Finding Home II
Day 2
I loved flying to England, the journey wasn’t too stressful and because it was not the peak travel period the plane wasn’t full. I slept most of the way because the combination of my asthma and cabin pressure messes things up for me really badly. When the plane finally landed, I got out my Ankara duffle bag from the overhead cabin and headed out. Unlike the Nigerian Airport the whole process was quick and in about forty five minutes I was out looking for a card with my name. After searching for what seemed like twenty minutes but was probably only five, I spotted an iroko tree of a human being. Being short or brief like mum likes to describe it, I understood why I had been looking for so long. I walked toward him and he blinked in disbelief. Before saying anything I brought out my International passport as proof of my identity.
“Hi, you have my name on your card, so I guess hello. Here's my ID for proof” I said with a confident smile.
After reading the name and cross checking two or three times, he blinked in bewilderment and handed the passport back to me.
“Well hello O-ni-ya-wu-e-b-e, I am Edward” he said with obvious difficulty sounding my name out.
“Hi Edward, my name is Onyawoibi, but how about we try Oyibi?” I said smiling
“ O-yi-bee”
“Precisely”
He motioned to help me carry my luggage but I didn’t let him. I was perfectly capable of carrying it myself. I needed a hot bath and nice food but that was a dream away. The drive to the house was interesting, I learnt that he too was taking a gap year and would be going to bali for a week. He was the only child in the family so he offered me the chance to go with him. I said I just might take him up on it. He was going to Finland to pursue a degree in education and try to get certified there after the gap year so that was interesting too.
“I love Finnish educational practices. If only teachers were respected in Nigeria things would be different” I said
We talked back and forth for about thirty minutes. Then we arrived at a cute house surrounded by an expanse of shrubbery, I immediately spotted water leaves, ugwu and tomatoes. I was excited at the prospect of vegetable soup in the least bit. When we walked in I was pleasantly surprised at the minimalistic décor, the house had a monochrome vibe with differing hues of black, grey and touches of white in interesting places.
I noticed two adults in the kitchen so idoma tradition kicked in, as soon as Edward called their attention. I genuflected as I greeted them. Both of them froze and looked at each other.
“Welcome to our house, we take it that’s how you greet at home?” The man asked perplexed
“Yes” I said giggling.
The woman beckoned me and gave me a really calming hug
“ou must be tired from all that travelling, would you like a hot bath?” she spoke with an African accent tinted in an English lilt.
I nodded in excitement.
“Edward please take her to her room and show her the bathroom. We turned the heater on a while back so she should have warm water” she said
In my head, I tried to place her origin based on the accent and physical appearance. She was the colour of lindt dark chocolate, about an inch or two taller than me with thick 4c hair. She was definitely African but I couldn’t place the country yet. I`d better just ask rather than destroy brain cells trying to figure this out I said to myself.
As I made to follow Edward, he stopped abruptly, looking over his shoulder he said
“her name is O-yi-bee”
“that’s a beautiful name sweetness, you can call me Mum or Meg” she said smiling
“ I’m Dave” the man matching her smile.
“ Okay! thank you Meg and Dave for having me” I was already beginning to like them.