Chapter 4: Restless Spirit, Restless House

Wild spirit papa no fit rest for one second.

Na so so restless wahala. If e no dey talk, e dey sing. If e no dey sing, e dey shout. I dey suspect say na madness dey worry am.

Sometimes he go dey talk anyhow, sometimes dey cry or dey laugh alone.

People for village begin dey ask me wetin dey happen. I just dey dodge question.

I dey worry say e get problem for head.

Sometimes I dey peep, dey wonder if na old age dey worry am or na spirit wahala.

Just hear wetin he dey talk—

“The three things wey go make person wey cross over rich: soap, mirror, and how to make salt.”

If na true say na so, why e no bring am come? I just dey shake head.

“But see me now, empty hand, no get anybody, no fit find raw material… Abeg, forget am.”

He go sidon for doorstep, dey sigh like man wey miss last bus go Lagos.

“Make I try dey sell food for market?”

He go reason am, then frown face, dey shake head like goat wey stubborn.

“…Tch, I just sabi chop and watch, who send me to remember recipe? Forget.”

E mean say e no even sabi how to cook well, na so e dey forget recipe. E dey make me laugh inside.

After I hear all this, I just shake head waka go.

I no get strength for this kain spirit. E no go rest, na only to dey find short cut.

This wild spirit no get patience for better life.

For this village, if you no get handwork, you go chop last. Wild spirit papa no sabi hustle at all.

No dey cut wood, no dey farm, just dey waka waka, lazy anyhow.

My neighbours dey laugh me say I carry wahala for head. But na my cross.

One day hunger go finish am.

I dey wait make hunger humble am, make e return to real world.