Eartha

the man did not stop in the parkways that squatted low behind the high grounds. He drove further down the dusty parkway, down, down, past a two storey building t

rs in the school compound were lying around the long buildings Eartha had now assumed to be the hostels a

long storey buildings in faded lilac purple with identical black-tiled roofings. There were just tw

ch other on the long sides with about almost forty feet distance

e could see different sizes and classes of cars, ranging from Volkswagen Jettas to s

ther rare and almost not seen around other common cars. Father himself, owned a Mercedes Benz early twent

n pulled out the key from the ignition and unstrapped his long seat belt to push open the d

o oil the door hinges? E

ted one palm on her waist and st

wouldn't see it, and pushed aside the

the hood of the car. The passenger door was now open, and, judging from the heaves and grunts co

round other cars without disturbance — Mr Kosoko had packed the car near the road path t

nd slid it over the roof of the car, towards the ground, but Eartha, who was still beside the car at the other side, was too preoccu

the way of the mattress, ru

ips. 'What were you looking at sef? What did you misplace that you

ing bullied. 'But, I didn't see it

you.' Her mother pushed her hands away from where she held them to her temple and stared at it herself, sighi

and gently stepped out of her hands at h

car to their side, had caught Mother's la

ld ventured out of the canopies into the neighbouring compound, only God knows what she was after. She was so engrossed in whatever had her att

ot smell the pungent odour coming out from it, I don't know. Thank God for one of the workers at the house t

man, amused. 'Ì

nce still sitting on her beautiful face. And then Ear

other local language. Even the few, limited words they could say, were said with strange accents. It embarrassed Father sometimes (although, non

l right from when she realized she could crawl out of my arms.' Mother shook he

d that she was discussing h

at her in mock apo

osoko boomed. 'I think you should go to that canopy over there firs

k her portmanteau, straightened back up and

as directly in the middle of the the distance between the two wide front doors of th

d white, plastic tables and students lining up in fr

reached out and slapped the girl directly in front of her. Although it

and looked