By Dr Bassey Emmanuel
The Missing Pascal on the Road to Calabar
I have been calling the two lines of Pascal for days now they are both not reachable. Where could he be? Oh God please help my son wherever he may be. Protect him in the morning while going out and bring him back safely in the evening. No evil hands shall touch or harm my son until he comes back to me safe and sound.
Amen! Mr Vincent responded.
A startled Mrs Vincent, who was not privy to his arrival from the town hall meeting turned and sighed with grief in her heart.
I have told you not to worry yourself about Pascal, he is a grown man and must have thought twice before taking the steps he took. When I was his age, I was already having my own farmland and was no longer depending on my parents for upkeep, Mr Vincent said.
How can you say I should not be worried? For one week now I have not seen my son, his number is not going through, and you have refused to report his missing to the police with the belief that he left on his own volition. What if he was kidnapped? What if he went out and something went wrong with him? It could be accident; he could be arrested and locked up in the police cell anything could have happened to him and you say I should not worry? Or maybe you know about his whereabouts please come and produce my son for me oo, Mrs Vincent sobbed.
Look at this woman oo who should produce your son? Was he not here with you when I left the house that morning? Mr Vincent fired.
You and I who should be held responsible for his missing? Mr Vincent added. That reminds me have you called Sule his friend whether he has heard from him of recent? Mr Vincent asked.
That is true oo it was totally off my mind please call him to find out dear. Mrs Vincent requested.
Oh, I am dear now no longer your son’s kidnapper? Mr Vincent asked.
I beg you call him please, Mrs Vincent pleaded in a businesslike manner.
Mr Vincent smiled and shook his head.
He brought out his phone from the pocket, scrolled and brought out Sule’s phone number and started dialing, while Mrs Vincent looks on impatiently.
The number is not getting through it is saying switched off, Mr Vincent announced.
Mrs Vincent sat down sullenly and hopelessly sobbing.
The morning was a cold one with deafening sound of vehicle engines and hordes everywhere with vehicle loaders calling out for passengers to enter the vehicles.
Pascal, do not forget all I have told you, do not relent in your exercises that you have been doing here. Use the two extra days you have before the commencement of the recruitment exercise to continue practicing. I heard the race used to be 3.2km, this time make sure you find out the actual route they will use for the recruitment and practice there. Practice push-ups you don’t need less than 40 push-ups. I’m happy that you have been able to do almost 100 so far, since you came to Zaira. Sit-ups too keep practicing it Sule confirmed.
Lest I forget do not forget your current affairs — know the names of all the state governors, ministers, Chief of Army Staff past and present etc. Just read anything readable as you cannot tell where the questions will come from, Sule advised.
Wait I don’t understand do you mean we will write exams during the screening? Pascal asked.
Yes of course, you will be asked to write about yourself in addition to other English, Mathematics and Current Affairs, Sule responded.
How did you know that? Pascal asked.
I have been living here in Zaria for a long time now as you know and I have witnessed many army recruitments, Sule responded.
That is strange, then why do people say soldiers are illiterates? I was thinking we are just to go for the running, medical fitness test and other physical exercises, Pascal asked. So, soldiers can read and write? Pascal thought to himself.
When you arrive Calabar let me know, although I will be calling you to know how the journey is going. Safe trip let me hurry to work. As you know I just got this Local Government work before they would sack me for lateness. Sule said while laughing.
God will never allow such to happen to us my dear friend, Pascal prayed.
Amen! I wish you good luck in your screening exercise, Sule prayed.
Amen! God bless you my friend, Pascal responded.
Driver why are you driving so roughly? You don’t obey traffic lights, and you try to beat checkpoints at any opportunity, if soldiers arrest and punish you, you will say they are wicked.
Oga leave me oo I don’t have money to give them for those checkpoints that is why I am always behind trailers once I get there so that I will use the trailer influence to escape from them, the driver explained.
What do you mean, are you saying soldiers do collect money from you? Pascal asked in shock.
Yes naa! Ha! Look at this man oo where you come from? Are you not a Nigerian? The least they collect from you is N200.00, the driver added. That is not true, Pascal thought to himself.
So far on this trip he has not seen any soldier collecting money from the driver in some of the checkpoints that he could not hide behind trailers. This driver is only spoiling the image of soldiers like the other ones who said they are illiterates yet here he is going to face examination before being recruited, Pascal reasoned.
Please take it easy so that you do not try to escape payment of N200.00 and go and kill all of us, Pascal begged.
I hear you sir, if they ask me for money, I hope you go give me to pay them? the driver asked.
No soldier can ask you for money except you give them for fear of not doing the right thing, Pascal stressed.
“E be like say you be Jonny just come oo” the driver said.
On what ground do they ask you for money? And if you don’t give them what happens? Pascal inquired.
Well, “make I no talk lie, nah fear just dey make drivers give them money oo not that they ask us” “If you no give, them no go do you anything” the driver explained.
Okay now you are talking, Pascal exclaimed.
Please like how many hours left to get to Calabar? Pascal asked.
We are in Enugu now e remains at least 4 hours, the driver responded. Okay thank you, Pascal said.
This is paracetamol take 2 tablets this night and 2 in the morning and so on but if symptoms persist after 2 days consult a doctor, please, the Chemist man said. You looked tired are you coming from a journey?
Yes, sir I just arrived from the north and was feeling headache, so I decided to look for a chemist for first aid, Pascal said.
Okay you are welcome to Calabar.
Thank you, sir.
Where are you from?
I am from here but based in Lagos with my parents.
So why are you here in Calabar instead of Lagos?
I am here for the recruitment.
Recruitment? Which recruitment?
The Nigerian Army recruitment exercise that is to hold nationwide in 3 days’ time.
You want to join the Army? The Chemist screamed.
Yes sir, any problem? Pascal asked.
Oh no I will not advise you to waste your bright future by joining the Army. Don’t you know soldiers don’t have future? No meaningful lifestyle, non-productive, womanizers, drunks and above all illiterates. Once you join the army after the initial 6 months compulsory training the next thing you find yourself in one war front or the other. Is that the life you want for yourself? The Chemist asked, or you don’t have complete papers in your SSCE to further your education? You can try to sit for the exams again to make the deficient papers and go to school my son.
I have my complete papers sir, Pascal responded.
Complete 8 papers? Are you sure? Let me see it, Chemist pressed on
Pascal showed him his SSCE result which he had 8 straight A’s.
Oh, my goodness then what are you going to do in the army?
I love to be a soldier sir, Pascal stressed. But sir if no one joins the Army, who will protect us if external aggressors attack our country or internal uprising overpowers the police?
Leave that for the school dropouts, stark illiterates and never-do-wells not for a brilliant boy like you.
Thank you, sir, but it’s my choice, Pascal said.
May I take my leave now sir? I want to go and take a rest. Pascal requested politely.
You may go; it’s your choice after all. The Chemist approved.
I wish I have a son that is half as brilliant as this boy, I would make sure he reads Medicine and surgery not to go into the army, to do what? He thought to himself and shrugged while going into his store.
Screeching sound on the road made the Chemist to rush out again. To his shock, it was an accident involving…
To be continued…
– Digital Embassy…