Corona, why nah? I want to go back to school

THIS evening I lazily dragged my feet out of my bed, headed straight to the electric socket, and unplugged my phone,

‘Oh God ,it’s still 3 percent’

The power company hasn’t been smiling on us lately. Last week, we had constant power supply but these few days it’s really terrible; almost no hope of seeing the bulb glow. Power supply barely lasts an hour.

I only plugged my phone just incase, ‘you know’…  something good might just happen.

I glanced through my phone to check if I had any missed calls only to realise that it was 7:30pm. I had slept for hours.

My feet moved swiftly before I could think of taking in another breath; my hand hastily pushed the door open.

‘HOW am I supposed to prepare dinner under 10 minutes?’

This thought left my head banging… dad musn’t have dinner late; it’s a rule, dinner must be served before 7:40.

I barely got to the stairs when I heard the pattering of pot covers…

‘Ha, thank God.’

I held my hands on my chest, I almost sang ‘Jesus you love me too much o’.

A little smile managed to curve out of my lips as I remember that it was my cousin’s turn to prepare dinner.

I gently walked back to the room, now in full charge of my body. The breeze in my room welcomed me calmly, I could feel it said, ‘my dear sorry about the unnecessary panic’

‘Phew’

I sat on the bed and looked outside through the window but my gaze quickly caught the piles of books on my reading table… the last time I sat down to read those books is, eh…

EVER since the pandemic sneaked in, I have lost the strength to read or even hold a pen. For months, all I do is sleep, wake up, do the house chores, eat and sleep… my daily routine ever since the pandemics disrupted  schooling, and altered rhythms of life, in general.

Thanks to the presence of my cousin, I don’t have to be in the kitchen at all time.

These days social media has become my best friend; if it’s not for my low ‘ba3,’ I would have been online in one group confrence or the other or perhaps, be reading comments on Facebook. Anytime I remember the amount I spend on daily and weekly subscriptions, I regret knowing how to bank online!!!

I SAT quietly on my bed staring at my pen as if expecting some sort of magic to happen. Just last week, I said to myself, “Nelo, you will write different short stories on a particular subject matter.” I had plans on what to do with it, but the week passed by without my hands lifting the pen.

Early this week, I planned to read ahead to meet all my course outlines, so, I set a timetable for my readings; now the week is almost over and I’m yet to open a page of the Grammar text book on my table!

I have become unexplainably lazy! But I won’t blame it on myself; it is the pandemics.

“Sister, sister” my little sister, Chizy, called from the other room.

‘I just can’t understand why everybody in this house won’t stop calling me…  ha, somebody cannot rest in peace na wa o,’ I murmured to myself and pretended I didn’t hear. I just laid back on the bed and pretended to be asleep as the door opened… I knew she must have come with the usual annoying statement, “mummy is calling you.“

I just had to act well so she would leave without disturbing.

“Sister, come and see this movie, it’s the type you usually like…“

I don’t usually like watching movies but there are some kinds I love and, she knows exactly the type. I wanted to see the movie at all cost, so, I stylishly woke up. First, I stretched my legs on the bed, then turned slowly and faked a yawn, squeezed my face and opened one eye…

“What is it,” I said in a weak tone

“See this movie..” she showed me the movie playing on my cousin’s phone

“…it’s the type you like watching”

“Let me see…” I took the phone and made to watch the movie but before I could see the title, mum called out my name in a loud voice…

“Chinelooo!”

SINCE I returned from school, I’m sure every single person living around my house would have known my name.! The way mum shouts my name is enough to wake the dead.

Corona why nah… I want to go back to school.

Chinelo, 22, is an English language undergraduate, and vice president of ‘Conglo Writers and Actors (formerly Transcultural Writers Network) of University of Lagos. She writes prose, poetry, articles, reports and blogs at @Krietivenation.