Prieto entered into his mother's bedroom, he sat on the old bed and brought out the money he got from his uncle. #250,000k! Prieto lamented, laughed. As he held the bundle of money, he tugged out from his pocket. He started counting the #1,000 naira note into stacks of #10,000. Mounting them to make #50,000 in five places. As he count the money to ensure the amount was exactly, what his uncle gave to him. After counting the money he merged all together, back in on stack. Prieto placed the money inside his traveling back, as he decided to relax on the bed, expecting his mother's arrival.
He heard sound at the backyard of the house, so he decided to peep through the small spaced window to see, if it was his mother. On 'peeping". He saw the matured mother goats of their neighbors, playing roughly with themselves at the backyard of the house. Knocking their hoofs on stones, as they forcefully drag with themselves in and out of the local Clay molded kitchen, with bamboo sticks. The goats usually comes around, when they discover there is no one around at the backyard. Their playful sound, was what Prieto heard that he thought to confirm if his mother, had arrived.
Oh! all this goat always coming here with all sorts of drama". Prieto said. Knowing the sound were from the goat, he layed back on the bed. He thought about his journey to Jos for his NYSC, he imagined every possible outcomes that might present themselves on his arrangement. The money he kept inside his bag was on his mind, excitedly Prieto smiled to himself. The hope of a safe trip dawn on him, he tapped his feet on the bed, to the rythm of the springs bouncing underneath the matress on it. His eyes revolves around the cracked walls with funny art works on it. On the wall was a tree, poorly sketched with a bird flying towards it. Prieto wondered who drew the art. A very old sketch it seemed, something that must have been drawn in years. He layed looking at the cad boarded roofing of the room, wondering who must have drew this ill painted artwork. The house is actually one of those ancient Buildings. Prieto's idleness brought about the observation of what was on his mother's wall. I guess she met the art herself before packing in there; Prieto thought. As far as he knew his mother, he was sure she got nothing to do with artwork as an interest. He layed on the bed, wondering how his mother got into such a room as this. Considering an average room space to be compared to his mother's, the comfort is totally out of it.
Prieto disliked the rest of his mother's family, knowing fully well they could help her to get a better place for an accommodation. His mother never worried about the state where she rest her head, since she reside in such a room in the village. As long as she never complained, even his uncle Tony did not even bother. I guess she could not ask her junior once for anything else as the senior daughter to the family. Prieto thought. Thinking it to be disheartening. Right there inside the room, Prieto sensed the reality of what his mother experience would have been over the years. It's all obvious, that the separation of his parents cost his mother a total depression and rejection, among her family. Time may have healed the gap in between this space, but as a sensitive kid who had grown into an adult, Prieto could tell the extent of her mothers challenge with pains over time. Right there in the room. He wondered how his mother lived through to adapt in such condition. Notwithstanding, her mother had another son she gave birth to from another man, somewhere at the neighboring village. A principal in one of the village secondary School, a low ranger. She bored him a son named, "Chukwuneku". That was his name. Prieto met the boy when he arrived to the village. Him, with the boy and his mother had lived in the house. Neku barely gives impression of his presence in the house, maybe he was scared of his brother's presence, Prieto. Inspite, Prieto loved the boy for been an intelligent kid, who had always scored good grades in school at the village educational settings. Neku sat for the senior secondary School certificate exam, and passed the exam in one sitting in flying colors. It was amazing, Prieto tripped. Knowing it must have been a great attempt for him as a village boy. Come to think of it, this was the same examination majority of students at the city struggle to pass. For many of the students at the city, the senior school certificate exam has been an hindering factor, which as deprived many of them from getting to the higher institution. Due to incomplete results from subject failed. Therefore, they struggle with taking external general certificate exams, to make up with their papers for the furtherance of education. Some of the students attempting the exam gives us at some point, with the hope of been unable to make up. Surprisingly, this was what Prieto's brother scaled through, in a village educational settings. His brother Neku was loved the more by him, when Prieto finally heard he gained admition into Delta State University, abraka. To study international studies, he was very Impressed at his brothers one sitting.
His mother had to live with the boy after birth all alone, to beat loneliness. The boys father happens to be a low ranger. Therefore, there was little to nothing he could do to assist Prieto's mother's welfare and the boy. So they survived through getting resources from Prieto's mother's father. This man, happen to be Prieto's grand father. To some extent, Prieto's grand father is a rich man from the oldies, he took advantage of life in good attempt, amounting riches foro himself. He had houses and lands across the village premises.