The only child

CHAPTER 19

Kune finally got to the city the next day. Kune looked around. She loved all that she saw. The sight was beautiful. "A girl from Akumi village now in the city," she thought to herself. She breathes in and out. How will I survive? The next thing now is to look for an accomodation for the meantime. She remembered that her father's uncle once lived in the city. They had gone to visit him when she was a child. She remembered that the name of the region was Olap Avenue. Kune had a sharp memory right from her childhood. So, she thought of going there first, since that would also save her money. She saw a tricycle coming in her direction. She stopped him.

"Please, I'm heading to Olap Avenue," she said.

He looked at her in a disgusting manner and shouted,"What's your problem? Are you missing?". He then zoomed off. Kune was so shocked. She wondered what she asked that made him shout at her like that. Well, she saw a little girl selling roasted plantain behind her.

She thought to herself," if I befriend this girl, she will definitely tell me how to get to Olap Avenue. Let me go close to her ".

Kune thought to herself while approaching her. She then greeted her.

"Good afternoon, my dear. How are you?" Kune asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you, ma," the girl replied.

Okay. So, how much do you sell this? ,"she asked, pointing to a roasted plantain.

"It's a hundred naira, ma," the girl replied.

"Okay, give me some fried fish and add some stew to it," she replied while handing her a two hundred naira note.

The girl cheerfully handed her the well wrapped plantain. Kune then saw this as an opportunity to ask the little girl if she could help her get to her destination.

"Hello, do you know if I can get to Olap Avenue from here?" Kune asked.

"Yes, but you will not find a direct shuttle that would take you down there. So, you need to cross to the other side using the pedestrian bridge and enter a tricycle to Moyo bus stop. Then, from there, you would enter a minibus to Olap Avenue," the little girl explained.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it ," Kune said.

Kune got to the first step of the pedestrian bridge and looked up. She felt so uneasy. She tried to climb gradually. By the time she climbed to the middle, she was already feeling so tired. She thought to herself," I'm already feeling tired. These steps are so many". She struggled until she descended. She quickly waved a tricycle driver to stop and was panting heavily. She immediately got in and did not even mention her destination. She finally managed to gather her breath and voiced out: "I am heading to Moyo bus stop".

"Your fare is one hundred naira ," the driver replied. Kune nodded in affirmation. Soon, Kune arrived at Moyo's bus stop. She saw some conductors with some buses. Each conductor was chanting the name of the bus' destination. Kune drew closer and saw the one going to Olap Avenue. She entered and after some minutes, the bus was filled. The driver then proceeded with the movement of the bus.

In ten minutes, they arrived at Olap Avenue. Kune read for herself on the signboard that she had arrived at Olap Avenue. Kune was not illiterate. They all alighted from the bus. The whole neighborhood looked familiar to Kune. She walked into the Avenue some meters away from the main road. She looked at all the magnificent houses in the Avenue. She was wowed. She could not remember her father's uncle's house anymore. However, she remembered his name. She trekked down the Avenue. She got to a junction. She was confused if she should go right or left. She continued moving towards the left direction. She was stunned when she saw two children walking towards her. They looked so cute. A boy and a girl. It was evident that they were siblings. Kune admired them. She continued walking until she got to a provision store where she greeted the woman, then asked if she knew anyone by the name, Mr Uwafara Simeon. The woman looked so confused. The name did not sound familiar to her. The woman told her to proceed with her search. Kune walked to the next compound, she saw the gateman and greeted him. The gateman was a man in his forties, short and had beards. The man looked nice.

"Good afternoon, sir," Kune greeted.

"Good afternoon, my dear. How are you?" the man replied.

"I'm fine, thank you, sir. I want to ask, do you know any man by the name, Uwafara Simeon?" Kune asked.

"No, the name sounds familiar but I don't know any man by that name. It could be that he lived in this Avenue before. So, I would advise that you ask the Chairman of this Avenue," the man suggested.

"Thank you," Kune said.

"Once you move to that bend over there, you will see a blue house. Ask of him there," the man directed.

Kune continued walking till she got to a bend, she saw a blue house. She got to the house and she knocked on the gate. The gateman came out.

"Hello sir, please I'm asking after the Chairman of this Avenue," Kune said to the gateman.

"Okay. Who directed you here?" the gateman asked.

"A man down the lane," Kune said while pointing to the latter.

"Okay. You will have to wait. He is not around now. Come inside and sit down," the gateman said.

Kune went in to sit down. She sat inside just by the gate. She was just dumbstruck at the architectural designs of the compound. She started feeling hungry. She ate the roasted plantain and fish that she bought from the little girl the other time. She never forgets to pray before eating. After a few minutes, she was done eating. She asked the gateman where she could throw off the waste. The man directed her to a trash bin behind his apartment. She got up and went to throw away the waste. After some time, she came back to sit. She waited for over an hour, however, her patience never grew weary .