"28th December is Christmas Day"

"Honk,Honk" was the sound of the horn of the Mollue bus that woke me up this morning. "Oshodi, Oshodi, Oshodi wole with your 200Naira change, i no get change o" were the words of the bus conductor screaming for passangers to get on board his bus. His screams were similar to the cries of agony of ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ woman in labour. "Splash!" was the sound of the dirty water from the pothole on the road falling on my skin when the huge tyres of the bus dived into it."Puf, Puf, Puf" was the sound of smoke coming out of the wide exaust pipe of the bus and heading in my direction. And "Toohoorr" was the sound of my throat about to cough out my lungs after inhaling the smoke. You may ask where am i that all this is happening to me. My name is Chukwudi and i live under Ojuelegba bridge. By this time last year i was in the village where I belong. Going to the farm and helping out my parents in whatever way. I was through with secondary school and that was it about school for me. I was looking for something productive to do with my life. I had my school certificate, i had my muscles, all ‎​i needed was ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ job. Uncle Emeka came home for Christmas alone and when he was going back asked my parents to let me come stay with him in Lagos. I leaped for joy when he told me. I almost ran round the village. The prospect of going to the city (Lagos) made me dance better than King David in the bible. There was no music tho but danced on. My last days in Umuaku village i lived like ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ king. Commanding people around, buying things on credit with the promise to pay in ten folds as i was going to the promise land, the land of opportunities, the land flowing with pounds and dollars. Little did i know one year later, i wud be ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ member of one of the largest community of homeless people in Lagos. We got to Lagos and I met his wife. They were married for two years and had no kids yet. I could swear she winked at me the first time she saw me. Trouble. She bought me lots of stuff and told me not to tell my uncle. I didn't. Next she was making passes at me, rubbing me, begging me to sleep with her. I pushed her to the floor and made her see that i would never betray my Uncle Emeka, only for her to raise an alarm that i was about to rape her. She screamed an tore her clothes to get evidence against me. She brought out all that she bought for me and told my Uncle that I was ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ thief, stealing his money to buy things. Uncle gave me the beating of my life and threw me out. Now I'm on the streets. The cold night has become my airconditioning, torn up indomie carton laid on the tarred road is now my bed. Three days ago was the 25th of December, christmas day they call it but for me, NO. One eats chicken and rice on christmas, one spends time with family, one laughs ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ lot and goes to parties, but all i had was pure water, curses form my housemates, tears of sorrow, and regret. Today is the 28th of december and the sound of ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ mollue bus woke me up. I expected the day to go by just like that but something happened. It was unbelievable. Father christmas happened. ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ man was passing by and dropped 1000naira without even knowing. I pounced on it like ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ mad man. I screamed for joy like ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ barren woman who just did ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ test and realised she was pregnant, like the captain of ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ world cup winning team, like ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ cat who had just been handed ‎​​​​A̶̲̥̅ rat. Tears filled my eyes. I was actually going to eat chicken and rice. My day was made, my season was made, my christmas is today. "The 28th of December is Christmas day"....