So that Simplesite? Isnt that simple. Not for a simple brain like mine. LOL! 12 The road we took after we left eater at Pambeguwa must have been one of Daddys short cuts. It was lonely, understandably because it was late, but we could see lights from far off. Daddy said it was a short route and we would connect, cutting off some kilometers. Shadows were cast on both side by what turned out to be sand dug out from drainages. The road was under construction no wonder we were the only travellers on it. I dont remember now if we turned back or kept on but I do remember Maas stories about Daddys short cuts. And I suspect that was why she always went ahead. Daddy told us that it was because he didnt like putting all his eggs in one basket, reason why he left some at home in Sokoto and some went by other means. This time around, we left Muhammad and Niya behind. Daddy did say Maa would argue with him whenever he tried taking any short cuts, And he claimed the knew those roads like the back of his hand. Hers was that they took routes every one was taking but she didnt always convince him and he did what he wanted anyway with a grumbling Maa saying Ba na gaya maka ba? Once Maa said they turn a short cut that was so bad every few minutes they stopped so she could go look for a wheel cover or two from the bushes. We wondered why when she found them they didnt just put in the boot but fixed them back on. Many times they came off and rolled off into the bushes and many times they stopped and Maa would go in search with a tourchlight. The funny part was that if she stayed too long and Daddy had to put off the car, she came back and pushed it. She said she got so tired that the next time he stopped for yet another cover that had rolled off, she refused to budge and said it was his turn to go looking. He did. And put it back on again. A few minutes later another one was rolling off and Daddy kept going. Duba, Maa said, wheelcovern ya sake fita fa. But daddy kept going. Duba... Daddy interrupted her. ki kyale ni He did not stop even when another one rolled off. By the time the got off that road Maa said there was no single wheel cover in place and for many years to come, she kept reminding him of that anytime he decided to take a shortcut. Daddy drove all through the night with us kids asleep in the car all snuggled up. In sleep we did not bother who was where, but awake we had even marked boundaries and did not hesitate to make trouble for whoever crossed his. We came awake when we felt the car stop. It was at a police check point. A few minutes later Daddy pulled off the road and said he needed to nod odd for a while. From where we were, we could see lights of a city far off. He said that was Jos. We wanted him to go in so we could all sleep at our sisters house, but he said no, that it wasnt too proper to go knocking on peoples houses in the middle of the night. We slept there, in the car, by the road side and we werent even scared! Very early we were shook awake by daddy for prayers. We didnt know where the qibla was and Daddy went back to the checkpoint to ask the police men. It was fun. We got into town and went to Aunty Habibas house for breakfast. She had not been back from work yet so we took tea and left. We stopped somewhere and ate a proper meal before we proceeded. We laughed at the names of the villages we past, especially at Shandam. Daddy told us there were Pankshim and Lantang too all in Plateau. We couldnt stop laughing and I resumed my travel diary.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 12:22:28 +0000