“Nelson, would you like to come with me to the market?” His mother asked him. There was no answer. “Nelson?”
She turned around to see her eight-year old son with his nose buried in a book so big, even she wouldn’t dare to delve into it. She sighed and shook her head. It was moments like this that she forgot all the awards and accolades that were accrued by the child as one of the smartest persons in the country. She just wanted a baby. She sighed.
Mrs. Okafor walked over to her son and pulling the book out of his hands, she dragged him to his feet. “Ok, it’s no longer an option. Put on your sandals, you’re coming with me!”
Five minutes later, they were off. A singing Mrs. Okafor and a brooding Nelson. She looked over at her son who was muttering something under his breath. Sighing, she put an affectionate hand on his arm. “Come on, Nelson. Don’t murmur; mummy just wanted your company!” He shrugged off her touch.”I’m just memorizing the periodic table; I’m not murmuring!”
Mrs. Okafor pursed her lips and they continued the journey in silence. She was tired. On an impulse, she diverted to Ije market, there was no point going all the way to Kajola, though less crowded, she didn’t want a moody companion for the long drive.
Parking, she got down and walked over to get her son out. “Give me your hand, and don’t let go!” she told him as they struggled their way through the crowd.
They made slow progress through the market; both forgetting about their tense moments in the car.
Mrs. Okafor started her haggling over prices while Nelson studied everything around him; saving things in brain compartments for future analysis.
Mama Deborah sold vegetables, it was whispered among the market people that she was going blind. She made mistakes frequently but nobody ever returned to complain, probably because of the frightening scar running down the cheek of her old face.
Mrs. Okafor approached her warily. She was the only trader with that type of vegetable. She picked up the freshest and examined it, turning it over with both hands.
“Mama, how much you dey sell this one?”
Mama Deborah squinted at the bunch of vegetables the woman was holding and rattled off a price so exorbitant that Mrs. Okafor took a step back. “Mama! Is it more than these vegetables?”
They then launched into a long battering process even as Mama Deborah absently watched the little boy wander away. She shrugged and tried to make her aging mind focus on the conversation at hand.
After about five minutes in which the mama settled for a price much lower than Mrs. Okafor was expecting, she decided she’d had enough of the market.
“Nelson. Let’s go home.. Nelson?” She looked around frantically as her heart raced. “Nelson! Mama, did you see my boy?”
Mama Deborah wondered what the woman was talking about. Boy? Oh, the basket boy! He stood by the gate. She pointed in the opposite direction in a very helpful manner.
Nelson knelt and stared at the fishes darting around the bowl. He’d never been this close to catfish, he stretched his hand to poke at them. He’d learnt their bodies could…
“Kai! See this pikin dey put hand for my market!” A large black woman cried out as she slapped his hand and pushed him away. “Wey your mama?” She hissed and pulled her bowl of slithering fish closer to herself, not waiting for an answer.
Tears sprang in Nelson’s eyes. He looked around for his mummy. “Mummy?” People swarmed by and jostled him. “Mummy?!”
But he wasn’t heard above the bustle of the market and the noises of people trying to get good bargains for garri. Gone was the confident Einstein-child who knew that roads were made of tar and macadam; instead there stood the 8-year old who didn’t know the way to his mother.
bravo!
the references to the two movies as market names were not unobserved 😉
for a moment there,I thot d dude was gonna die somehow…wish I cud write simple short things like this.
Haha. Not every story of mine kills someone off. I wrote this story a while back, when those movies were showing. Funny, I never saw either.
This is a really good story. I cld actually feel the boy’s fright.
This is nice.
I think its time I js save a generic but utterly flattering comment and keep for each time u write. Consistent quality. This is lovely. Wud’ve said ‘keep it up’ but u’r already doing that, evidently…
Thank you. Ani. My prayer is to be better.
simply beautiful…. Beautifully simple!
Impressive. VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! (Y)
Simple. I loved the simplicity of the story. Another great piece darling. 🙂
This is awesome… your just getting better everyday.. thumbs up
Wow. Uberbetty this is remarkable. Im really short of words. You make sweet, colorful pictures that hold one by the hand, sing to the heart and leave a fragrance that refuses to go away.
This is starting to become a consistent case of flattery so I need to stop. But, like all good short stories should be, you left me wishing the story wouldn’t end 😀
Thank you, Qurr. Thank you. I’m gonna be walking around with a silly smile on my face today..
Awww poor baby! for some reason, i dnt feel so sorry for him. I wasnt really given a chance to warm up to his character. One minute he was being a total smart-ass pikin, the nxt he wondered away and got lost.
Yeah, I understand not feeling sorry for him. But! A smart kid is still a kid. Is what I was trying to put across.
Your stories though short are always very real; i always feel like i am at the scene and i see things as they unfold. The emotions are so vivid and real you can cut it with a knife. Good job
I love this a lot. A wonderful drama. I too thought the boy would die. And didn’t want the story to stop. 🙂
Happens almost erryday in naija mkts. I can remember hanging on 2 my ma’s hand for my dear life during xmas at Eko market as a child. Lol!
I felt like I was in the marketplace. Very riveting!
Nice piece, babe. I could follow and feel all the emotions in this one, and the conclusion was something reminiscent of a thriller movie. Nice job.
I liked this. 🙂 Lol. Poor little boy. Nice! Keep it up.
A child is still a child – even an Einstein-child. Beautifully crafted. I’m now officially a fan.
Atleast wen his mom gets him back, he’ld her little boy again! That’s fine by me!!!