Should I tell you my first experience on a bike with my Dad without wrapping myself around his waist? You know those times when we were very young, especially for one whose dad has a bike just like me. Because we were so young, we were advised to always hold our daddy tightly while on the bike so we don't fall or fly off due to the breeze as my body was so flexible then. It was that time I decided not to hold my dad and I felt so excited because it was my first experience on a bike without holding anything as a child. Hahaha. I won't be going there. Something funnier is about to go down....come with me.
It was in the year 2017 when the school where I taught planned to take the pupils out on an excursion at the end of the year. The school usually do their Christmas Carol in school at the end of the year, but this time around, the principal with the staff, after much deliberation decided to take them out to make it different and also to visit a shopping mall where the children can have fun in the outside world. We planned the day and informed all parents during one of the PTA meetings which they agreed to because, to them, it was a great idea for the kids to go out on an excursion.
Thankfully, parents paid their children's fees and no one was left out. D-day arrived and we took off our journey to the Ikeja Shopping Mall in Lagos. It was my first time there even when other staff were blushing and sharing experiences of being there before. The mall is a big place. With the help of all the teachers, we brought out the pupils from the school bus, paid for the necessary tickets and were allowed in. The whole place was so cool and cold due to the air conditioners everywhere, the environment was welcoming and I also loved how the staff there approached us warmly.
The first place our proprietor chose was going upstairs using the lift. I'd never used one before. Though children weren't allowed to use the elevator then due to the reason that they were too small, she (the proprietor) suggested that all staff would use the elevator, we would all rotate it because she didn't want us to leave the children alone by themselves.
As she sat down on one of the long chairs placed for people to sit and relax while the staff were laughing and choosing who would go up first as we pointed at each other, what I heard next got me perplexed. She looked at me and said, "Miss Busayo, Miss Peace (a colleague) and one other teacher should go first." As I faked my smile at her, I was nervous within me. "I'd never used a lift before" was the statement I said and she said I would learn today. All the staff chorused in laughter.
I became so nervous and was shaking that my legs were wobbling. I wasn't able to control myself but Peace held my hand tightly and told me, "You can do it" I looked into her eyes and whispered, "Why me?" She burst into laughter because my expression was funny to her.
It was time to climb. I didn't know I would need to just stand on one of the steps while the machine took me up, but as I placed a leg on the step and the other leg was still behind me. My thought was to climb like a normal staircase, I didn't know the machine was already working and unexpectedly, I fell backwards to the ground because I was caught off guard. The place became silent because the sound of my fall was loud, those who were talking to their partners, and those who were buying something stopped and saw the scene. I felt so embarrassed. Instead of the staff to say sorry, they were laughing because it was funny. Peace had already gone up and I could see her laughing so hard.
Our proprietor with a smile came to pull me up and I heard other people around smiling while saying sorry alongside; it was funny to them. I couldn't lift my head, especially knowing some young guys, perhaps my crush was there watching 😆
I was consoled and a man walked up to us, grabbed my hand and took me up, and at that instant, I learnt how to use the lift. I wanted to try the second time but our proprietor changed the plan because of the incident. We went to another section to get food for the children to eat. It was an amazing experience after all and was able to learn that one just needs to stand while the machine takes them up to wherever they are going.
After that, I used an elevator the second time when I went with my sister to the airport when she was travelling to Germany in March, this year and it was like a beautiful adventure to me even though it only lasted some seconds.
Image 1 designed on Canva || 2
