Chapter 14

The Hidden Information.

Adrian relaxed a little bit on the bed, picked the books from the bed and wanted to tuck it back inside his school bag. Suddenly, something fell down from it. Briskly, he picked it up!

‘’Oh, this is where I kept this letter! I have been searching for it for awhile now,’’ agitatedly, he soliloquized after scanning through the envelope, his owlish eyes dancing furiously in their sockets.

The letter was addressed to him by his father dated ‘’12th August, 2001.’’ That was almost two weeks earlier. He had first written his father, seeking forgiveness, permission and blessings to travel to the Federal Capital for the competition. That was the last letter he had received from them, anyway. He thought he was lucky his mother didn’t go against his football playing that time around, that they had both agreed to grant him permission to travel for the competition. But he was totally wrong.

Adebayo had hidden one important aspect of the letter from Ajoke, his wife. The aspect that Adrian had said he would be going to represent GBC in ‘’football’’ competition was hidden from Ajoke. Adebayo had capitalized on his wife’s inability to read and write and had lied to her that Adrian was going to represent his school in ‘’debate’’ competition in the country’s capital, Abuja. He knew Ajoke’s health could worsen if he should tell her the whole truth.

Ajoke didn’t want Adrian to take football as a priority at all, so had done all she could to dissuade him from playing football. So, she was very glad when she heard that Adrian was going for an academic competition in the big city instead of football competition and prayed fervently for his success.

The letter Adrian had written to his father had read thus:

Government Boys’ College,

P.O box2020,

Iddo.

1st of August, 2001.

Dearest father,

Your little boy is doing great and I belief you’re too, father! I’ve also got strong faith that mom’s health is improving daily, and Roseline’s doing great, so may God be glorified!

I’ve been picked to represent the college in the National Secondary School Football Competition in Abuja, the federal capital territory next month! I know this might come as a shock, having warned me severally not to play competitive football. Well, I wish I could follow your orders till the end of my studies here, but my hands are tied this time around because it was my sport master and the principal who had picked me to join the school team. So, I had no choice but to comply. What could I have done, anyway?

Moreover, I’d heard that travel is part of education and I believed it because I’m going to meet new people with new cultures and languages and learn a lot from there. Perhaps, it is going to be a great privilege for me to travel out of South-West and know the federal capital for the first time.

Please forgive me this once for disobeying your order. I won’t do that anymore, cross my heart. I’ll be coming back home immediately after the competition to complete my holiday. Please pray for my journey mercy, and to win the trophy with my team. It’ll be a great laurel for my school and the state as a whole!

Please extend my greetings to mom and Roseline. Tell them I’m missing them so much and can’t wait to see them again. I can’t wait to east her delicious food! I’m looking forward to receiving your reply soon!

Yours lovely son,

Adrian {Akanji].

Being a key player in the school team, Adrian had been beseeched by the school authority not to go for holiday so he could train with other selected boys. Adrian, Martin, Taj and other five day-students were chosen from GBC by the state football council as part of the 23-boys team that would be representing the state in the bi-annual National Secondary School Football Competition. Being the current champion of secondary school football in Ondo state, GBC’s players cut the largest chunk of the state secondary schools joint team. The remaining fifteen players were chosen from other 10 colleges in the state.

Occasionally, GBC’s Physical Education teacher cum football team coach, Mr. Friday, would come from vacation to train the boys. Sometimes, in their school bus, they would go to the state sport stadium to train with other players from other schools.

Martin had warned Adrian on three occasions not to come to the college football pitch unless Mr. Friday was around.

"What right have you to restrict my movement around this school premises?’’ In great amazement, Adrian had asked Martin who came in company of Taj. That was the first time Martin had stopped him on his way to the dormitory and warned him.

Martin had ignored the question, letting out an arrogant hiss. His shoulders raised, chest spread out as he glided towards him like a rooster in charge of all the hens in a neighborhood. From his jeans trouser pocket, he had brought out a big jack knife and threatened to stab him to death if he goes against the directive in future. Before Adrian could ask further question, he had left him standing, his mouth ajar in daze.

The Second time, Adrian and the other five boys had gone to train on the pitch when Mr. Friday wasn’t around. Martin and Taj deliberately had come late to the pitch. Seeing that the coach wasn’t around to compel him, Martin refused to join in the training, but Taj did. After the training, Martin went to waylay Adrian on his way to hostel, hidden behind the narrow and empty science laboratory building. His appearance was a breath-taking for Adrian because he had not envisaged it at all. He had thought he was still on the pitch spectator stand, where he had been sitting, watching the training.

"If you move, you’ll have your coconut head disintegrated with a big stone,’’ Martin thundered with his high, bell-like voice.

"Martin, you’re at it again as usual, aren’t you, threatening me without any justified explanation?’’ Adrian asked in great anxiety mixed with fear.

"Haven’t I warned you severely not to come near the football pitch unless Mister Friday is around?’’ Martin said, gliding towards Adrian with the air of a cat that had caught up with a rat where he won’t be able to escape into a hole. His eyes were red like hot coals.

"It’s true you did, but if I may ask, what for? Why shouldn’t I come to the field to train unless Mister Friday is around? This field and the school as a whole doesn’t belong to an individual…" before Adrian completed his sentence, Martin has vanished from his present.

"Don’t let me see you there for the third time!’’ Martin piped from faraway, his bell-like voice ringing around the empty classrooms. "You might not be healthy enough to tell the story. I’m very serious, don’t think joking with you at all.’’

"Empty threats,’’ Adrian shouted at the top of his voice, even though he knew Martin had gone so far, and wouldn’t hear him anymore. Adrian shouted at the top of his voice even though he knew Martin had gone so far, and wouldn’t hear him anymore. ‘’I’m not bulging from the pitch and nothing thousands of your likes could do!’’

Adrian had rooted to the spot, didn’t know the next step to take. He was thinking hard. Should he tell Richard? No! Richard jokes too much. He could call him a coward and make jest of him before the little boy, Adamu. Or he should tell Mr. Friday? No, he didn’t want to report his classmate to a teacher. That seemed cowardly to him. From childhood, he had made the resolution not to ever be cowed by another his mate. So, he decided to stick his chest out like a man and handle the fracas next time.

When next he dared tell him such rubbish, he would slug it out with him. He beat his tiny chest. But how is he going to handle Martin with the big jack knife he was carrying? Well, the next time he blocks his way again, he would know what to do. He would let the future decides for itself. Though some fears lingered on the back of his mind concerning the knife, he took his stabbing threat as empty. He thought about the little fear he was having and concluded that it was as result of the courage he had. Didn’t he once hear his father saying courage cannot exist without fear?

The day Adrian and Martin had fight was the third time he would be accosting him with his threats. Adrian had gone to the field to train but couldn’t give out his best on the pitch. The five day-students complained of his bellow-expectation display but he didn’t reveal why it was so. The thought of Martin’s threat has gone to his head, occupying his heart, hindering him from concentrating on the game.

Martin wasn’t on the pitch but Taj was. After the training, unknown to Adrian, Taj went to meet Martin where he had laid siege. As usual, he came out again and confronted Adrian on his way back to his dormitory.

"Haven’t I warned you enough?’’ Martin’s question rang out like thunder, bringing out his jack-knife out his denim trouser pocked. His eyes were piercing into Adrian’s like a cat’s in a dark night. His bell-like voice rose in octave as he yelled. The school’s empty classrooms were echoing him like a backup singer.

"Today, I‘ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget in your wretched life! I don’t mind being rusticated. I don’t care for what would be the outcome. You’ve almost ruined my football career. You’ve almost ruined what I purposely come to school for! What is left, nothing!’’

"What do you mean by I ruined your career; how did I ruin your football career?’’ Adrian would have bolted immediately but Taj had cornered him carrying a big stone. He turned to face Taj, ‘’and you also, Taj? But, I didn’t offend both of you in anyway. I am very sure of that. You’re just being conscienceless bullies, you know that.’’

"A word is enough for the wise, my father would say.’’ Taj voiced out, faking Adrian as if he would shatter his brain with the big stone in his hands if he dared make any attempt to run. "We’ve warned you severely but you are as adamant as a hungry mule; we know you wouldn’t listen to warnings unless you are thought a bitter lesson.’’

"But your bully mind ought to be sound enough to know we’re mates and can’t restrict my movement…’’

Adrian was interrupted by Martin’s move to stab him. But he was smart enough to avoid his first thrust. But it was now dawn on him that the devil indeed was truly using Martin against him. If he hesitated more, he thought, the boy could stab him truly and there was nobody there to save him or testify against the boys if the case reached up.

Martin held up the knife again for the second time to stab him but he evaded the thrust again perfectly. Martin and Taj were surprised how artful Adrian could elude knife thrusts. Sensing that Taj had loosened a little guard, he dribbled him and scuttled off as fast as his legs could carry him towards his hostel, Dormitory-A.

Taj and Martin gave him a hot chase. But because Taj had played football that day and had gotten a bit tired, perhaps, he wasn’t a good racer, they couldn’t catch him. So he had quitted chasing him after a short run, and had breathlessly instructed Martin to leave Adrian alone for another day. But Martin had another plan. Perhaps, he wasn’t the type that could be discouraged from a mission quickly. When Martin had made up his mind on a thing, he must do it.

Martin had started junior Class One in the college and knew every nook and crannies of it so well. Promptly, he had taken a short-cut that led to Dormitory-A building directly. When he had gotten there, he had taken a cover beside the dormitory walls, awaiting his fugitive. Unknown to Adrian, he was running his heart out, taking a very long route, thinking Martin was coming behind him with the Jack-knife.

Martin knew he won’t be able to catch-up with Adrian if he had to run after him from behind, hence he had taken the short-cut to double-cross him. But, he had hid the knife in a nearby bushy lawn. He feared the presence of the juniors playing six-a-side football near the dormitory. They might run to inform the school security men out of fear if they see the knife in his hands.

Not that Adrian was actually afraid of fighting Martin from the onset of the scuffle but he remembered the background he had come from. He knew Martin’s father was an influential man in the society. Richard had once told him that Martin’s father was the chairman of the college’s Parent Association, and also the principal’s bosom friend. His own father, Adebayo was a farmer—a mere peasant farmer, living in a far away, back-beyond village.