Baba was sitting on a small rock sharpening a machete which tip was tinted red as if ink spilled on it contrasting to its ashen body. Baba cocked his head towards our direction and stopped whatever he was doing as if he expected our arrival.
" E ti dé?( You have arrived? )"
We both exchanged looks before running towards where he was sitting back to what he was doing .
We both chorused the"beeni ( Yes )" and probably unconsciously glanced at each other with a playful smile on both of our faces. Probably! yes probably!!
His attention still on the machete " Njẹ E ṣaṣepari rẹ? (Did you accomplish it?)"
With unspeakable anxiety, I brought out a sack containing our accomplishments " E gba"
My lips were shivering like a leaf about to fall to pour out everything we experienced to Baba.
He took the sack from me and look inside it, Just the unmeasurable expectancy gave me palpitations likewise my about to go weak legs which became so jittery and restless.
" Hmmmm.."
Huh? I never understood that 'hmmmm..'
Was he proud of us or not? was he happy or not?? that response pushed me deep inside the well of suspended.
His face blank as he put aside the sack and asked about our experience.
I was the first person to talk; I was amused by myself. I became so loquacious that I couldn't control my running tap.
Me, morenikeji, a reticent, became a tap who refuses to close in just a single day, just to narrate an experience one should wish not to happen again. Wow! woww!!
After narrating it with baba paying full attention to me and Sonya giving me a strange look complementing the stranger smile on his face, Baba eyes crossed both me and Sonya several times " Emi- (I-)" there was a precipitous pause in whatever he wanted to say.
I won't lie that I almost died of heart attack because of how Baba kept us in suspense.
We, no, I waited for Baba to give whatever he was about to say some thought.
He just stretched his free hand towards us making us more confused and he gave out a rouchy laugh " Those" he pointed to the red ribbon and the necklace, then we were able to grab whatever he was talking about.
We gave them back to him but as for the ribbon...I never want to think about it, not now, not ever because it was so embarrassing.
Baba squinted his eyes examining the charms " Ṣe o sọ pe ọpọtọ naa wa si igbala rẹ? (You said the figurine came to your rescue?)"
I nod my head at that.
He murmured somethings to himself and stared directly at the human beside me, eyes interrogating not in a friendly way. Can I say I was left out because I don't understand anything. who summoned the figurine? the 'hmmmm..' of Baba, the unhappy look on Baba's face rather than an happy one??,
I stood at one side, my eyes going from baba to the human many times.
The human just held that annoying smile while baba shook his head several times.
This suspense thriller was put to abrupt end when we heard distant voices coming towards us. The various shout of 'Baba' made us know they were all back.
Baba made a precis statement " Iwọ kii yoo loye itumọ (You won't understand the meaning)"
And that's was all before we were surrounded by groups of ecstatic and enviable lads.
Baba looked pleased with them for their accomplishments. each groups prescribing their experiences in a felicitous manner and Baba was not 'hmmming' them.
I stood where i was and a little green eyed monster hummed into my ear ' Why?'. It wasn't so easy to resist it thankfully I heard something that finally made me stood firm.
A slightly tall boy, a large dark cicatrix drawing from the left side to his face down to his whole neck a large distinction between his pale roasted groundnut skin, he wore a 'my-papa-dash-me' ankara top, faded short and a ' My- papa papa- don dash-me' palm sandals. He looked like he was just inside a big sack of rice.... I'm so sorry..
He faced baba, bright and spunky, his words were a bit animated as he explained his experiences " Baba, iṣẹ iyansilẹ ti o fun mi ati kola jẹ iṣẹ ṣiṣe diẹ .... (Baba, the assignment you gave to me and kola was a bit tasking....)" he paused a little while which is enough to create a big whirlpool of suspense in me " Bi awọn agba wa ṣe sọ Eniyan ti o jẹun pẹ, kii yoo jẹ ounjẹ ti o bajẹ (As our elders say The person that eat late, will not eat spoiled food )"
Baba nods his head in affirmation "O sọ daradara ( You spoke well)" Baba looked pleased with the boy as his attention was on him and his partner.
The boy rubbed his chin as if in thought while staring at his partner with a little glint in his eyes" We've understood it now" he said nonchalantly " Lati mu fadaka ti nkọju si ọbọ o gbọdọ dabi rẹ (To catch the silver faced monkey you must be like it)" He rounded it up with a little grin that made his face slightly different..... Very different that made me... and I think others stupefied.
Baba nods his while complementing him and his partner for their discovery.
So I and Sonya supposed to discover something or what??
My eyes unintentionally landed on the human who is also diligently listening with keen interest but that annoying smile is....ahh forget it.
When I noticed I was staring to much ...No!! Far to much!! I diverted my eyes away from him and looked everywhere but him.
So what were we to discover??