Chapter 6: Egusi Seed and Sudden Death

I carry Big Timi waka again, look round, stop for one small stall wey dey sell agbalumo seed and dry things.

The market dey smell like roasted corn and dust, with okada people dey shout for corner. I sidon small for front of the stall, as the sun dey fall for my back.

The owners na old couple. As dem see me, dem hail me well.

The woman hail, "Mama Kudi! Na you? You don come again?" I wave, smile small. Na only for market you go get this kind family.

I bring out the ninety naira wey remain, gently put am inside basin of egusi seed.

"Give me ninety naira egusi seed."

The woman look me, face dey worry.

Her eye soft as she see my hand shake. Na so market dey—today you fit sell, tomorrow you fit cry.

"Sister, egusi seed no dey sell well, so we no get plenty."

"Person just buy some now, so we no get up to ninety naira own here."

She look the money, try negotiate.

Her voice dey beg, like say she no wan miss customer. For Naija market, na so dem dey.

"Make I ride go house bring more for you? My house no far, na just small time."

I agree, she tell her husband make e watch stall, carry the ninety naira, waka go.

As she dey waka, I dey look the dust for her wrapper. My heart dey calm, no rush. E remain small make breeze blow my mind off.

The man look us, then plug earpiece, dey press phone.

He just dey press phone like say e no send anybody. For this Naija, man dey use music drive away wahala.

Big Timi, wey don dey bored, start to gist with me.

E try lighten the mood, but market never quiet. Vendors dey quarrel for far side, and small pikin dey cry for gutter side.

"Mama, why you wan buy all these egusi seed?"

I look am, my eye soft small, as memory of my daughter flash me.

"My daughter like am."

"But your daughter..."

E stop, look away. Sometimes, person word fit cut your heart pass knife.

"She like am well when she still dey alive."

My chest tight, but I talk am. For Naija, you no fit cry for street, but e dey pain you reach bone.

Big Timi realize say e don talk wrong thing, laugh anyhow, turn face the man.

E rub neck, try pretend say e never talk wetin e talk. I just dey watch am.

The man smile, point Big Timi:

He laugh, "No mind am, my pikin dey do this show too for Facebook. Streamer people na the same everywhere."

"I sabi you, na that hundred naira street show you dey do."

E point camera, nod e head. "Na you be Big Timi, abi? I don dey see you for online."

"I don do am before, use the money buy many things."

"This your mama no dey carry last, spend everything for egusi seed."

The way e talk am, e dey play. I just smile, dey tap my bag small.

He carry cup, drink big gulp.

He swallow loud, then sigh. I just watch, my mind dey somewhere else.

As he drop cup, he look me, face change like person see spirit.

Him eyes wide, fear full him face, hand grab chest, slump for stall.

Sudden wahala. Na so life dey be for market—one minute laughter, next minute, wahala.

Big Timi shock, freeze for where e dey.

The air choke. Even the sun dim. I dey watch, no movement.

Comments dey rush:

"Streamer, this man face don dark, lips don purple—na heart attack!"

"Quick, find him medicine, put under him tongue!"

Big Timi search the man body, turn stall upside down, nothing.

He dey panic, dey shake all the plastic bag, dey empty bottle. Some people for market dey shout advice.

The man try talk:

"Wife... wife..."

E voice faint, e dey struggle, eyes dey close.

Big Timi slap him thigh.

"Ewo! Na the wife carry the medicine!"

Panic grip everywhere. The man dey sweat, mouth dey open, but help far.

My hand shake, but my face no change. For this Lagos, if you show fear, dem fit blame you.