A Ghost!!!!!

I never looked forward to resumptions while I was in boarding school. I dreaded the long trips back to school, the months away from home, the once-a-term visits. 

My Dad had already told me it was too far for them to visit every month. 

They would send me money via the postal service that was available then, (can't remember the name now) if there was ever a need for it. 

IF!!!

Every student was expected to have a guardian (a staff of the school) who kept most of their cash and extra provisions for when it was needed.

My parents ensured I had enough provisions and toiletries to last me to when they would visit. I always knew which visiting it would be from the beginning of the term. 

They'd take me to school at the resumption, come for the termly visit in the middle of the term, then make the same trip back to pick me when the school closed. My best time was at the end of the term, when I'd be going home. 

On this particular resumption, as always, I wasn't happy. I had motion sickness along the way and was even throwing up by the time we got to Kawo in Kaduna. 

We were living in Zaria when I resumed FGC Ogbomoso, then later moved to Kaduna when work took my Dad there.

As a result of my throwing up, they almost turned to head back to Zaria, but I assured them I'd be fine. They wondered if I had been sick before leaving home and kept observing me till they were convinced I was okay. My father used to drive all the way to Ogbomoso because of me.

Chai!!! Papa'm oooo! (My Father oh).

After the long drive of about ten hours, we got to the school, only to learn that there had been a change in resumption dates.

Rats had infested the school. To battle it, the school had to be closed and fumigated. All the students were asked to stay back home. Apparently, it was supposed to have been announced on the network news, but those of us that lived up North never got the news. We risked our lives and made the 8-10 hour journey (this was when the roads were very good) only to be turned back!

Hmmm!

So, my Dad decided to just drive back to Zaria that day. He and his wife had planned to lodge in a hotel, then head back the next day, but he suddenly decided to drive us back home. Or, they both did.🤷🏻‍♀

Anyway...

We got to Zaria at about 2:00am. It was raining heavily. Daddy honked and honked, but no one heard. After a long while, he decided to push me up the fence by the side of the Boys Quarters (the fence was lower on that side), to get someone to open the gate. If you knew my Dad, you would know that it was a tough decision for him. He was very principled. Very prim and proper. Black was black and white was white.👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 No compromise. No leaping over a wall.

I finally jumped into the premises and knocked on one of the doors. 😁😂😃

"Who is there? 

"Baaba, it's me."

"You? You who?"

"Kim now!" At this point, I was already finding humour in the whole scene.

😁😃 

My big brother was very scared. 

"Kim? How? You are supposed to be in school. What are you doing at home?"

Chai!!! See fear! It was hilarious, but then the parents were still outside, tired and cold. 

I had to explain what happened, then I told him Daddy needed to drive in. He had honked again when no one was forthcoming. By then his eyes were clear of sleep. He recognised the sound of Daddy's horn and came out to open the gate.

He would later tell me how he thought for a moment that there had been an accident and I had died and my ghost decided to come to pay him a visit.😂😂

Meanwhile, the aunties had been awake and watching TV all the while but didn't hear the sound of the horn.

Of course, when they heard Daddy drive-in, they all scampered!

Hehehe!!!

Childhood and memories!