KASARACHI
Kasarachi - Episode 12
(Tell it to God)
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when I came out and saw the mess that was created by the recklessness of the driver
Fruits such as apples, cucumbers, oranges, watermelon, pawpaw, and pineapples was littered everywhere on the ground.
Some of the people out of the crowd that gathered were trying to gather the few undamaged ones into a bowl. About six children there packed the ones their hands could reach and ran away with it
It's obvious that the fruits is somebody's market. So the driver was on his knees begging the people to please pardon him
There was a fallen table which I'm guessing is where the fruits were kept for sale before the taxi collided with it and turned it over
Someone from the crowd was on a call, he was shouting at the top of his voice so it was easy to hear him clearly from where I stood.
The man was telling whoever he was speaking to at the other end of the call to come and see how ruined her market is.
It was then I realized that the actual owner of the items was not amongst the crowd. She must have stepped out and left her wares in the protective eyes of the man.
I was scared I wouldn't lie. I mean it's my first day in this city for Christ's sake!
Yet an unpleasant incident is the first thing that I am being welcomed with.
First I narrowly escaped a serious accident a while ago and now somebody's market ended up being damaged accidentally.
Is this supposed to be a bad sign or what...? What in the name of a bad luck is this one..?
Inasmuch as I know that the driver is to be blamed and he will likely be the one paying for the damages, I am still scared of being dragged into this trouble as his passenger.
So I joined the driver to beg the crowd on his behalf but they ignored our pleas, and kept standing there to watch us like hawks so we wouldn't run away.
Instead they asked us to wait until the owner comes and then she will decide what we'll do next, if we are to pay for the damages or to forget about paying for them.
I felt pity for the taxi driver so I was praying in my heart that the woman should be a kind woman who will let this slide.
Meanwhile the way I had hit my head on the window was so fatal.
I kept feeling slight pains there but I ignored it to focus on the current drama
I didn't even know I had sustained a wound on my forehead. It's not until blood started dripping down and stained the top of my dress that I realized the window injured me
My heart skipped many beats when I heard a woman's loud voice.
"Who is that son of a finished man who spoiled my market eh...? Ikedi where is the person you called to tell me about...?"
I haven't seen her yet but from her distanced speeches, I could ascertain that she is the owner we've been told to wait for.
So I stopped worrying over the wound and concentrated on the situation at hand.
"...abeg excuse me. Let me go and meet that unfortunate being that wants to be unfortunate today" The woman said brashly as she tried pushing her way through the crowd to get to where we were standing
She wasn't entirely visible but from her brash way of speaking, I smelt trouble.
I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that she was a no-nonsensical rude person, who is not going to let this slide without payment for every single item destroyed.
The woman eventually ran in from my back after pushing her way through the crowd
She is chubby and physically endowed. She's also neatly dressed and doesn't look like a typical market woman at all.
Since she was backing me, I couldn't see her face to describe how she looks facially.
The moment she came to the scene, she was raging verbally as she asked the crowd who it was that had knocked her wares down.
They pointed at the taxi driver who was still on his knees pleading seriously
The woman sprang into action immediately!
She went to the driver and dragged him by the collar of his shirt to get up.
The woman blurted out in pidgin language and slightly tightened her hands on his shirt
"So na you push my things down. Oga you are paying for all this fruits or else I will organize guys here to cease this your yeye taxi wey I sure sey the engine don knock! Not just that oh...you go sleep for police station this night"
"It's an accident madam. I was trying to avoid colliding with a truck after I entered a pothole...and that's when my car hit your table in the opposite direction. I'm so sorry..." The driver tried explaining and apologizing. He was also helplessly trying to free himself from her grip but to no avail
The woman rudely cut his words short when she replied with a harsh voice devoid of any iota of pity or sensitivity
"That English wey you talk no concern me oh. What I know is that you are paying for my market...and everything in total is fifteen thousand nine hundred naira(15,900). So bring it out now"
She outstretched her hands and from the mischievous smirk on her face, I could actually tell that she was lying about the total prices of the fruits. I suppose she wants to utilize this opportunity to inflate their prices for her selfish gains.
Mama sold fruits at the market in the village so I can easily tell the worth of some fruits and vegetables. But then it's very possible that things are different here in the city.
I just feel like she is not telling us the actual price of the damaged goods.
Besides not all of them were damaged. Some are still in good condition although a higher percentage of them are ruined.
"Ah! Jesus madam please. That money wey you talk I no dey even make am in a month. I'm sorry. Abeg tamper justice with mercy. I take God beg you" The driver said pleadingly almost going on his knees again
"Who God and mercy help for this matter...? Ikedi call the boys to come. It is as if this man is daring me to do my worst" She spoke out loud and this time she is directing it to the man who called her earlier.
The man she spoke to nodded his head and left probably to do her bidding I don't know. I'm more scared now. My God! This woman seems to be more dangerous than I thought
"No madam. Okay I'll give you five thousand naira...it's all that I have now please" The driver said while bringing out a few naira notes from his pocket and handed it to her
The woman snatched the money from his hands but still kept on ranting amidst the pleas from the crowd for her to calm down
"Is five thousand naira money...? Oga you still have like ten thousand nine hundred naira to balance me. So better start bringing out the complete money if you don't want all the nuts in my brain to break loose right now!" She blurted out ungratefully
I was just humbly standing behind her and quietly watching the whole drama unfolding before me
It was getting dark and somehow I pitied the driver whose constant pleas fell on deaf ears.
The woman seems to be so ungrateful and ruthless not to even appreciate what she was given before and let him go free.
I wanted to join the driver to plead with the owner to forgive and forget, but I decided not to talk for fear of being dragged into his mess
I don't know what he told the woman that made her turn to scan behind her while still holding tightly onto his shirt collar
The driver pointed at me and I'm guessing he is saying to her that I am the passenger he was driving before this happened.
The woman looked at me angrily and it was then I got to see her face completely.
I have to admit that facially she is a fine young lady which doesn't fit her rudeness.
I heaved heavily as I readjusted my head gear so I could start apologizing to her. And probably absorb whatever insults she will throw at me considering her razz personality.
Looking at her more closely, my words hung in the air as I realized something.
Wait a minute! I think I actually know her.
At first I was wondering if it's her lookalike but then the resemblance is just too striking
To confirm if she's truly who I think she is, I ran to where I kept my bag at the trunk of the taxi. I opened it and carried my bag out.
I unzipped the smallest part at the side of the bag and brought out a photograph, that was given to me by mama before I left the motor park.
I looked from the photograph to the person standing before me and the resemblance is exactly the same, not much differences except for the dreadful tattoos on her both arms.
From the way her eyes softened, I could tell that she also recognized who I was which means that she is exactly who I think she is
"Aunty Tochi...?" I called to be sure it is her
"My name is Fiona...not Tochi. Any problem girl...? Do I know you...? See, tell your taxi driver to pay me my money or I'll bundle you two to the station and cease the taxi" She said nonchalantly and in her usual rude manner of talking
Is she deliberately denying me or is it not her for real...?
Well it could be that I'm wrong but I'm still not convinced. I need to clear my confusion
I walked closer to meet her where she stood dragging the driver. I tried explaining more on who I was, if maybe she'll recognize me
"Aunty Fiona it's me oh. My name Kasarachi from..." I couldn't even finish when I heard
"I said I do not know you young girl! My name is Tochichukwu. Tochi for short!" She said rudely and pushed me so hard such that I staggered but thank God I didn't fall
The pains from the wound on my forehead intensified and started hurting me afresh.
Sighing in disappointment, I decided to leave her alone and go on my way
And that's when I got the biggest shock of my life by what she did next..
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH'S HEART stories)
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