Once you become a standstill gamer for you to to be immuned you had to intertwine your fingers.
It became a habit. We got so used to it as kids that our fingers were always intertwined.
While playing football, going on errands for mum?and even in our sleep. You might be sleeping and you would've told to standstill. Double wahala for dead body. The game was so ruthless.
So on a very good day myself and my guys decided we needed to join the Standstill game. There were 5 of us. And sooooo......we decided to create a pact.
Everyone one of us knew the rules. Anyone with fingers not crossed will be asked to standstill for as long as the master wants. You can only move when you hear "release".
Looking back now, I legitly think this game was a ruthless one. Imagine standing still for 8 hours? Am I a robot? 😩
That period everyone was on high alert. I was too. Crossing the road I had my fingers crossed. Running errands for mum, I had my fingers crossed. Going to church, I had my fingers crossed. Nobody wanted to be caught off guard. Members of the crew were always on the look out for fingers not crossed. Waiting for the right time to strike.
So on this particular day we were coming back from school, talking about the Business Studies teacher who we thought wore a bicycle seat on his head and Ruth the girl we thought was too ugly and so was always given the 'devil roles' in the school drama.
The conversation was going on amidst laughter when a friend's uncle saw us and invited us to come get ice cream from the vendor on the other side of the road.
We were all joyfully about to cross the road. You know how much kids loved ice cream na. Then I heard the scariest and most traumatizing words at the time " Jojo, stand still."
Ha. For real? At this crucial time? 🥺🥺🥺
I first looked at my fingers. Not crossed. Ah! I have messed up o. At that point I knew I have dissppointed myself.
Looked like my whole word was crumbling. Wanted to cry but it seems like the tears too were standing still with me in solidarity.
I turned back just to look at the kill joy that asked me to stand still. "Uchechi really? Of all times this is when you choose to show your tyranny? Asking me to standstill at this crucial moment thereby denying an african child a sachet of ice cream? Guy you are wicked " 😔😔😔
I swore silently for Uchechi in my mind. And if those words were to be taken seriously, today should have been Uchechis 20th memorial on earth.
But Uchechi was hardened. He didn't try to pardon me. He just looked at me like "Stand still joor" while he sucked his ice cream and made sure the sounds from his lips were audible for me to hear. Oh how I hated him at that moment.
I looked at them from the other side of the road while I tried to control my tears.
"Its just ice cream, be a man, don't cry."
After they were done, they came back to me and Uchechi released me.
I adjusted my shirt and made to leave.
"You have done your own. No problem. You have won the battle but not the war."
So the days that ensued were the most careful days for me. I always kept myself in check.
Uchechi had taken the game so far. Why deny me ice cream just for a game. At this point I had to sit up because it was clear the weapons of my warfare are not carnal. It was clear I was dealing with principalities and power. Wickedness in high places.
At some point I even had to use tape to hold my fingers together. Yeah! You heard me. You see, because the birds have learnt to jump without perching, I have also learnt to shoot without timing. Desperate times calls for desperate measures you know. 😪
Every now and then I had my eyes fixated at Uchechi. I wanted to get my pound of flesh back. I was waiting for him to loose guard a bit.
But that was never going to happen, the guy was more than period. His fingers were always crossed. At some point I felt like he was born with his fingers like that. . This can't be na. No be juju be that?
So I got tired. And left Uchechi to God. Taking solace in what the good book states in Exodus 14 : 4 ; that He will fight for us ....😒
So days passed. And weeks. Then this day in school, it was a Wednesday. So we set out to go play football. All of us with our fingers crossed. Yeah. It has become part of us now.
As we were playing, a beautiful girl was passing by. I remember her so well. Her name was Angela. Angela was so fine. She looked like all those girls in the pages of catalogues. Little wonder she was Uchechi's crush.
In school back then, the only way to get a girl is in the pitch. Score goals and she will be screaming your name.
She paused to watch us play and we were all determined to win her.
Once Uchechi got the ball and he tried to channel his inner Messi only to hear " Stand still. Don't move."
And hey. That wasn't me. That was Bello.
The Lord decided to use Bello to fight my battle. Miracle working God 🥺🥺😩🙌
Uchechi in bid to wow his crush had forgotten to cross his fingers. And now he will be crushed under the eyes of his crush. 😋😌
He stood still on the spot while we all played football. Trying to outdo each other just to get noticed by Angela.
Remember scoring a goal and doing the suuuui celebration in front of Uchechi while he sobbed. It was so sweet. I enjoyed feasting on his tears.
I had missed out on a sachet of ice cream and Uchechi had missed out on getting closer to his crush. We are at par now. It was fulfilling for me.
Indeed God always keeps to his word. He fought for me and he delivered my enemy straight into my hands . And it was wonderful and a marvelous sight to behold. 😌😋🥱