Running in the Air
by Tunde Akingbade

Running in the Air

"Born in America, and mistakenly living in Africa," said Ajimate, the popular Area Boy and leader of the neighbourhood gang of young boys clenching his fist. Such a phrase could easily come out of Ajimate's mouth whenever he sang praises of anyone who he expected to give him money. Sweet phrases were meant to draw money out of the pocket of innocent passers by. 

Just the other day, Ajimate saw a man who drove a Lexus jeep with an open roof approaching the junction. To him, such a man driving that kind of a big car was a big catch. He jumped across the road and began to sing his praises.

"Born in America, and mistakenly living in Africa. Look at his car. Just look at the skin of this man. Obviously this man is endowed. See God's wonder on his skin. The mouth that eats burger in America is different from the one that eats puff puff in Africa", He continued to cajole and praise this unknown man driving the Lexus jeep just because he wanted the man to part with some money.

By this time, the man was meandering slowly through the potholes on the highway. When Animate realized that the unknown Lexus jeep owner was not forthcoming to give him money, he began to tell the man that he, Ajimate was so inconsequential that he could offer to sleep on the highway so that the costly jeep could be driven over him. Imagine that!

"American man, why don't you let me sleep on the highway so that you can drive this costly and expensive vehicle over me. You are richly blessed we have accepted our fate. Americana! Walk your jeep over me, and give me something," he volunteered jokingly.

"These boys are crazy. Imagine the utterances coming from this one's mouth," Said Pa Ojuolape, the retired schoolteacher whose house over looked the T-junction that has been taken over by potholes.

"When they have taken cocaine or smoked Indian Hemp, their heads say useless and crazy things," explained Pa David Walowe, Pa Ojuolape's friend who was sitting with him under the "dongoyaro" tree which provided shade in front of his house.

The Road of a Thief

Just at the junction, all the vehicles came to a standstill in the traffic bottleneck. Because of this, it was easier to pick some of the conversation being uttered by the passengers and occupants of the vehicles that were stuck in the traffic.

"Look at her hair," the inquisitive and loquacious conductor in one of the passenger buses said to a lady who was putting on a wig on her head.

"What is your business about my wig?" the infuriated lady asked the conductor.

"Hm..... What is in a wig?" asked the conductor who obviously did not mind his own business.

"Look at the way he is talking about my wig as if he will not pray to have a wife that wears such a wig on her head," the lady shot back at the conductor amidst laughter in the bus.

"Is it Bill Clinton's hair?" asked the conductor adding, "What is worth celebrating about wig-carrying? Why should I be happy that my wife is putting on a wig when the hair there does not belong to Mr. Clinton, the former American President," he declared. 

The whole bus joined in such an infectious laughter. Even Pa Ojuolagbe and friend Walowe could not help but laugh. They overheard the conversation from where they sat.

"Can you hear that conductor again?" said Pa Ojuolape.

"Imagine what he said. What has Bill Clinton got to do with their story of wig carrying women? Nowadays, these boys just coin funny words and remarks," Pa Walowe added.

The T-junction became more rowdy. Suddenly the siren of the vehicles conveying Senator Modawa Joshua, one of the most powerful politicians, was heard approaching. All the stubborn drivers who did not heed the signals and orders given by the Police traffic warden began to obey the sound of the siren. A powerful politician escorted by armed policemen had approached.

Within a few seconds, the traffic congestion had disappeared. As a result of this, it became difficult for Ajimate and other Area Boys who had placed themselves at the strategic points of the highway to sing praises to the "nouveau riche" who would give them some money.

The Thief on a Flight

A few minutes later, a small crowd chased a suspected thief into the vicinity.

They shouted, "Thief!" They pursued this big fellow they suspected had tried to steal a car parked by its owner down a lonely road.

They could not get this big fellow, who was a very fast runner. His stamina was like that of a stallion. Ajimate and other Area Boys who saw the gap, which the thief had given to his pursuers, thought they could assist in apprehending him. They too joined in the hot chase. The Area Boys thought almost immediately that this could give them the opportunity to redeem their images. Everyone looked down on them in the neighbourhood, because they were layabouts who begged for money. They were accused of being responsible for every crime in the town. 

Ajimate and other Area Boys joined in the chase. They pursued this suspect who really gave all his pursuers a long gap. It was only Ajimate who was closer to this suspected car thief. 

Before he dropped out of Junior High School, Ajimate was an athlete running for the school. He could have been one of the best athletes ever produced in the town, if not for his appetite for Indian Hemp, which one of his evil seniors introduced to him during his first year in the secondary school. Within three years, Ajimate had destroyed his own future with his own hands, holding the butt of the Indian Hemp he loved to smoke. He smoked his brains out and became academically impotent. So, he failed woefully. Without driving him away from the school, his unequalled level of failure drove him out of school.

Occasionally, he still engaged in a little physical exercise to keep himself fit. So, when the opportunity to chase this thief came, he was determined to show he still had some strength. However, the suspect was running for his dear life. 

He tore through the streets to save his life. He knew if the people caught him, they would carry out a jungle justice of burning him with motor tyres, matches and petrol. As he ran away, it appeared to his pursuers who were far away as if his legs were not touching the ground. It looked like he was running in the air, and the wind was blowing him away the more they tried to reach him. Some of the pursuers even got tired along the way, and they gave up. But Ajimate continued the hot chase.

The Identity Crisis

The suspect ran through the path separating a row of houses. When he got to a place and found that Ajimate was almost catching up with him, he turned back briskly and held Ajimate. Both men began to fight. The crowd had actually lost track of both of them. The suspected thief was very bold and strong. He pounded Ajimate with blows aggressively until he became dizzy. Ajimate lost his balance and fell on the ground. The suspect continued to pound him on the ground there.

"Thief! Thief! Come and see a thief," the suspect now shouted against Ajimate.

Ajimate was very weak now. His mind flashed back to his parents and what they thought him when he was young.

"How did he become a Street boy? Why did he abandon his school? How did he join a bad gang smoking Indian Hemp when he was at school? If he had graduated as an engineer, medical doctor, Lawyer or a professional would he end up on the street corner this way?" Ajimate thought as he lost his breath.

By this time, people had gathered with matches, tyres and petrol. They thought Ajimate was the real thief. The suspected thief now pointed at Ajimate as the thief. They set him ablaze. A big crowd had gathered. Those who were driving pass the Street stopped to go and catch a glimpse of the person being roasted.

"We have said it before that these street boys and area boys are thieves," said a man amongst the crowd.

The suspected thief who was initially being chased had disappeared. The group of persons who were chasing him before but lost track now strayed into the crowd of people watching how Ajimate was being roasted.

"We know this man. We were all chasing the thief together earlier on," said one of them. But it was too late. Ajimate had been burnt beyond recognition.

"He was just an area boy. He did not steal",

"If he knew nothing about this crime, his blood will be on the head of everyone who took part in the killing", said the man that recognized him.

©2002 StoriesByEmail.com

Do It Yourself Web Host