TWO TRUTHS AND ONE LIE

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It was on a cold winter night when I got home tired and exhausted from the day's exertions. My limbs ached, my stomach rumbled and my eyes were dreamy and heavy as I stepped into the kitchen to fix myself something after having a warm shower to discharge of myself the last remnants of the day's struggles.

Luckily for me, or so I felt, I could see a pot properly propped on the cooker, a clear indication of the presence of a meal. At this point my taste buds had gone on sabbatical as my stomach only desired satisfaction and not the quality of the food. Walking slowly towards the pot as the lenses of my mind could capture and frame a perfect visual effect of the enjoyment to follow that the remnants of my stomach leaped in joy.

As I opened up the pot while licking my lips in excitement I could see my reflection at the sparkling bottom of the stainless piece. There was when I realized how tardy I looked coupled with the realization that noodles was my only remedy at that point as I was too tired prepare anything serious.

I quickly but reluctantly went about doing the needful, devoured it and immediately went to bed forgetting to set my alarm as the next day was Sunday and I needed to be in church as early as 6am. I could bet that I snored heavily that night as I was completely detached from my surroundings throughout the night and only woke up to the sound of my uncle leaving the house and with it my only means of mobility that morning.

I quickly jumped out of bed and with no time to prepare, I rushed whatever clothes I placed my hands on into my bag along with my toothbrush and ran out to meet them. And then after showering at a friend's and ironing at a laundry shop, I realized that I had forgotten my belt at home. Sharp guy that I am, I quickly found a rope to tie it and eventually got to church looking like an ibibio violent masquerade who's always tied at the waist.

Then rewind to 7 years ago, when I had just become a student of the rap genre of the music game. I had always fantasized about sharing the stage with the likes of Lil Wayne and Jay Z up until Nigeria gave me M.I Abaga and I got obsessed. I was living in tye eastern part of Nigeria, watching the ascension of an igbo rapper, Zoro into the Nigerian music spotlight.

Then there came the day when they held a concert just across from our office. It was such an exciting experience for me because I was finally going to see one of tya fastest rising starts of the time, but above all, because I was going to be in the building with the legendary M.I Abaga. I couldn't wait to close from the office and just zoom off into ecstasy for the night.

I yanked my bag over my shoulders and danced out of the premises as the bell tolled the closing hour of work. I quickly got home, freshened up and boarded a bus straight to the venue, only to get there and realize that I needed a ticket to gain entrance. I was devastated until I saw one of our customers looking restless and frantically making calls.

I immediately called out to him to find out what the problem might be. He told me that he was supposed to serve the artistes and their team but that they came on earlier than expected and he's short of staff. Without thinking a second time, I immediately offered to help. The thought of being in the same room with my idols was too enticing that I had no time to think twice.

I was dumbstruck as I entered the backstage and saw my kings there chilling. I did not know how to feel and even though I was asthmatic and the room was smoe filled, I still strolled in and lingered with the drinks just so I could spend more time there and have something to brag about to my friends at the office the following day. Then I started feeling a tightening on my chest.

Checking my pocket, I realized that as I rushed out of the house I had forgotten my inhaler on the table and I was choking from the excess smoke of whatever these guys were smoking. Then came the labored cough and then blankness. I only woke up the following morning at my customer's place who then discharged me and warned that he never wanted to see me close to his facility again.

Then just as we were chilling in the hotel room, working on a project and sipping some chilled drinks. Then gradually one after the other, we started to sleep off on the couch, the floor and the bed. It was a good evening rolling with the boys up until around 2am when I was awoken by a violent tap by one of us.

I straightened just as I try to gain full understanding of my surroundings and what is going on when I heard

"Terry is complaining of being poisoned"

I jerked up confused and shocked at such a suggestion. I was the anchor of the whole session and if anything of the sort happened to anyone, it would be on me. "damn, I'm screwed" I thought as I jumped out of the room to go meet Terry writhing on the floor and unable to stand. He was complaining and referencing all the poison symptoms he knows and which he was experiencing.

I hurriedly ordered a bolt ride to take him to the hospital. At this point Terry was vomiting and rolling on the floor. Goosebumps washed all over me and I started shivering from fear and confusion. Eventually our ride arrived and we set out to the hospital with Terry breaking laboriously, looking like he was hanging on a thread.

Upon getting to the hospital, we went to the emergency unit where the necessary preliminary tests and checkups were done to ascertain what was wrong with my guy. A few minutes later, we got wind of the fact that he was stable and would be kept overnight to be monitored and everything would be clearer in the morning.

Relieved and exhausted at the same time, we strolled back to find our way back home. On getting to the hospital the following day, we were informed by the doctors that my friend has appendix and needed to be operated on. Few days later, he was operated on successfully which showed that he wasn't poisoned but was just ignorant of his health status.

There are my two truths and a lie.

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