WHEN THE SEA CRIES.

The road is spread into for ways, sitting in the middle is a resting wooden kiosk painted yellow and black, with four legs holding it to the ground, hanging just beneath the roof are flags with the same colors inside a very small can fasten to one each legs. The fortunes of 1990 has made the town more colorful, as industries flood the city, so is the increase in people, waiting to have a taste of the goodness the times bring. it was very easy for people to mind their business, because there was a slice for everyone who was ready to work. Ibo road ran from the center of the town, cutting across Bank street down to the express road, it has the highest number of shops, mini bar, canteen and restaurant. My shift will open in an hour but am always early, absorbing the tension of traffic before I step into the kiosk, the sight of new vehicles carrying unknown faces, little children coming from school, old folks waiting for a wave to cross the road, unending hunk from motorcycle and the annoying maneuver of vesper to dodge traffic. you can hear Fela kuti and Bob marley songs continuously taking turns from a short distance along Bank street, and the sight of people moving and shaking their body. Meko is looking at me lacing my shoes, I can see he is tired and is face laced with rust of dried sweat, the morning shift is usually longer because you early and close late. Am very fortunate that I don't see the difference, probably because I enjoy what am doing, Meko usually comes one hour late when am on morning duties expect one time I feel sick. And for that week I told him to come early because I don't want to miss my appointment with my doctor and if I ever come late Dr Lekan would scold me like a child. Traffic is always tense one hour before the sun sets, the rush is obscene, I whisper a vesper driver trying to be smart, He looks at me apologetically and halts. someone whistles from the holding line and said ' Mr traffic man it is passed one minute" I was waiting for a group of octogenarians crossing to the other side of Bank street, with them is a a lady leading them and a man behind holding two children, it made me remember my little ones at home and the sound of their voice as they made me promise them a buy as I return from work, they always make me do that. The lady waves towards me in appreciation for more time and the young man winks at me too, it is a routine walk for the old people, the exercise is for them to strong and also to keep fit. it is 6 pm, the traffic becomes lighter by this time and the streets light are been turned on, the shops are closing but the Bars and restaurant remains until the night life begins. opposite the closed shops people set up tables and chairs to make night sales, the roads are back to rush but this time with less vehicular movement. people queue to buy suya akara and bread, I quickly remember Stella's voice reminding of my promise, it was past my working hours, it was always satisfactory, I think of what to buy as I changed from my uniform.