It was past eight in the morning, the sun was out and shining bright that Saturday morning. It was a day for my sister's introduction ceremony (a gathering and meeting in this side of the Earth where the bride's and groom's family meets officially for the first time). Like the name, introduction, the groom's family were coming to make the official announcement that they would love to have my sister become the bride for their son. Everything was set, seats, tables, people, foods and drinks. My siblings and I, some of my aunties and uncles, we were all busy carrying, moving or packing or cleaning while expecting more people to come.
We have been waiting over an hour for the groom's family to arrive but it felt like they didn't begin their journey very early. It was almost 9 am, my sister had called her fiance and one of his friends like 30 times already. My dad was angry and decided to separate himself from everyone because he didn't want it to be obvious and he also couldn't bottle it in: thank God our Pastor was around and sat with him where he isolated himself.
I went to the room where my sister was to check and joke around a bit but her countenance was not appealing, she had some tears hanging, waiting to roll down. I spoke with her but then she started pleading that I should go to the bus stop to wait for her fiance and his people because they don't know the road to where we are having the ceremony. I refused at first because I wasn't even dressed, I had not even taken my bath. Then she said my dad has refused to go to the bus stop with his car and earned my uncle not to go also: lateness is always a spoiler in such events.
After several plans, I agreed to it but there were major problems. The car key was with my uncle who would not give me based on my dad's instruction and I am have never really droven a car to that distance (I was fresh beginner). Risky but if felt it was also an opportunity for me to prove that I am a careful driver though not professional yet. I went home, entered my dad's room, searched several cups and found the extra key to his car. The car was parked outside, everyone else including my uncle were inside. I told my cousin and a family friend about my plan and they encouraged me to go (only guys can understand how we feel about cars). One of them followed me, I carefully and silently made a U-turn, then vrooommm, I took my foot off the brakes totally and was on minimal speed. I wouldn't lie, it felt so good to be in charge of that car!.
We got to the bus stop, I ought to cross to the other side of the expressway but I couldn't because I was scared and I also didn't want to over do it. While waiting, I and the other guy stepped out and crossed to the other end of the road to get a car Bluetooth device to play good music. 10 minutes later, the my sister fiance called me to inform me that they were at the bus stop. Saw them inside a typical Lagos yellow 18-seater bus. The silly bus driver wasn't patient enough for me to ignite the car engine and lead the way. The road to the venue was not wide enough and was Amos bad, so I was at the back of the yellow bus for about half the journey, guiding them on the phone.
The road to the venue wasn't a straight one, had lots of turns, so I got tired of being at the back. You can guess what I did next........ Yeah, planned to over take the bus, waited for the right moment, switched on the navigation to the left to indicate, applied pressure on the steering wheel to honk and I accelerated. It was smooth and fast. The guy with me in the car was already shining his teeth, I also was smiling (a great achievement😎😂).
Oh here comes the bigger issue, the road isn't tiled about 3 minutes drive to the venue, the road is filled with sand. I mean those types that can sink the car tyres. Without hesitation, I moved the gear to D3 and ran through the sands, tilting the steering wheel left and right as the sand was trying to take the car to opposite directions. I was out of the sands in 3 challenging minutes.
I got to the venue and parked the car so maturedly but my dad was waiting right there outside to welcome me. Unknown to me, the plan was discovered when I left with the car. My dad was more furious when he heard that I took the car out. My uncle and our Pastor were there with him. I came out of the car and it felt like this man will paste his thick palm on my cheek but he held himself together in the presence of our Pastor and the groom's family.
My aunties, sisters and friends, cheered me up quietly when I went inside the room to meet my sister. I took a plate of jollof rice and ate hurriedly and drank a cold malt on it right there in the room. It was needed, I had just finished a very risky job😂😂.
Afterwards, I have driven the car with and without my dad's consent but this time, I was already a good driver. To the market, to visit someone and to church. I wouldn't advice anyone to do what I did back then, it was risky though, I was confident.