed his countenance was displeased.
"Oga no light for one week" I was sure she said.
He shook his head in disappointment and tore from the edge of the 'pure' water sachet with his teeth, then drank. He had made a sign like 'come' as he drank, Iya Lucky walked inside again.
I knew he would leave soon, so I hurried out of my room.
I will buy puff-puff - the fresh yellow ones - then walk further down the street or to the next street in search of cold 'pure' water.
Olisa
@olis123kel
My slight movement had made it move further towards the ceiling and disappeared through a hole that was a passage for the wire that connected the bulb above and the switch on the wall.
"Old building. The useless Landlord didn't even use a conduit" I thought
I stood up and walked towards the curtains, I slid it open and looked through the window. From my flat which was on the second floor, I could see the blazing reflection of the sun splutter on the numerous zinc roof of other buildings.
"Shanty town" I thought.
Suddenly I could hear the sound of metal clapping against glass from a distance, a familiar sound. The sound was faint, then it became more audible. A masculine image had emerged, becoming more visible. I noticed a young man with a well folded cloth to help the load, a square box, on his head.
The man had stopped, he put down his square box made of transparent glass and wood. His face looked very dark, the kind of darkness that may have been avoided if he stayed away from the sun more often. His forehead looked distorted with horizontal flabs of folded skin induced from years of carry his square box.
He had just sold puff-puff to a little boy, maybe five balls of puff-puff or more, I wasn't sure. With his iron fork on his right hand, a black nylon on the left, he seemed to know the exact puff-puff for specific customers: old stale dark looking puff puff for the primary school pupils and fresh, yellow brown puff puff for the more matured.
He put them into a black nylon and handed it to the boy, the boy gave him money. I wasn't certain how much but I was sure the small boy walked away without collecting any change.
The man didn't lift his ware immediately - as he often does after any sale - rather, he stood relaxed. I noticed he asked Iya Lucky, the madam who has a shop opposite my building, if she had something.
I could understand her gesticulation, her face assuring him what she had was good. His hand forming tightened fists as he repeated his question.
I was certain he asked again
"madam you sure say e cold?"
Her smile, her certainty. She also formed tight fist swung up and down in reassurance.
She stood up and went into her shop. He watched her as she went in. I'm sure he also watched her gait, her shape, her buttocks. I was certain he felt it was awkward to watch an old woman's buttocks.
"Old woman nyash" I was sure he thought.
He looked anyway.
Nobody believes looking at an old woman's 'nyash' has any sexual undertone, it could simply be likened to a man looking at another man walk down the street. It could mean anything but never a sexual meaning.
He look away as the woman disappeared from his view and mine.
As the fierce rays of sun continued to scorch his dark skin, he stood unperturbed. I noticed him count wads of notes, well arranged according to their denomination: N1000, N500, N200....N5. He pulled out N20 and tucked the money he got from the little boy somewhere inside.
As he collected the 'pure water' from the woman, I noticed his countenance was displeased.
"Oga no light for one week" I was sure she said.
He shook his head in disappointment and tore from the edge of the 'pure' water sachet with his teeth, then drank. He had made a sign like 'come' as he drank, Iya Lucky walked inside again.
I knew he would leave soon, so I hurried out of my room.
I will buy puff-puff - the fresh yellow ones - then walk further down the street or to the next street in search of cold 'pure' water.
Olisa
@olis123kel
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