A long time ago,
A wise man once told me,
“Never haggle with a street urchin”
He said
“I had a friend who died in his sleep after a fight with a bus conductor for his 50 naira change. The conductor picked up a stone, hit him on the head. The fight ended. He thought he was fine until he never woke up again.”
The end
The wise man was my dad.
The dead man, His friend who was the top of his class with a lot of prospects.
On tuesday night, I partially took my dad’s advice
I haggled, almost got beat up, but ran away as he advised.
It all started when I left work by 6:30
Everyday, I walk to the junction, take any bus going towards Ajah, stop at my bus stop, then walk home.
This time I followed my boss in her uber, stopped half way home, then took a bus.
Now, I knew the bus driver was trouble, but it was past 7, too late to be where I was. He did not wear a shirt, he was loud, and sounded drunk.
I took my chance, and walked into a disaster. As I entered the 2 seater grey bus Lag bus, told him my destination, we agreed on a price “#200” and we were ready to go. Usually, I pay 100 bucks from there home.
The bus got filled very quickly, and we were on our way. I put on my Air pods listened to wizkid's music for what seemed to be about 5 minutes, then, the bus driver started asking for his dough. I handed him the #200 and then he goes,
“I talk say every junction nah #300”
“But you told me my bus stop is #200” I replied
I remembered someone was in the bus with me, so I turned and asked the young man behind me, “weren’t you here when he told me it was 200?”
Instead of speaking up, this guy decided to nod, so I had to stand my ground. I did not mind paying the #300, my problem was the swift change in decision. Maybe he had said something, and I agree, I was not paying any form of attention since we had spoken about price.
The driver started shouting at me,
“Who dey here when I dey talk that one??? Aunty come down!”
“Its not as if I cant pay, but how can you tell me its #200, then collect #300?”
This time he stopped the car.
As we were going back and forth, the people in the bus started begging, everybody was tired. There was this old man behind me who begged with a smile, trying to ease things.
We kept moving. The driver then said
“No be say I wan toast you sef!”
This old man started to laugh, saying “you fit even toast babe?”
Our beloved driver stopped the car, came to my window and told me to come down from the bus. I obliged this time.
“Madam abeg let me come down before it turns to violence” I said to the woman beside me who kept on begging.
I came down and started walking away, hoping to get another bus as soon as possible.
I turned briefly, and realised the driver wanted the old man to come down as well.
By this time there was a small crowd around the bus. The old man came down, stood in front of the driver who resorted to insults and threats as his defense mechanism.
I went back to the bus
“… you think say I dey play??? I go chuck your eye with this key now now!!” the driver screamed
I went towards them saying “Daddy let us go, just leave him alone" as I tugged on his hand.
Daddy looked at me and said “hin say he wan chuck me for eye”
As he turned back to face the driver, a heavy slap landed across his face and neck.
It all happened so fast.
That was when it dawned on me that I was dealing with a psychopath with low self esteem.
In a twinkle of an eye, this guy had picked up a stick to tap “daddy” at the back of the head twice.
I honestly can’t recall moving towards the crowd
When I heard
“even the girl wey you dey defend she don carry herself commot!”
I knew it was my turn to chop cane
He turned toward my direction, and once he realized I was still there he ran toward me, stick in hand
“Nah you cause all this rubbish!”
That was when I knew my stubbornness couldn't save me, I couldn't fight or talk back anymore
In front of me was a dangerous man with a weapon and nobody could save me from him
He kept chasing me as I hid behind defenseless onlookers shouting
“I am sorry, I am sorry”
I could see the steam coming from his head as he finally walked back to his car after the short chase. I picked the wrong dude to piss off.
As onlookers started to disperse I walked with 2 men towards the next bus stop
The fear of walking alone gripped me. What if he hits me with his car? What if he comes back for me?
This is the fear I live with each day. I no longer go home alone, I get nervous each time I walk towards the bus stop. Will I ever see him again? Will he recognise me?
It’s been 4 days since the incident.
What if the old man died in his sleep? What if he wants to punish both the driver and I by using jazz to make our lives miserable? What if the driver uses jazz on me too?
The what if's are never ending. Each day comes with it’s own sadistic what if and i’m stuck in a loop.
Lagos can dirty your white linen
Have you ever fought with a driver, conductor, random person on the street or in a bus? Tell us how it went
Lol lagos na cruise thank God you’re fine
Wow! Sorry about this. Thankfully you weren't hurt