The Fall Out

Memories for me serve as an escape route. I travel down this lane anytime the matters of this life get confusing and overwhelming. Happy memories that bring a grin to my face. Recently, I have been getting more confused, excited and puzzled about this small world.
Ola and I were enrolled at the kindergarten of a nearby staff school while Tai and Kenny attended an international school. The international word in the school slogan was a big deal to Tai and she reminded us at every opportunity she got that the international word was missing from our school slogan. They even had white teachers. See me see trouble o. We had Mrs Orakartete though, she was white but Tai insisted that was just one white lady to tens of them at the international school. My teachers were Mrs Makinde and Mrs Orakartete. Tai didnt want to know about that. Tai was the aggressive twin. She controlled her brother like a puppet on a string. Even I could shout on Kenny, as tiny as I was. He was the tallest and if we have to consider the Yoruba cosmology, he was older than the three of us but he behaved like a robot.
One evening while we were left to our own devices, an arguement broke out. Tai started about the international thing again and Ola nudged me so that we could shout Tai down. Actually we were scared of Tai, if a little bit. She was fat and dark with a permanent scowl but she was the most generous five year old I ever came across. She let us into her parent's bedroom one day and we had a field day jumping on the huge bed. Kenny just stood there and shed tears like one egbere ( bush baby). He knew the shit that was waiting for them. Tai pranced and Ola pounced. She couldnt take it anymore. It lasted a minute before Tai got up covered in dirt and suggested a way to prove her point; she could take us to the school. It was not far at all, so she claimed.
We decided to meet behind the neighborhood mosque. We didnt want nosy neighbors to see us setting out. We ran through the corner streets, weaving our way in and out until we came
out at a major intersection. We were serious about this proof. we needed it like yesterday. The intersection had a small park filled with almond trees and three major streets led off it. we had come through one.
Tai hestitated, she was not really sure which of the two roads led to the international school. Kenny offered an opinion and he was shut down with a quelling look. Ola and I left her to deliberate and we walked to the trees and picked some almonds on the ground. There was a loud cough and we jumped a foot. There was a mad man sleeping on a park bench and we became so frightened we trembled in our shoes. By the way we were not wearing shoes!!! We ran to the twins , they were into it. For once, Kenny stood up to his sister and insisted it was the other way. They were both pointing in opposite directions. After some time, we decided to head back home but alas we couldnt figure out how we got to the intersection and it was really dark.
The mad man suddenly jumped up and staggered towards us. His raggedly robes flew in the air like flags of different countries. I howled like a banshee and we clutched each other in pure fright. Our heads were gonna be cut and eaten. He peered at us then turned and walked away. We howled louder. The shouts from across the street made us reduce the volume of the racket a little bit. Right there across the street were the Tapa girls that sold dankwua, guguru (popcorn) and groundnut in front of the mosque on our street. They were like four or five in number, all in their teens. They crossed the streets and asked us what the heck we were doing there . I started to explain then all hell broke loose. Tai suddenly took off with Kenny in hot pursuit. Ola decided to follow suit but with ear splitting screams of ''gbomogbomo gbomogbomo'' (kidnapper). I lunged after Ola but the eldest of the Tapa girls grabbed me and held on. I kicked and screamed for all I was worth but she didnt let go. I guess she took pity on my tiny self. I thought I was being kidnapped. I screamed until I was hoarse and limp. She picked me up and backed me. God bless her soul. Ola and the twins were long gone. In different directions.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up to a lot of noise. We were actually on our street. Why my friends took off like that, I dont know till today. We knew the Tapa girls well and played with them every evening in front of the mosque. My mum was outside screaming and crying. There was a search party in front of my house. The neighbors were getting ready to search for us. There was a sudden shout, somebody saw Ola dashing into her compound, she was fished out and her mom pounced on her. I watched the drama still at the girl's back. The had stopped in confusion. My mum asked Ola where I was and she said I had been kidnapped. There were wails and wails, my mum's the loudest. The Tapa girl stepped forward and lowered me to the ground. I wanted to get kidnapped, really get kidnapped when I saw the blazing fury in my mum's eyes. There were shouts again. Shouts of ''thank you'' to the girls.
The neighbors dispersed and I could see Ola being led into her house with her ear. I looked longingly at the Tapa girls, I wanted to go home with them. Drink fuura, eat dankwua, anything but my mum's wrath. I guess I enjoyed being backed. I must have slept off immediately she put me on her back but no way. We all stepped into the house. That night my mum beat the living daylights out of me, it was aunty Dupe , our housemaid that saved my life. I vowed to stop talking to my three friends especially Ola, she was supposed to be my best pal.
The very next day we teamed up again and ended up being chased by a neighbor's alsatian. The things we did...eehhh.!!!!!!