Bad Market – Episode 17

Somehow the fracas that ensued at Legacy Exclusive Lounge was curtailed by the staff and other guests at the lounge. Mr. Filafa had to vacate the premises with his goons for peace to reign, while Timi and his squad remained. As for me, there was no point staying around anymore.

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On reaching the house that night, dad was already waiting for me in the sitting room. Ebun was home immediately the games were concluded so I had some explaining to do. Timi on the other hand had been excused because it was no news that he always participated in Ojota Comprehensive High School’s Inter-House Sports Competition since he gained admission into the citadel of learning. Hence, everyone in our household knew about his prowess on the tracks.

My dad was reading that day’s edition of the Punch Newspaper when I stepped into the living room with my backpack behind me. He immediately took his eyes off the newspaper when he saw me. He wore a very frightening countenance while taking a quick glance at his wrist watch.

“Young man where are you coming from by this time?”

“I…come…I…was…err…” I stuttered badly. From where I stood, I could sight my dad’s big fat cane at the side of the sofa just by where he pitched his tent.

“I am listening to you or do you have a sore on your tongue?”

I stood still. My lips were still trying hard to form words in an attempt to answer my dad’s question.

“Answer me before I descend on you!” In two shakes of a lamb’s tail my dad was up from his seat flashing his big fat cane in mid-air to ensure that I was aware of the punishment that was lying in wait for me

“School sir!” I managed to utter the words, though I knew it was only going to infuriate my dad further

“School?”

“Yes sir. Today marked the end of the heats of our School’s Inter-House Sports Festival”

“And so? Were you one of the athletes that participated in the games?”

“No sir.”

“I’m going to deal with you mercilessly for this” I was already imagining the red marks my dad’s big fat cane was going to imprint on my buttocks.

“But daddy this is my first time. I usually don’t come late,” I made a final attempt at convincing him that flogging me would be totally unfair but it was all in vain for he was determined to teach me a lesson I would never forget

“Will you shut that mouth and lie down flat on the ground this moment?” He hushed me.

In a twinkle of an eye I was flat on the ground because any further disobedience would incur his wrath. My body shook vigorously on the ground and a part of it was raised above the ground in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.

“Dele it seems you have eventually joined bad gang like your elder brother,” my dad was measuring the distance between the cane and my buttocks in relation to the angle of penetration as he spoke. He made certain that when the cane touched my soft buttocks, the impact would be felt in full measure.

“No daddy! I only stayed back to join my brother in the celebration of his victories,” I was already weeping before the torment began.

“Which victory? Are you in the same house or when did you become a member of blue house?”

By this time the cane had started its cruel sojourn through the soft epidermal skin layers of my buttocks. I couldn’t even hear my dad’s voice anymore cause my hopeless screams drowned his talks that came in between. He continued talking has he lashed me, not bothering one bit about my loud shrieks

“Tunde, our neighbour’s son who is both your classmate and house mate came back home around 3pm and even Ebun who should also be celebrating her brother’s feat on the tracks didn’t stay back to join in the celebrations like you said. So who are you to celebrate when you were not even one of the athletes that set the tracks on fire.”

“Mummy!!!” Though I had stopped counting, this was probably the 11^th time my dad’s cane would inflict excruciating pains on my buttocks. Then he stopped when he noticed I was beginning to get up on my feet, though he kept talking

“What are you people even celebrating when the finals of the inter-house sports have not even been held or do you think I wasn’t an athlete in school too? Where do you think your brother got his talent?”

“You ran in school! You that was always coming last in 100metres,” my mum who wasn’t around when it mattered most suddenly stepped into the living room

“Ehn…. but at least I still was an athlete who always made it to the finals”

“…And ends up disappointing his house and his entire family,” my mum added.

“You are just jealous you really had no other talent asides your pretty face back then”

I managed to sneak into my room with my hands clutched against my butt as my mum and dad got busy with their tongues

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I was still nursing the pain in my butt when I heard my mum’s screams from where I laid in my room. I ran out of the room to confirm what the problem was.

“Who stole the 30,000 naira I kept in my safe? Was it you Dele?”

“No mummy, of course not! It was Timi,” I voiced out not minding the consequences

“Timi?” My mum retorted.

“Speak of the devil!” My dad added as Timi stepped into the house just at the nick of time.

 

Bad Market continues next week…