Chapter 5: Pepper Delivery and Dirty Gist

Three days later, the package land. I nearly run go collect am. But as I enter package station, students for line just scatter. Some cover mouth dey whisper. Some dey use phone snap me. Others just dey pinch nose dey run.

Their own na just to dey form committee for people's matter. Even the ones wey I dey greet before, now dey look me like say I be leper. Nobody even wan stand near me, dem dey fear say if dem breathe my air, dem go carry wahala.

"Pickup for 3685."

I show my phone for window. The dispatch guy look up, face white. He use only two fingers hold the package, drop am for counter like bomb, then carry sanitizer spray dey bath himself.

"Wetin dey worry you?"

I grab the package before e fall. Dispatch guy purse mouth, shift back.

"Carry your thing go. See as I jam bad luck today! Na who send me work this morning?"

"I go report your attitude!"

"Report?"

He raise voice.

"Go report! People like you, dey spread dirty disease—wetin bad if I disinfect after you touch something? Everybody know your dirty secret now!"

The gossip dey loud. I hear things like "forum" and "sugar baby."

E pain me reach bone. My hand dey shake as I open campus forum. Right for top, I see pinned post:

[Confirmed: Female student Ngozi from Economics Department dey sell herself, dey spread syphilis]

The post get nine photos: me bend down, enter one black Range Rover wey get Lagos plate number—dem no show the number, but na my face clear; one shot for hospital gate; dem even list price of my daily clothes and bags...

The camera angle too sharp. My face clear, but other people own and car number plate blur. The poster dey fear strong person—so e face me, easy target.

Na so e dey for this country—if you no get mouth, dem go run your matter anyhow. Even my own people, some wey I help before, now dey drop comment. Dem dey form holier-than-thou, dey claim dem get morals.

The comment section worst. One "insider" swear say I dey deliver "goods" every Friday. Likes don pass one thousand.

I just hiss, screenshot everything. Then I send the link to my papa.

"Daddy, dem don catch you as my sponsor."

Three seconds later, my papa call.

My papa voice thunder for phone: "Ngozi, who dey try spoil our family name? Dem no know say when goat enter market, e carry owner wahala join! I go call school principal now. Make dem go police station if need be."

After I finish, I also report that dispatch guy.

For my mind, e no go pass like this. My papa don teach me say if person push you, push back.