Chapter 3: Yam, Swords, and Lessons

Sun dey shine scatter, breeze dey gentle. Me and Lukman Sanni stand for front of small canteen.

The canteen na zinc roof, door na plank wey dem paint yellow. Smell of fried oil dey everywhere. Chicken dey shout for backyard.

"…You wan make I cut this door down?" Lukman Sanni frown.

He eye dey the door, hand dey near sword. Old habit.

"God forbid! Why you dey think violence? If you cut the door, how dem go do business?"

I laugh, push him hand away from sword. For my mind, I dey thank God say police no near.

"So why you carry me come canteen?"

He dey suspicious, but me I dey play.

"Wetin canteen dey do?"

I ask am, face straight. If you answer wrong, food go run from you.

"To chop."

Him voice sure, no smile.

"Correct. So make we chop first." I carry my arm put for Lukman Sanni shoulder, enter inside.

Na so I push am like padi, even though e stiff small. Canteen woman see us, nod head—she sabi me.

Na only one small girl dey work, run up and down, serve and cook at the same time.

She dey shout order, turn yam for fire, sweat dey her forehead. Na real hustle.

"The potatoes here sweet die."

I dey hype the food so Lukman go relax. If hunger dey, wahala dey reduce.

I order fried yam, as e land, I start dey chop.

I chop like say na government dey pay. Crunch dey sound, oil dey my mouth.

"No just siddon dey look, you too chop."

I hand am piece, wink. If you chop together, e fit mean friendship for street.

Lukman Sanni look me, think small, then use hand pick one.

He chop am slow, look me one kind. I catch small smile for him face.

Soon, people full everywhere. The small girl dey sweat, run up and down, no rest.

The canteen dey hot, people dey complain, but nobody dey help her. I dey reason say, maybe Lukman fit do something.

As I dey chop yam, I ask, "You feel say sword na for wetin?"

I dey look am, chop slow. Na to open conversation for him mind.

"To kill," Lukman Sanni answer sharp-sharp.

He answer as if na test, like soldier.

I shake my head. "Your sword too full of wahala. Try put another thing for inside."

I take last bite, wipe hand for shirt. Na wisdom I dey drop, hope say e enter.

"Martial art no be to kill, na to save." I chop more yam. "Try use your sword help people, no be to kill them."

I smile, look the small girl. If you use strength for good, everybody go gain.

"…Help people?" Lukman Sanni hand hang for air.

He confuse, but e dey think. Maybe na new sense for am.

"Yes." I smile. "To learn my sword move, two steps dey. First one na to stop to kill."

I give am look, voice soft. No be everything na blood.

"Stop to kill… How?" He frown, dey reason am.

Him eyebrow knot like old wrapper.

"E easy. Use your sword help that small girl." I point her side.

Everybody dey look, nobody dey help her. But na here I wan Lukman use hand.

Lukman Sanni frown more. "How I go help with sword?"

He dey look blade, dey look yam. Na big puzzle for am.

"Use your sword peel yam for her."

I point the plate.

I talk am with seriousness. If e gree, na the real first step.

"…"

He no answer, but the idea dey disturb am.