Must Read: NYSC Tale: A Clarion Call To Confusion (18+)

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: NYSC Tale: A Clarion Call To Confusion (18+)

The next morning started off bad for me. I woke up when I heard the clarion but just like a few others, I decided to sleep more instead of going to the parade ground. I was still enjoying the early morning sleep when someone shook me vigorously. Opening my eyes, I was partially blinded by the rays of a flash light which was focused on my face. I winced and made to cover my face before I heard an order,
“Otondo, move to the door and join your mates.”

I jumped down from the bed grumbling.

As he left to wake other sleepers like me, I dressed up and went to meet others. At the door was another soldier with about ten corps members and I, making then eleven. We could hear the soldier inside waking and commanding others still inside to come and join us.

After they rounded us up, they marched us in a single file to the parade ground. I was thinking the raid happened only in my hostel but behold on getting to the parade ground, my thoughts were proved wrong as it happened in all the hostels.

They gathered us before the stage at the parade ground while the state coordinator started cursing us from our past 10th generation. She called us all the names she could find in her dictionary from rats to hippopotamus, from idiots to foolish idiots, mad people to lazy baboons etc.

After pouring out her venoms on us, she asked the camp commandant to divide us into groups and seize our tags. She said that as a punishment to serve as a warning to others who might want to tow our lines that we were going to commence on a three days camp cleaning after which we would get our tags back.

Just my first time of trying to skip morning parade and it landed me into compound cleaning. I don’t know why any time I try to do what others do and go scot free, I get caught.

They divided us into six groups and seized our tags after assigning us to different camp officials. Each official led his/her own group to a different part of the camp, that’s how we started with compound cleaning.

To make matters worse, my own group leader made it compulsory that we will sign in before we commence the compound cleaning and sign out after and that was the height of my frustration. Well, just like they said, every disappointment is a blessing in disguise.

After the compound cleaning, I went to the hostel and heard my shower before going for breakfast. While I headed to Mami, I called Shania and coincidentally she was in Mami market also. I asked for her location but she was reluctant in giving it to me so I told her to meet me where I usually eat my meals whenever she was through with what or whoever she was with. I couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to give me her location but I have had a lot that morning to allow that one trouble my mind.

As I headed to the café, coincidentally, my eyes went to another popular café before the one I was headed to, behold Shania with one Kendy guy who has been making a little wave in the camp and some other guys. She was eating while the guys were drinking.

I walked by to settle the worms already revolting in my tummy before disturbing my mind with some girl issues. As I settled to eat my mind kept going back to Shania and the guys. I felt like something heavy was placed on my chest and for some moments, I found it hard breathing properly. If she had told me where she was, I wouldn’t have been feeling like crap that moment, but knowing that it was because of some guy that she was being reluctant with telling me where she was made me feel worse. I lost my appetite and pushing the food aside, I ordered for a bottle of Harp.

After downing the first bottle, I ordered for another. I wasn’t drinking to forget what I saw, but I just wanted to relax my nerves.

When I was through with the second bottle, I paid and just as I was about to leave she started calling me. I wanted to reject her call but on a second thought I decided against it and answered. She asked for my location which I gave to her. I sat back waiting for her.

“What’s up?” she asked sitting opposite me across the table.

“I’m good, you?”
“I’m cool, was with some friends when you called me.”

“Is that why you couldn’t tell me where you where?”

“Must I tell you?”
“And by the way who are these friends that you were with?”

Scoffs “do I now owe you explanations to all my activities in camp?”

“What’s all this about Shania, are you pissed with me over something?” I asked staring her in the eye balls.

After staring me back in the eye balls for a while, she looked away and picked her phone.

“Are you going to just pick up your phone while I’m talking to you?” I asked annoyed.

“What is your problem? Do you want to talk?
Fine.

What is it with you and that Purity girl?”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked surprised.

“Exactly what I meant by asking, the question is simple.”
“You know that there is nothing between us.”
“Do I? I don’t know no Sh*t. What happened yesterday? You guys spent the whole evening together. You couldn’t even call me, and you tell me that nothing is happening between you guys.”

“Is that why you are putting up this behavior?”
“Is it not worth it?”
“So because you saw me with Purity last night or maybe she probably told you that I was with her, that’s the reason for your attitude and in order to spite me, you decided to go hanging out with your own people.

After all, what business of mine is it right?”
“I did nothing to spite you, was just hanging out with friends.”
“You didn’t see me yesterday, did you call?”
“I didn’t need to call, I knew you were having a swell time with your female friends.”
“So of all the people, you decided to join the Kendy group?”

“Do I now have people I’m restricted from going out with?”

“No not at all, you can move around with anybody you want ok.”
“Fine.” She said with a note of finality and stood up. I stood up and we left the café like strangers.

I was pissed that she refused to tell me where she was but on seeing her with the Kendy group, I got more pissed. Kendy according to the story making rounds in camp is a guy that moves around with many girls. The person you see him with today is not the same person you will see him with tomorrow. Stories also had it that he has slept with a handful of the girls he always go out with.

I wasn’t worried that Shania was going out with him but what will my friends think when they see her with him. I’ve never had a face to face encounter with the Kendy guy, but his arrogance and personality is not something I think I can be able to condone.

We parted after we left Mami not talking to each other. As I left for my hostel I was boiling down in my heart with anger. If she had decided to play games with me, fine, I will square it up with her.