It was on Sunday evening and they were set to go in three bicycles available- Ola doesn't have one - in order to resume school on Monday. The weekend coincided with the new yam festival anually held to celebrate the beginning of harvesting season. This is always greeted with a lot of food, majorly pounded yam and drinks.
Previously in the morning, Ola had engaged in a drinking sprees with his peers. Though the spirit was bitter, Ola was gulping it in as if he was taking a soft drink. The volume one could consume is a point of bragging among the peers and Ola didn't want to "carry last", a term used to refer to someone trying not to take the last position in a ranking. They drank to stupor and here they are facing the daunting task of returning to the town on their bicycles.
Ola is to go with Ade on his bicycle while the remaining two people go on their individual bicycles.
Your eyeballs are red and your stamina is obviously weak, sit on the rear seat while I ride the bicycle. Ade said to Ola.
Ola sat on the rear seat while Ade pedaled the bicycle. The front wheel of the bicycle was alternating the narrow pathway and the surrounding bushes. The relaxed position of Ola is also causing imbalance of the bicycle. Every leaves along the pathway became attractive to Ola.
What are you riding? You nearly fell us in a pothole. You are drunk and I won't allow you to injure me. Stop and let me ride.
Ade obliged immediately and handed over the bicycle to Ola.
Ola sat on the rider's seat, took a deep breath with one leg on one of the pedals pair and the other on ground to balance the standing position.
It took him few minutes to decide how to get the bicycle moving. The effect of the spirit is now at its peak. The bushes are in high constant speed in the imagination of Ola.
The ground is full of potholes - the one in front of the wheel being very deep and wide. This is in the realm of another world, what can best be termed as imagination.
With his eyes closing and opening at intervals, he was viewing the atmosphere as though rain is about to fall. Just as he pedal the first time, Ola lost control and headed straight to the bush along the path. Within the twinkle of eye, both friends were finding their ways out of the thorns inside which they had fell.
This experience made them to reach an agreement on how to continue the journey.
We will be pushing this at intervals. Ade who was better in his mental alertness suggested.
They both continued to push the bicycle to the surprise of every person that crossed their path.
Ola got home and went straight to bed but not quite long, he developed a running stomach and he needed to visit the toilet immediately. His stomach came with so much vigorous uneasiness that he rushed out to visit a nearby bush - about 100 metres away. The spirit control left Ola at that point but his effort to go far into the light forest proved abortive as he barely cross the culvert before squatting.
People were passing and wondering what would have gone wrong to find Ola in the position of open defecation. Ola knew what he was doing is wrong but his mental state is in an opposite direction with rationality.
It was in this position that Ene, who was returning from farm with her mother met Ola, her classmate.
Ola, good evening. Ene greeted
This greetings cleared the eyes of Ola instantly. He had wished the ground open so that he would enter. Ene is his classmate that he had been showing advances. The shame is inexplicable.
Ola was short of what to say. He immediately stood up, with his face soaked with sweats, and found his way home.
This is the height of embarrassment. A girl I so much love and trying to convince to date me meeting me in that position. How will I cope with the outcome in school tomorrow?
Ola was disappointed in himself. He arrived school the following morning with a cold feet. He wasted no time to call Ene to discuss with her to hold what she saw confidential. Ene gave the assurance.
The fear of the issue escalating to other students soon made Ola to influence his parents to change his school.
Thank God that I am given another chance. Henceforth, I have nothing doing with spirit. I will be enlightening people on the effect of excessive consumption of spirit.
Ola concluded.