Prieto could see how his mother kept stopping on the way, talking to people about one thing or the other after exchanging greeting. They talk mostly about market days! and their farm produce. Prieto stands aside after greeting them, while the mother engage in small talks. Okay! we shall see on the market day; Preito's mother excuses the village passerby. Prieto's uncle's house is at the express road, quite far from the village circle. Therefore, the time taken to get there took a lengthy walking distance. As their movement proceeded, Prieto's mother asked him; to walk faster. Knowing she had wasted time greeting people along the way. Her intention is to make sure they get to meet with Tony himself, so she can collect the letter directly by herself.
They got to Tony's place, and saw his car parked at the frontage of his house. I think he is at home! Prieto exclaimed. His mother; said yes.
Tony was sitting at the balcony of his house, the building is an upstairs. He saw them while looking from where he was and said; I have been expecting you to come see me, hah abba! Your mother came with you?". Anyway, you are both welcome. Prieto's mother walked close to climb the staircase, as her son followed her through counting steps by steps, with their feet upward to where Tony sat. Hello aunty?". Tony greeted Prieto's mother. Preito climbed up to the last uppercase and sighed, aaah! good day sir. Greeting his Uncle. Hello Prieto?". His uncle greeted back. Come and have your sit, aunty pls have your sit here. Tony shifted two white plastic chairs accordingly, for them to have their sit. Congratulations! Congrats Prieto his uncle said.
Prieto's mother added to what was said by Tony; yes o! So I heard and I decided to come with my son, so we can come and get the National Youth Corp service letter he received. Tony stood up from where he sat, and went inside his house moving through the door curtains. Prieto was sitting next to his mother smiling, while his mother's hand slightly rubbed his back. Tony came out with a brown envelope, and said here it is. Stretching out his hands to either of them, but Prieto's mother collected the envelope. As she held the letter in her hands, she gave it to her son. She looked at him and she was happy looking at her son's face. Joyously, she hugged him in front of his uncle and prayed for a successful beginning and voyage to the camp. His uncle Tony started appraisal, copper Shawn! Otondo! the usual psych given to new youth Corp members. Prieto laughed! Her mother smiled. His uncle kept appraising.
Long enough; Tony, Prieto with his mother,  they stayed talking about tertiary level experiences and Prieto's dedication to his studies over the times. Tony said; you have really made us proud my dear! I myself, will be looking forward to support your travel to the National Youth service camp, with all other necessary expenses that you will need. I need you to go home now with your mother, so you can go and study the letter properly and get back to me on what to do next. I need to know the date you will be leaving; Tony said. Prieto's mother was very happy as she thanks her brother, for his benevolent support to her son's youth service expenses.
She held Prieto by the hand and said son, let's go. They made their way back to the village, through the route they came through. Prieto's mother started singing and dancing with their native dialect, as soon as they got home. "God I thank you o! you don make my own better, I go dey thank you forever o" you be baba! chineke e dinma! e dinma o! Well done my son, she finished her jubilation. She told Prieto to tell her when he is ready to eat, or his he ready to eat now?". She asked. Prieto told her he would like to eat but after he finishes going through the letter for his NYSC camping.
He kept looking through the papers, which were drawn out from the brown envelope that was given to him. He observed every details carefully. He noted the date, that was appointed for the national youth camp. After carefully reading through, he went to his mum; mummy! mummy! the usual way he as always called for her! His mother came from the backyard, where she was doing her cooking for she and her son to have something to eat. His mother came into the house, " what is it?". She asked. As far as I can understand the letter that was sent to me, I will be leaving for the National youth Corp to Jos in 2weeks time; Prieto said to her. " Abba! Is it that soon? she asked him. It seems to me that the letter, had been in mailing post office box, for a while. It must have been God's help for it to have been brought for me by uncle Tony, he said to his mother. Okay! I heard you my son; the mother said. I will try and get back to your uncle, so we can both plan on your requirement. Look! food is ready and I need you to eat something, am sure by now you must be really hungry. No be lie mama! Prieto said; am really hungry.
His mother brought a clean bowl of water and dropped on the table, just infront of the chair he had been sitting. Prieto cleared the rest of the papers on it aside, to create space for the incoming fufu and vegetables soup made with stock fish, that his mother dished into the plate. He placed aside the brown envelope and the letters, on another chair beside the table he was. His mother came in with a full tray. One of the covered bowl plate in the tray has, a well mounted "fufu" inside it and the other bowl plate, has hot well prepared vegetable soup. With it fragrance, perforating a soothing aroma inside the house. There was watermelon in other plate. She came in and placed the food tray, on the table in front of Prieto. He said; thank you ma. His mother left the sitting room to do what she was busy with, at the backyard. Prieto sat properly, stretching his hand to have the three plates in the tray opened. He opened them one by one, washed his hands inside the bowl filled with water that was brought first, by his mother to the table. He saw the mounted "fufu" inside the plate and he smiled at the smoothed mold of it. He reached for the watermelon inside the other plate, as there was four pieces of it. One by one he picked the fruit, using his teeth to slice off the red juicy shaft into his mouth. Picking up another piece, slicing the reddish side of the melon, spitting out it seeds for a conducive swallow. He made it again with the rest of the sliced pieces of watermelon, till he finished it.
Prieto rinsed his hands off the fruit juice, in the bowl filled with water and made for the bowl of "fufu". He pressed his hands on the surface of the pound and cut a handful sized piece he could swallow. He used the mold of " fufu" he cut with his hand,to compress the vegetable leaves sauce Inside the other plates, packing the leave sauced with crayfish into his mouth. At his first scoop, Prieto exclaimed; " mummy, mummy! this is delicious. Aha! ah! mummy your food is really good, he said to her so she can hear him through the broken window, to the backyard where his mother was. The more he tastes another mold. One after the other! he kept his eating going with enjoyable stock fish, he concentrated more on the food. "Make sure there is drinkable water for yourself on the table", his mother reminded him. The soup is pepperish; she said. He reached for the clay pot, where drinkable water is always fetched and covered inside the house, close to where he was eating. He uncoverered the pot, and dipped a drinking cup inside it to bring out water. The water in a clay molded pot is always refreshing with a seemed chilled feel, as if it refrigerated. It's a drinking reservoir, most people uses for storing drinkable at the village.
He dropped the cup, next to the plate of the vegetable soup. Prieto kept on in the act of cutting, moling and saucing his swallow into his mouth. As he eat, sweat drifted from his face. Chunn! Chunn! nchew! nchew! his mouth sang along with the morsel of " fufu" swallow. The stock fish in the soup, made a good Melody to the chewing. Prieto drank one full cup of water, to suppress the jammed chewed sauce down his throat. The softened vegetable leaves drenched in pepper sauced ingredients with maggi, gave an unforgettable moment of no other delicacy. He started getting to the finishing, licking his fingers and stuffing the soup to pick up some fish to taste. The bowl of "fufu," almost passed the half size of it initial size. Prieto dealt with the pound. His mother came in and started smiling; my son! I see you really enjoyed the food. I made it with a well dried stock fish, the vegetable is from my farm. I saw it fitting to be used for the preparation, so I decided to pluck it fresh. Thank you ma; Prieto greeted his mother.
Trying to finish up the remaining morsels, will mean overeating, Prieto washed his hands off the mashed sticky starch of " fufu" linned on his right hand fingers, used in eating. Carefully, he repeatedly rinsed his hands inside the bowl of water. His left hands helped to scrub off sticky starches from his right hand. Both hands were in the bowl of water while he washed. When he finished washing, he took the cup of water and gulped down the whole of it, down his throat. He belched! grindedly. Gassing out aawwwwhh! his mother returned the pleasantry, you are welcome my son. She came towards Prieto to pack off the plates and said; son! I thought you finished it. I tried to, but am over weight too full; Prieto told her.
She summoned him to finish the food, but Prieto had to say he will eat it up later, when he gets hungry before evening.
His mother cleared the tray and things off the table, heading to the kitchen at the backyard. Prieto sat up, leaning backwards with his back to the old worn out cushion chair, he was still sitting on. He leverage his hands over some packs of books and picked an A-4 sized slim paper, from an old bench at the back of the chair he sat on. Prieto fanned himself, the heat from the peperish soup was discomforting, he kept fanning. Till he felt like dropping the paper back to where he picked it from, as he gained back a cooling effect. The peperish heat subsided. The mother passed by again through the sitting room to her room, looking at her son. Prieto! why are you sunk in the sit like that?". He laughed! and replied; "mummy am trying to gain back my consciousness from the peperish food". I told you; to get some water before you started eating because I know there is pepper in the soup. Prieto added; sure there is. So how are you feeling now? His mother asked him; He knoded, am perfectly okay.
Mummy! So when are you going to uncle's place?". He asked his mother, who was sitting oposite him but on a bare floor. She was sitting on a mat spreaded on the ground, eating her own food. She replies him as she scoop "Eba" into her mouth. Each replies, comes after she swallow a morsel of "Eba" the yellow garri. Prieto cease asking her questions, so she would not be doing talking and eating at the same time. His mother can be sometimes acting non challant, she won't even read inbetween the lines, as regards why Prieto had to stop talking. She just kept saying even other matters, while she kept on eating. In no time, she ate and pack the rest of the food from the ground to the kitchen at the backyard. She came back into the house and told Prieto, to try and have some sleep. She walk straight into her room and shut the door. Prieto managed to sleep on, one of the matress placed by the wall, to a certain angle in the house. He pulled it to the middle space of the house and layed it on the ground.
At about 7:45 pm, Prieto's mother had already woken up and left for a brief meeting with Tony her junior brother, in his place. Bases on her son's matter, to travel to Jos for the youth camping. They discussed on the way forward. Financial assistance, is what is thought to be needed. I have already budget #250,000 thousand naira for his trip, so he could use for payment that is required at the camp in Jos.
When does he intends to leave for Jos?". Asked Tony. His sister replied next week. He told her to tell Prieto, to come and see him for the money. There should be no room for any procastination or whatever; he said. Prieto's mother greeted him, and prayed that God will continue to enrich and guide him, in all that he lays his hands to do.. haha! Laughed Tony". Amen, he responded. She approached the main entrance door, and left passing through it. While on her way coming through the village street corners, she met with nne Dona, nne Nene, papa Azubike and the ophara Ukwu", who was taking a slow motion walk, around the village has is usual routine. Okwa! Okwa! Prieto's mother appraise him. Ophara, is one of the oldest man in the village. They mostly, decisively choose this endurance trecking around the village premises. With aim or not, checking the trends of Ophara's that have come and go, moving around the village is their obligation. You will always get to see them occasionally, around the village premises. She kept greeting and talking to couple of them on the way, otofe o!. Unuani! unuani! unuani. In their local dialect; meaning you are welcome. Walking through the village corners, navigating her way closer to her place at every inch of a calculated steps. Till she got home.
Hello mum?'. Prieto streched his body on the matress he was lying on, greeting his mother. After a long sleep. He opened his eyes from sleep, same time his mother was arriving from his uncle's place into their house. Did you go out mummy? Prieto asked; yes I did, said his mother. I went to your uncle's house pertaining your trip to the camp. Your uncle said I should tell you, to come and see him right away. He got up from the matress he was laying on, and staggered his way up on his feet. The heavy food he ate earlier was weighing down his body, at the compartment of his stomach. He struggled up anyway. Prieto moved to where the pot of water is, to get some to drink and cleanse his face. Entering his mother's bed room to change his clothes. He took a short sleeved shirt to wear, chinos trousers and a slip on slippers to wear. He said in low tone to his mother, I will be back.