Chapter 1: The Call

I get call for Blind Assistance App. One small blind girl ask make I help am check expiry date for one medicine bottle.

As I check am, my skin prick, like cold breeze for NEPA blackout. E get as e be:

No take am. Person dey try harm you.

---

Two months ago, I register as volunteer for one app wey dem dey call Eyes for the Blind.

After I register finish, the app just quiet. Not even one request come.

But na normal thing. Most blind assistance apps get more volunteers pass people wey need help, so e dey normal for volunteer to never get any request.

Sometimes, when I dey free for night, I go dey scroll my phone, dey check the app, dey wait if any request go show. My guy even laugh me say na so e dey start, person go think say e dey do charity, but in the end e go turn am to social club. But I tell am, e get something for my mind wey just wan help person, even if na once in a year.

So, when the help request finally ring, I even happy small.

With hope, I click answer. For my screen, I see one girl wey look like say she never pass seventeen or eighteen.

Her face soft and fine, the kind wey dey make person wan near am. Her abaya neat, but her wrist dey carry those cheap plastic bangles wey girls dey buy for Ojuelegba market.

If to say she fit open her eyes, her look for sure go dey calm like cool breeze. But she no fit.

As I dey look her, I remember how some people dey talk say blind people dey always get gentle face. Na true, because her expression no carry wahala at all.

"Hello, abeg you fit help me check expiry date for this medicine bottle?"

Her soft voice pull me back to reality. I quick answer, "No wahala, I go help you."

She raise one medicine bottle show camera. As I look well, na fluoxetine. E shock me, I just talk, "You... get depression?"

As I talk am, I regret. I scratch head, shame dey catch me. Mouth no dey hear word.

"Mm."

She just nod small.

I no ask more question, I just check the bottle for her well.

I bend small make I see the expiry date proper, turn the bottle small, even clean my glasses. "E still dey okay, e never expire."

"Thank you. I get another bottle."

She fumble small, then bring out second medicine bottle.

Her hand dey shake small, like person wey no too sure. I clear throat, dey try encourage her with smile.

I squeeze face, lean close again.

But as I read the label, my heart just fall.

My hand sef dey shake small as I hold the phone close. "You sabi wetin this medicine be?"

She pause small. "E suppose be olanzapine."

I don date psychologist before, so I know say if depression bad well, dem fit give fluoxetine and olanzapine together.

But—

"Sister, this one no be olanzapine. Na phenytoin sodium."

My voice rise. Phenytoin sodium na medicine for epilepsy. You no suppose mix am with fluoxetine.

I warn am again: "If you take these two together, e fit poison you. If e bad, person fit die."

As I dey talk, I see her face freeze. The silence loud. If na person wey see, eye go open wide. For blind person, na stillness and small breath wey hang for air.

Everywhere quiet for her side.

I even hear wall clock tick from her end. I dey wonder if she dey think say na play I dey play.

"True true, I no fit take am together?"

Her voice come soft like breeze, but e heavy.

"No take am. Person dey try harm you."

I use my serious voice, even raise hand for camera like person dey swear. For my mind, I dey beg God, make this girl hear word, make nothing bad happen.

For Naija, no be everybody dey get good luck.

---

After I drop the call, I remember the look for that girl face, I just shake head.

The way her lip tremble before the call cut, e just dey my mind. I carry phone, look am like say I fit use eye enter screen go check if she dey okay.

As stranger and volunteer, wetin I fit do don finish.

The rest na her hand.

I even try check the app for advice, maybe dem get way to report suspicious matter, but nothing dey. I just lock up. I say make I pray for her small. E no too dey easy for person wey dey blind for this country.

But next day, Eyes for the Blind ring again.

Na still the same girl.

Her request shock me:

"We fit see?"

My mind skip beat. This one pass normal request. I no know whether na scam or trap.

I tell am gently, "Sister, to meet strange man alone no too make sense o."

I try use that my uncle voice—old man wey dey warn small girl about Lagos boys. E be like say e no work.

She give small bitter smile. "For me, family and friends even dangerous pass strangers. Maybe na stranger safe pass. And abeg, no dey call me sister. My name na Halima."

Her tone carry small edge, but pain still dey under. I shift for chair, dey try find wetin I go talk.

I look the girl for screen. "Hello, Halima. My name na Tunde. If I gree meet you, wetin you want from me?"

Her name sweet for mouth, Halima. I adjust voice make e gentle.

"I wan beg you for help. I go pay you well."

For Naija, when person talk pay, everybody ear dey stand. But I just nod, dey calm.

...

I no go lie, part of why I gree meet Halima na because of how she be.

Any man go find am hard to say no to one small pity girl of seventeen or eighteen.

No be only pity sef, her face pure, the kind wey if you dey spiritual you go talk say na angel.

I no know say that small request go carry me enter wahala wey fit change my life.