I Saw Paapi

I saw paapi. Yes, I saw him. He was standing under that mango tree, the one in front of our compound. He was putting on his khaki shorts and that green polo that had a spider drawn in front of it and I don't know why but, he was putting on two different dun lop slippers. I saw paapi. With his head shining even in the moonlight. His choice of haircut still marvels me, but, it is his hair and his head. I saw paapi. I was just coming back from Ejiro's house where maami sent me to help her return some pots. I had been there all day, just returning pots. I noticed maami was trying to make me rush and mama Ejiro seemed surprised to see me bringing back her pots. I don't think maami told her I was bringing the pots back that day. However, I had to finally go to the market for her. Old women and their love for sending people on errands. Especially to that market!😒

I am seeing paapi now and I am seeing him very well this time. He is holding a girl. Wait, let me look closely. Ha! Its Ejiro's twin sister, Eseosa. That very ugly girl! I think she is the one holding paapi or, maybe, they are both holding each other. Well, whatever. Paapi is whispering something into her ears and she is laughing. I heared that this is what boyfriends and girlfriends do at night under mango trees. But, I thought paapi is too old to have a girlfriend? Paapi is my father and I have five elder brothers. Paapi has always warned them never to be seen under a mango tree with a girl, especially at night because only irresponsible people did that. So, paapi is irresponsible? Is irresponsible a good thing? Now, I have gotten tired of looking at them and I have to go inside to tell maami that I am hungry.

I am inside now and maami is on the mat with one man. He is the village palm wine tapper. Maami and him, Osagie are covered with maami's pink and blue wrapper and they are moving somehow. Maybe maami is sick. They havent seen me and I don't want to enter because maami always warned me not to ever enter into a place where two adults are.

Now, I'm in my room and Im hungry. I want to eat but, I cannot go to the pot because I am not yet ten years old. Maami has to finish what she is doing so that she can give me food to eat.

So, I have begun to count how many straws my mat has. One, two, three...

I saw paapi...