Perspectives

14

Ken
Bed,my house

I was on my bed trying to solve some math equation, you know something about math, math was definitely a bitch.

My door knob turned and I snapped from the opened notebooks and textbooks slurred around my bed giving it a messy look.

I am not a messy person, never, but you see something with maths, I didn't even know when I mess the whole bed with books and everything and I still had other assignments piled up, maybe I should just text Dozie, the geek would have probably finished all his assignments and then he was probably reading a boring novel.

There were only two people that could open my door without knocking, my dad and my mum and i fixed my eyes on the door, waiting for one of them to pop in and well like I guessed, he came in, my dad.

He poked his head first as though he was expecting an invitation, fuck it, my dad didn't need any invitation, he simply barged in whenever he likes and put me in a bad mood, I was sure that was his purpose here.

And then he barged in, like the boss he was, the boss he is.

My dad, Justice Nathaniel Obinna, the jagaban of Nigerian judiciary, one of the most feared no nonsense judges in the country, he had an intimidating look and as much as it made people shiver, it no longer had an effect on me.

I was nothing like my dad, he had lots of flesh that I didn't, I guess I got my lanky body from mum and then he was really huge and dark skinned, bald and his eyes, somewhat conscending, he radiated arrogance without even trying, without even knowing. Perks of being a judge I guess.

He was now in my room, my lemon painted room that had only one large sticker of myself, of course, myself I wouldn't want any other person messing my wall.

My room was relatively large, a study table that I rarely never used, I preferred the softness of my bed. A large sound system, and then my wardrobe of baggy clothes that made my dad angry, angry cos I never wore cooperate wears.

"I told you to come to my chamber today" His eyes finally focused on me. I realized I wasn't wearing a shirt and my dad hated that, he found it, what was the word again? Yes, uncivilized.

I threw the shirt nearby over my body not caring if it was the abck or front. He didn't look impressed and I was yet to answer his question.

"I was busy with homeworks" I lied.

"Homeworks? Since 4?" He had that look now, the kind of looks he had when in court.

"Yes, lots of them"

"I see" He peered me, he knew I was lying and then he let out a humor less chuckle and stroked his beards.

"You seem to think you have a smooth tongue Ken. When i was your age, I was already familiar with my dad's chamber, I was serious with my life"

He paused and then observed me in that his sly way.

" But what are you doing with your time, jumping from one place to another, fighting seniors, listening to noise and jumping in the name of dancing"

It was evident that the dancing aspect of my dreams annoyed my dad the more.

"Tell me Ken, tell me, if it had been I was doing all that at my age, tell me if you would be attending a school such as St Louis ,tell me if you would be having vacations outside the country, wearing those expensive nonsense in the name of clothes"

Christ, this man was calling my Armani, Dior, Gucci and the rest nonsense, anyways thank God he acknowledged it was expensive.

"Tell me? You think life is about dancing and making noise and fighting? Is that what you think!" His voice went a little more higher.

He was not yet moving from that spot. We've had this conversation so many times, so many times since I was 14 till now, I was 18 for Christ sakes. We've being having the conversation ever since I wrote in my Junior year book I wanted to be a dancer and music producer.

Lord, my dad lost it that day. He totally lost it that day.

I knew he would jump off the roof when I probably tell him I don't see myself going to the university. Not now anyways,I wouldn't tell him now so I would live for a while.

"Music producer huh? I don't have a problem with that, you can practice law and do anything alongside but you are so unserious, so non chalant! "

His eyes were blazing now. He was still standing in front of  my bed and I was standing few meters away from him, staring at  the pile of books.

"I'm really sorry dad but the fact still remains that I don't want to be a lawyer"

" And why not?! "

" Cos I don't like it, I don't want to spend the rest of my life living your dreams, regretting and putting on some wig, I don't want it"I replied.

" Law is boring" I added under my breath but he heard it and glared at me,real hard

"You are so irresponsible" He yelled at me like that was going to make me change my mind

"Cos i don't want to study law? Leo can always study law,same with Ifeanyi"I replied back,I was tired,tired of the same conversation

"And what happens to you?" He asked slowly " what happens to you,you become the irresponsible elder brother right? that's what you want right?"

Lawyers and their manipulative tongues, I knew my dad , knew what he was heading at, like most Nigerian parents, once you weren't studying medicine, law or engineering then you were not serious with your life.

I didn't reply him. And then my saving grace came through when my mum walked into the room, she could feel the tension as I could, my dad looking down on me with angry eyes, like he really wanted to hit sense into me, but he knew better, hitting me was practically useless.

"Honey, let's go" My mum touched his arm softly.

My mum was my closest pal and she had probably heard the arguments and had come to save me. She wasn't against my dreams neither was she in support of it, she just stayed neutral.

"Honey" She called my dad softly again,he tore his gaze from me and listened to his wife and left my room, my mum gave me a pointed look and they both left.

My mum returned few minutes later, stood at my door, her hands across her chest and a pointed look on her face.

Mum was my look alike, light skinned, really slim, pointed nose and a lot of hair. She looked smallish somehow, like no one would ever believe she had given birth to any of us.

"Mum I didn't do anything" I tried to defend myself, raising my hand in the process for more emphasis.

She eyed my wearily and sat at the edge of my bed.

"Sit" She ordered and slowly I did.

Mum wasn't much of a talker just like me, I totally got lots of her traits and looks. She was quiet for a while.

" In as much as I don't see anything wrong with your passion, just don't exchange words with your father..."

" But I didn't do..." I paused when I realized she had shut her eyes,she had hated interruption and and when ever she closes her eyes, she definitely wasn't in a good mood and trust me when I said that my mum's anger was something else.

"Sorry mum" I apologised.

She opened her eyes slowly and cleared her throat.

"His still your father,his only looking out for you and the family business,he doesn't want you ending up as a nobody"

She held my chin up quietly and peered in my eyes,those eyes that were my undoing. Warm,brown and pool of warmness

"But mum,..." I paused cos she tilted her head sideways.

God,this woman had a lot of power over me.

"Maybe you should re seat and think about this baby,it's your future we are talking about"

She took her hands off,stood up and left me in my room with thousands of thoughts swirling in my head.

***