MY PILLOW OF GARI

Scene One Act One
I bolted out of school through Swanston House vía main field to watch “Fist of Fury” starring Bruce Lee at Scala Cinema. The year was 1973. I remember that I had a terror of a Teur by name Adejobi aka Odibo – mean guy. Many a night I passed under his bed, not counting countless times of stooping down and “olomokuyas”. This guy showed me pepper.
Back to my story:
I left the house grounds (Shamu) at around 8 pm during prep for the 9 to 12 mid night slot. I got to Sabo at around 9pm and was on the queue to purchase ticket. When it got to my turn to pay, I heard a baritone voice behind me say, “don’t bother to pay”. That voice was so familiar that I was rooted to the spot. It can’t be. I looked back, lo and behold, it was my Teur – the great “Odibo” himself. I am dead, I thought. I managed to force my way into the cinema hall and almost at the same time located the nearest exit point.
I rushed to the bus stop to get a bus heading to Apata, dropped off at the main field, navigated my way through the bush paths into Swanston House grounds, and quietly crept into my bed and tried to sleep. Unfortunately, the sleep refused to come. Exactly 12 midnight,I was tugged out of bed by almighty Odibo.
Where have you been? “Nowhere” came my response. “You mean I paid for a fairy in town.”
“I don’t know anything,” was my lame response. You can guess what happened that night. No sleep for me. When his mates were asking “Jingbo what have you done?” I answered “nothing.” My Teur would answer, “Kii gboran ni”.

Scene Two Act Two
I went home during the third term of Form 1, came back with lots of food, I especially Garium Sulphate (gari). I sneaked in during prep and decided to devise a means of not giving anybody my precious gari. I made the sack of gari as my pillow and covered it with my coverlet. When foes and friends come, I opened my locker for them, to see nothing. Nemesis caught up with me one Saturday social night. There was pillow fight, and one of the contestants went for my pillow. The guy saw a heavy “pillow”- that’s my pillow of gari of course, and took it, and replaced it with another soft pillow and returned for his pillow fight.
I never knew “power had changed hands” according to the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Christian brothers. I got back to my bed to sleep in anticipation of taking my gari in the middle of the night after lights out as usual. Immediately I put my head down, I burst into tears, for the pillow was so soft.
Who I go report to?
Hunger beat me till term end.


Culled From: Our story (1972 Set Anniversary book)
Submitted By: SINA FADUGBA (SN 2449, Swanston House)