TRANSITION

The boy last night. It was based on father's advice. I had to, he said someday I would understand, and then I would appreciate and love him for it. He said it was necessary for my growth process, a ritual that signals the birth of a new Era, a new phase - "a pathway to a new beginning" as he puts it.

Mum wouldn't want it, she wouldn't agree to such a decision, there was so much heaviness in her face when I finally agreed to do it. She's a mother afterall, or maybe it was because she feared more, of what would happen next, that if things went wrong the future would be bleaker and the days darker. She wouldn't see the necessity of the action not when there was an easy way out. The uncertainty that came with such decisions was something we all feared. I also needed. I also needed a soft landing - someone that would give me a cozy hug and commend my cowardice. I had just one shot to shoot, hit or miss my whole life changes forever, consulting my closest grey hair was the best decision I had taken since all of this started.

And so I had run to father that night with a heavy and confused heart to seek fatherly counsel, for a heart
-heart talk between the son and his father, hoping to
get clarity, support, and just anything that would
bring me out of my Nile of misery and fear.

I sat on the chair facing his bed and emptied my mind before this fairly ancient being, who looked back with an astonishingly stern calmness as he listened ardently to every word I said.

BLACK PANTHER

Two broke friends saved up 3,500 naira to see the blockbuster movie 'Black Panther'. The problem they had was that the money will only be enough for one of them. They decided to hatch a plan. The slimmer friend was going to get into a big luggage. The other friend will zip the bag and claim that he goes everywhere with the bag.

The slimmer friend,Ben, got into the bag, squeezed himself into the bag and Alex zipped the bag. As they got to the entrance of the cinema, Alex ran into his high-school crush and was so shy to tell the security guard that he moves everywhere with a big luggage. The security noticed his confusion and asked,'sir, may I help you with your bag, please? We have a store room that is well secured where we'll keep it for you'.

Alex reluctantly said, 'Yes'
The Security collected the bag, lifted it and noticed that it was unusually heavy.
'sir, please for security purpose, could you please tell us the content of your bag'
Nervously, Alex responded ' my personal effects. I was actually travelling out of town when a friend called me that I had to come urgently to the cinema'.
The security who was not convinced asked 'May I please double check, just to be sure?
'Ahn Ahn, can't I have my privacy again?
 'okay'the security pulled the bag, 'I'll just carry the bag to the store,thank you.

Alex watched as the security man pulled the bag away towards the end of the walk way. He watched helplessly and wished hebhad never played the prank