Читать книгу The Prodigal Renegade - Victor Fakunle - Страница 2

Оглавление

The Prodigal Renegade

Time is not a friend when there is no loyalty except yours.

Victor Fakunle

Alive Book Publishing

The Prodigal Renegade

Additional copies may be ordered from the publisher for educational, business, promotional or premium use.

For information, contact ALIVE Book Publishing at:

alivebookpublishing.com, or call (925) 837-7303.

Book Design by Alex Johnson

ISBN 13

978-1-63132-069-9

978-1-63132-070-5 Ebook

ISBN 10

1-63132-069-6

1-63132-070-X Ebook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019941293

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

is available upon request.

First Edition

Published in the United States of America by ALIVE Book Publishing

and ALIVE Publishing Group, imprints of Advanced Publishing LLC

3200 A Danville Blvd., Suite 204, Alamo, California 94507 alivebookpublishing.com

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

I sailed all the way with no reason

Wondering why the sway, where is my beacon?

Life seems all against, can this be the entire season?

Who can deny all the stains, I see a light in the horizon

Nevertheless, I was a prodigal renegade

Who knew that would be the reason I got saved

—Victor Fakunle

Acknowledgement

To the ONE who sits on the throne, in whom I live and exist, glory be to His name.

I would like to dedicate this book to my wonderful wife, Kristie Fakunle who has been by my side for the past eighteen years. I bless God for you in my life. Your love, and dedication to my success cannot be quantified. You are my rock. Thank you for loving me.

Writing this book has been a wonderful experience. Despite the desire to write, this book would not have been possible except for the love and counsel of my friend, Fidelis Odogbo who encouraged me to take the leap.

Much appreciation to my sister, Adeyinka Oyebanji who was relentless in her efforts and cheering me on till I finished the book.

Finally, my gratitude to my parents, my family and friends who have supported me in all my endeavors. God bless you all.

Chapter One

JUST BEFORE NOON, HE ARRIVED at Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Danny was once again in his homeland, after a ten-year hiatus to the United States. The buildings at the airport were just how Danny remembered them when he was young. Nothing much has changed. The row of houses with rusty water tanks in various colors on roof tops could still be seen a few yards away from the airport. Nostalgia overwhelmed him. As the plane taxied, he glared at the window notwithstanding the ache he felt from the handcuffs connected to his leg chains, since his departure from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania ten hours ago.

Everyone was eager to get off the plane. They stood and lined up, a learned behavior for men who had been incarcerated for years within a limited space, beckoning to get the next instruction from their task masters. Danny could not wait. He wondered what his dad would look like. Had he gained weight after all these years and how would he be received by the General? He needed some fresh air.

Danny could hear metal chains and handcuffs pilling up on the floor closer to the cockpit. The U.S. Marshal was a gray-haired white gentleman making sure all deportees exited the plane in a humane and presentable manner, paying respect to the family members waiting at the reception. Danny sighed and thanked God for the marshal. He had seen worse.

The smell in the airport was familiar. The moldy smell and the lack of great air ventilation system was amplified by the tropical heat. At airport reception, officers from the Nigeria Police and Immigration Service were visibly present to take some of the former inmates to Alagbon. During the roster call, Danny prayed. As a kid, he had heard of the notorious Alagbon Police Station at Ikoyi. Stories of torture, extortion and inhumane treatment of deportees sent chills into his bones. Despite Danny’s experience at Petersburg Prison, he still wondered about his chances of survival in Nigeria. He heard his name called to the Immigration Service with great relief. He was grateful to God.

When the General arrived at the airport, Danny was delighted. He immediately prostrated.

“Good afternoon sir,” said Danny avoiding eye contact.

“Hello Danny. How are you? Are you okay? Sorry for the delay. I got stuck in traffic. Did the officers treat you well?”

“Yes, they did, sir. I have no complaints.”

“You look tired. I’m sure you are hungry. Your mum is at home cooking for you. Glad to have you back son.”

“Me too, dad.”

It was bright and sunny as they walked towards the car park. Danny stood still for a minute to feel the breeze and muttered beneath his breath, “Free at last”.

12 YEARS EARLIER…

Chapter Two

JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER DANNY’S SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY, he took a stroll through the estate where his family had lived since he was seven years old. Danny loved the Federal Housing Estate and the Victoria Island neighborhood. The estate was originally built by the Dutch as residential quarters for members of the Nigerian House of Assembly and other senior staffs of the legislative body. It was designated for Senior Staff members of the Nigerian Civil Service. Evelyn worked at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Though she was married to the General, she raised Danny and his siblings almost as a single mother. The General was always on postings.

Every day, Danny would strut though the estate, checking out the beautiful girls chatting on the balconies of the high-rise buildings. He loved the summer holidays, when most of his friends were home from boarding school. One day, he noticed Dexter waving his hands and signaling at him not to come home. Dexter looked worried. He suddenly felt a knot in his stomach. It was the same feeling he had on resumption day at boarding school. Danny hated boarding school. He felt like a prisoner when school was in session. The school was surrounded with guards and high security barbed wires in the middle of the country sides of Kaduna State. The food was terrible. Danny felt the knot in his stomach tighten. Just as it was in boarding school when he did not have a choice and the odds were against him, he decided to take his chances.

Danny climbed a flight of stairs to the third floor and met Dexter at the entrance to the flat. Dexter’s face spoke of despair, confusion and pity for his elder brother. Dexter was three years younger and a computer savvy introvert.

“Dad is home and asked of you”, Dexter whispered.

“What did you say?”

“I told him, I don’t know, and he looked really pissed.”

“Where is mum?” Danny asked.

“In the kitchen preparing dinner. I think Dad is going to kill you.”

“The anticipation is killing me already,” Danny replied.

Danny walked into the living room and saw the General sitting in his favorite chair facing the doorway. He immediately prostrated and said, “Good afternoon sir.” The General was reading the newspapers and did not acknowledge his presence. Danny vanished into his bedroom, anticipating what was to come. He had seen this scenario play out before. The atmosphere was tense. Danny wondered if he would have the opportunity to choose his punishment.

A couple of weeks before, the General had called from his military post in Minna to speak to him. The phone rang, and Christy ran to pick it up before anyone else. She was Danny’s baby sister and the General’s favorite. She was born on the same day as he was and couldn’t do any wrong. She chuckled constantly as the conversation went on, and finally she yelled, “Danny, Daddy wants to speak to you.” For Danny, that was code for “Man, I’m in trouble.” Hesitantly, he picked up the receiver and the General said, “Your mum told me you have been messing around with girls in the neighborhood and not studying for your exams. This is the second time you’ve failed your exams to graduate high school. I’m just giving you a heads-up. When I get home, I’m going to deal severely with you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, I do sir,” he replied. His father hung up. Danny was the first son and it was expected that he become either a doctor or an engineer. However, he did not share these interests with his parents. He hated science but loved business and entrepreneurial ventures.

Two weeks earlier, Evelyn had been in Danny’s room looking through his wardrobe. She felt a bulge in his coat pocket and found 5000 naira in newly minted notes. Evelyn was at a loss for words. It would take her three months to earn that much.

“Grace, Grace,” she screamed as she ran to the flat next door. Grace was Evelyn’s neighbor. She had a knack for being in everybody’s business. Despite this, she was Evelyn’s friend and remarkably convenient.

Grace came out of her flat and asked, “What is the matter?”

“Look what I found in Danny’s room. What’s a fifteen-year-old boy doing with 5000 Naira?”

Grace was not surprised. She had tried to tell Evelyn that Danny was hanging out with some shady characters known for trading mercury on the black market. The kids splurged on parties in night clubs, bought jewelry and hired limousines. She had not had the courage to tell Evelyn.

“I don’t know, but I think its time you told his dad before things get out of hand”.

While Danny was deep in thought, Uncle Boss came into the room, looking perplexed and helpless. He had been designated by the General to choose the tools for the execution. Uncle Boss was Danny’s first cousin, the son of his mum’s sister. He had come to live with them from the North to further his education. Evelyn was his guardian and sponsor. He was the elder brother Danny never had.

“Dad is calling you!” said Uncle Boss.

As Danny walked into the living room, he could see collection of whips had been assembled on the dinning table, arranged by size. Danny could feel his heartbeat increasing and sweat running down his neckline.

“Sir, you requested for me?”. Acting ignorant was the only play left for Danny.

“Where were you?”

“I was in the bedroom, sir.” I guess two can play this game of ignorance, Danny thought.

“Kneel down over there, raise your hands and close your eyes,” the General said.

Danny followed orders without asking questions, just as the General expected from soldiers in his barracks.

Twenty minutes passed. There was no sound, except the television blasting out the voices of the NTA news anchor. The news broadcast was the most boring show on the planet, Danny thought. He liked to joke that if he grew up to work for the intelligence agency, he would make criminals listen to the news to get a guaranteed confession. Danny opened his right eye to take a peek. He suddenly felt a jolt on his thigh, hands and butt in very quick succession. The General was swift, and Danny held his hands to take a breath. This was the first time the General has enlisted his fist to guarantee a knockout. Now he knew what Ali had felt after couple of brutal punches from Joe Frazier, he thought.

Uncle Boss walked by and whispered, “You better run!” and to Danny’s amazement, he heeded that advice. He jumped up and ran out into the streets without his shoes. Danny ran for miles through the estate, not giving a thought to the girls. He ran all the way to Chief’s house and crashed into his living room.

After a glass of water, Danny explained to Chief what had transpired. Chief was not surprised. He had been bailing Danny out of trouble for a long time. Chief Ladi had been friends with the General since high school. He was a veteran public servant with the Nigerian Civil Service, just like Evelyn. He had studied in the United States for a while. Chief instructed Danny to wait at his residence, while he paid a visit to his dad to negotiate an end to the onslaught.

Danny was confident of Chief’s diplomatic skills, especially when it was concerning his dad. The General had always had a soft spot for him and would grant him an audience no matter the situation. An hour later, Chief came home.

“I spoke to your dad and all is well. You can go back home. Just make sure to stay out of trouble.”

“Sir, I don’t want to go home, it’s a trick,“ Danny said.

After much persuasion, he decided to go back home. Fortunately, he was not injured, except some minor friction burns on his feet. He tip-toed into his room and slept off with his right eye opened.

Chapter 3

DANNY WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, WONDERING IF THERE WOULD BE A SECOND BOUT of whipping. He contemplated a guarantee of his demise at the hands of the General by running through the glass door in the living room and hoping for death. He knew Evelyn would not have the grace to forgive him despite her Christian values. Uncle Boss walked into the room. Now, he was really irritated.

“Dad is calling you.” As he walked into the living room, Danny could hear Evelyn crying uncontrollably in his parent’s bedroom. The General was reading his newspaper with his usual poise, as if nothing had transpired the day before.

“Did you call for me, sir?”

“Yes, I did, he replied.” Get your bags packed. You are moving out of this house to stay with your Uncle Jide.”

That was unexpected. He still had to consider if suicide was still a better option.

Uncle Jide was the General’s first cousin. A shrewd educator and a disciplinarian with a no-nonsense attitude. He lived at Fola-Agoro, a middle-class suburb on the outskirts of the slum of Bariga, on the east side of Lagos. Danny and his parents had visited Uncle Jide and his family often. A nostalgic feeling of boredom and uncertainty came over him. They had an old black & white television with an external antenna that reminded him of the Flintstones. The living room had lots of books on the shelves. This was not Danny’s ideal escape, but it beats another bout with the General.

Danny and Evelyn arrived at Uncle Jide’s flat later in the evening. Evelyn was still sobbing. Danny had always hated seeing his mum cry. He felt a heavy burden of guilt and wished she was not there with him. Outside the flat was a sea of candles used by traders on the streets. The whole neighborhood was in darkness. This was not a surprise to Danny. The Nigerian Electric Power Authority was notorious in this regard. The lack of electricity for up to twenty hours a day was a common phenomenon, despite its officials harassing its customers for payment.

Aunt Kemi opened the door, knelt briefly and stood to embrace Evelyn. She was tall, beautiful and elegant, and the reason Danny had been able to endure his visits there. It was obvious that Uncle Jide was not home; it was hard to miss the old green Peugeot 504 with the plate number KDA4077 siting outside. It had belonged to the General when they lived in Kaduna. Uncle Jide had bought it a few years back from his dad and fixed it up.

Aunt Kemi eventually persuaded Evelyn to go home and assured her Danny was in good hands. It was late and getting dark.

Around ten o’clock, Danny heard some commotion in the living room. Finally, he heard Uncle Jide call his name.

“Danny, how are you?

“I’m fine, sir.”

“Have you had dinner?” he asked.

“I’m not hungry, sir.”

Uncle Jide was sitting in his favorite chair watching the NTA news channel, a habit he’d inherited from the General when he lived with them years ago before he got married.

“Talk to me,” said Uncle Jide. “What is going on with you?” “Your dad called me and he is really disappointed in you.”

That makes two of us, Danny thought.

“What do you want to do with your life?” Uncle Jide asked.

Danny was overwhelmed with emotions, tears rolling down his cheeks. He could not believe it. This is the first time anyone had asked his opinion. After gaining his composure, Danny

decided to be upfront.

“I don’t see myself in a lab coat, nor in a construction safety hat. I would love to study Social Science.”

Uncle Jide smiled and motioned to his unpacked suitcase leaning in the door way. “Your room is ready, get some rest. You’ve had a long day.”

Danny was surprised by the reception he got from the community of Fola-Agoro, especially the ladies. It had been two years since he’d been in the neighborhood, but he felt like he’d been there forever. It was a small community, and word got to the streets fast that a new kid had arrived from posh Victoria Island. Danny was happy to reap the benefits of people’s assumptions. Everyone wanted to be Danny’s friend and the feeling was mutual. He had always disliked the VI girls anyways. They were spoiled brats. In contrast, the people of Fola-Agoro were down-to-earth, hard-working straight shooters. Danny felt right at home.

One day a year later, Uncle Jide came home from work looking agitated. He had told Danny and Aunt Kemi that Danny’s unofficial exam results would be ready before he left for work that morning. Danny had seen that expression before. Danny didn’t mind getting sad news, but he wondered why he had to get it unofficially, two weeks ahead of his classmates. Uncle Jide went straight to his bedroom and Danny was left wondering if school was not his forte. Maybe I should consider vocational training as an auto mechanic, he thought.

Aunt kemi was gracious as always. Sweat poured down Danny’s face even though the weather was cool.

“Don’t worry, Danny. I’ll check with your uncle and find out what is going on.”

A few minutes later, she came out of the room with a big grin on her face and shook Danny’s hand.

“You passed with flying colors,” she said. Your uncle was messing with you. Congratulations.”

Goosebumps popped on Danny’s arms. He felt suddenly cool, and gave a big smile.

Chapter 4

IT HAD BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE THE OFFICIAL GCE RESULTS were released to the public. Danny’s attitude changed. He strutted the streets like Tony Manero in Staying Alive. For the first time, Danny believed he was just as smart and book savvy as any other kid. He was ready to think about going to college, which he’d previously thought. An impossible feat.

The week before, Uncle Jide had suggested it was time to talk to the General about going back to VI. Danny shrugged off the idea. Why would he leave Fola-Agoro where he was treated like a king, just to return to be a regular Joe in VI? Danny had no intentions of ever returning home. Though he missed Dexter, Christy and Sade, that was not enough motivation to return to VI.

“Can I take a few days to think about it?” he asked. “I would just like to consider my options.”

Uncle Jide agreed reluctantly. That would buy him some time to figure out his next move. At least, that’s what he thought until he heard his mum’s voice downstairs in the parking lot.

Evelyn walked in with a big grin on her face. She looked peaceful and rested. He was happy for her. It has not been easy for her, not having Danny home for the past two years. Though, he was in exile, Danny had returned home to VI when Uncle Jide and his family joined his family for a Christmas trip to the village. Danny was left home alone in Fola-Agoro. Evelyn had always left a spare key with the neighbors next door. Danny had a blast with his friends. He hadn’t seen them for a while, but still had to be careful not to attract any attention to himself.

Danny became worried when he saw Chief Ladi walk into the living room after Evelyn. He did not know what to make of his presence. Though Chief Ladi was a family friend and the General’s confidante, it was no secret that Evelyn relied on Chief whenever she needed to make a decision the General might disagree with. Chief was a master negotiator and his presence spoke volumes. “This has to be good,” Danny thought.

Danny could see Uncle Jide and his aunt were also curious to find out what was going on. After much pleasantries, Evelyn thanked both of them for their support and taking care of Danny.

“We are family. There is no need for that,” said Uncle Jide. Evelyn glanced at Chief, and he took the cue.

“Danny will be going to the United States to further his studies.”

What? Danny blurted out. He sat down with a puzzled look. For a minute, he could not feel his feet.

Uncle Jide sighed. “That’s great news. That means Danny will be starting school as a freshman next year in August. Much time and opportunity to prepare.”

“Danny leaves tomorrow night,” said Evelyn.

“Tomorrow night?” Danny said.

“Actually, you are leaving with me and Chief immediately for VI. We need to pack and get ready. Go and get your stuff, we are waiting.”

“How is this possible?” Uncle Jide said. “Danny will still have to apply for a visa and this could take couple of weeks”.

“He already has a visa,” Evelyn said. Everyone was puzzled.

“I must be dreaming,” Danny muttered.

Danny could care less what he packed. He was excited beyond himself. He gave lots of hugs to his cousins and Aunt Kemi. Danny hated saying goodbye. He was going to miss his notoriety with the people of Fola-Agoro, especially the ladies. As he left with Evelyn and Chief, he felt himself getting teary-eyed.

They arrived late. It was around eleven o’clock. Evelyn had explained to Uncle Jide and Aunt Kemi the mystery of the United States visa and the sudden need to travel.

Two weeks ago, Evelyn had been cleaning up the bedroom and doing the laundry. The house had been in disarray because Christy had had a sleep over. She had been bugging Evelyn and the General for weeks to host her friends. This was a bold request that Danny and his siblings could not have dared to make when they were her age. As Evelyn rumbled through the drawers next to the bed, she stumbled on Danny’s passport. She wondered why it was in the drawer instead of the family’s safe where she kept all the important documents. She breezed through the pages and saw a U.S. B2 Visiting Visa for Danny that was valid for six months.

The nine o’clock news had just come on when Evelyn stormed into the living room and stood between the TV screen and the General.

“What is this? Can you explain how you got this?” She waved the passport in the General’s face. Evelyn’s posture was quite militant and determined. The General knew better than to aggravate her further. He sat up and explained.

For six weeks, a sect called Yan Tatsine had been terrorizing the residents of Kaduna State. The sect’s actions were based on an Islamic extremist ideology. The group had attacked the U.S. Consulate in Kaduna and besieged the compound inhabited by the diplomats and the foreign service employees and their families. The General had been the Chief of General Staff at the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division in Kaduna. He had received the call to mobilize reinforcement to support the Nigerian Police and crush the rebellion. The operation was swift and successful. A couple of days later, the General received the U.S Consular-General and some high-ranking officials at the military headquarters. They were impressed and wanted to show their appreciation.

As the visiting delegation departed the headquarters, the Consular asked the General, if there was anything they could do for him personally? The General had to think fast and all he could think of was Danny. “Well, my son would like to go to the United States,” he said. “Oh! That’s not a problem, send his passport over to my office at the consulate and we will take care of that.”

Two days later, Danny’s passport was hand delivered to the General with a visa inside. By the time he arrived at the family home in Lagos for a weekend furlough, he’d begun to second-guess the idea. He locked the passport by the bedside drawer, lay down and dozed off thinking of his victory in Kaduna and what it might mean for his career.

Chapter 5

DANNY WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY IN HIS OLD BED, still reeling from the events of the day before. This has to be a dream, he thought. Evelyn came into his room to help him finish packing. Danny had never been to the U.S. All he knew about it was from the Hollywood movies and music videos. Though Evelyn had taken Danny and his siblings to Europe for vacation when they were younger, he knew the U.S. was totally different. Americans were very direct, which was his preferred style of communication. Danny was excited.

Nobody knew Danny was back in the estate. When they’d arrived, he’d wanted to share the good news with his friends. However, he couldn’t shake from his mind the reason for his abrupt travel. Evelyn had been concerned about Danny telling his friends and getting into trouble. It wouldn’t be the first time. He needed to play it cool and stay calm. He felt like he was being smuggled out of the country.

The flight was scheduled to depart from Muritala Mohammed Airport at 11:45pm and arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York at 5:45am. Winter had just started on the East coast.

Evelyn had a three-piece suit dry cleaned for Danny. She wanted him looking sharp and responsible. Evelyn was putting her make-up on when the General arrived. He had been conveniently absent from the house through out the day. If he’d had his way, Danny would not be going to the U.S. Danny was immature and had the potential to get into trouble. But Evelyn had insisted that this kind of opportunity only comes once. She was convinced, especially now that Danny had passed his exams, that he would be okay. Eventually, the General gave up.

When the time came to go to the airport, Chief Ladi was sitting next to the General watching the news. He had come over to provide support for Evelyn and to be a mediator in case the General changed his mind. Danny could hear the horn of the car downstairs. Uncle Boss was being impatient and Danny was ready to get on with it. He went back to say goodbye to the General and Chief Ladi.

“Good bye, sir.”

“Good bye,” said General. “Watch out. Lots of people with HIV over there.”

“The girls over there are very fair-skinned,” Chief Ladi added with a grin. “You are going to like them.”

“Thank you, sir.” Danny took one last look at his home and ran out of the house before Uncle Boss took off without him.

THE AIRPORT WAS ROWDY AND CROWDED. Uncle Boss dropped them off at the departure lounge and drove off abruptly. Danny couldn’t figure why Uncle Boss was in such a hurry to get back home. Maybe because he will finally have the room to himself again.

It took Evelyn and Danny over an hour to get to the check-in counter and go through security. Danny could see the plane from the lounge and got exited all over again. It was a Boeing 747. He’d only seen them in movies. Suddenly, an interruption by the voice from the overhead speakers.

“This is an announcement for passengers on Nigerian Airways, flight 334 departing for New York. Please proceed to gate D for boarding.”

Evelyn got up and Danny followed. Thirty minutes later, the plane taxied to the runway for take-off. Danny was glued to the window looking at the homes next to the airport and a large billboard that read “Good-Bye to Nigeria”. Danny muttered “good-bye”. Twenty minutes later, it was pitch black outside and Danny was snoring.

DANNY’S EYES WERE STILL IRRITATED BY THE COLD when he got off the plane. He had never felt anything like it before. The coldest he’d ever been was in boarding school in Kaduna during the Harmattan season. A north-east trade wind blew dry and dusty particles from the Sahara Desert. Danny could remember how chapped his lips got and how his feet cracked open. He had learnt that Vaseline petroleum jelly could be a man’s best friend.

“At least the heating system is working,” said Danny. Evelyn ignored him and walked hastily through the airport lounge, to the baggage claim area. They had four bags each weighing exactly the maximum allowed by the airline. Evelyn had packed with precision, tact and skill. If she’d had her way, she would have brought more luggage, which would have been a major embarrassment for Danny. In the movies, Americans never had more than one bag. I’m going to act like an American, he thought. As they exited the terminal, all Danny could see was a sea of yellow taxis. Cars honked constantly. Pedestrians streamed along-side the cars. It was total chaos. This was just like Nigeria, except the officers and airport staff looked happy doing their jobs. Danny was accustomed to frowning at the airport in Lagos, to avoid unnecessary compliments and fake smiles from the officials expecting a tip.

“Can you take us to Penn Station?” Evelyn asked a taxi driver.

“Sure. Welcome to the United States,” he said as he struggled to lift the luggage into the trunk of the car.

The taxi pulled up at the station around eight o’clock. Danny could not believe all the people sleeping on cardboard boxes and begging for a dollar. He had never seen that in the movies.

“We need to hurry up and catch the 9:00 a.m. Amtrak train to New Carrolton, Maryland,” Evelyn said. Their final destination was a secret Evelyn kept until now.

“Isn’t that where Dele lives?” asked Danny.

“Yes. You will be staying with him and his guardian.”

Danny was excited. He had not seen Dele, Chief Ladi’s first son for over three years, since he’d graduated from high school. Dele and Danny had attended the same school and grown up in the estate together. Dele was a year ahead of Danny in school and was two years older. Despite their shared history, they were totally different people. Dele was an introvert and lacked Danny’s charisma, especially with the girls at school. Dele had arrived in the U.S. immediately after his graduation. He had been born in Washington D.C, when Chief Ladi was studying for his master’s degree. Danny’s stomach growled. There was a McDonald’s in the corner of the station. Danny glanced at it, then at Evelyn. Together they walked to the restaurant.

Chapter 6

IT’S ALMOST NOON WHEN THE TRAIN entered Prince Georges County. Danny had finished his double cheeseburger and large fries.

“Now it’s official. I have arrived in the United States,” said Danny. He had stayed up throughout the entire journey, enjoying the scenery. Danny saw huge stretch of farmlands and couple of horses grazing nearby. Most of the houses were beautiful with designs from the Victorian era. They reminded him of the colonial houses built by the British before Nigeria’s independence. Evelyn was tired. She had slept through the trip and woken up to the voice of the train conductor announcing New Carrolton Station. She and Danny looked out the window and saw a short stocky man standing on the platform next to the ticket office grinning and waving.

“Welcome to New Carrolton madam. My name is Chubi,” he said with a heavy Nigerian accent. “Chief Ladi gave me your itinerary and requested that I get here on time to meet you. How was your flight and the train ride?”

“Fine,” said Evelyn as she tried to warm her cold hands by rubbing them together.

“This must be Danny. Heard a lot about you. Are you excited to be in the U.S.?”

“Yes, sir.” Danny hoped whatever he had heard was good.

Together they walked to the parking lot. “Here we are,” Chubi said, pointing to an eighties model Chevy Caprice station wagon with D.C taxi cab signage painted on the driver’s side door. Danny jumped in the car. It was freezing. He could have cared less if it was a boat, so long it was warm.

The city felt quite different from the chaos in New York. Maryland had beautiful homes, lots of houses under construction in new residential developments. There were parks along the highway with kids playing on swings with young mothers pushing their strollers. It was a more relaxed and laid-back environment.

As Chubi pulled into the Heritage Square apartment complex, Danny heard a rattling noise on the window. It was Dele, making hand signals for Danny to open the door. Danny was glad to see him. He had not changed a bit, except for putting on a few pounds. That was expected, thought Danny as he remembered the McDonald’s burger he’d eaten on the train. A quick hug followed.

“Welcome ma,” said Dele to Evelyn as he slightly prostrated.

“How are you Dele? Wow, you are grown. Look, you have a mustache.”

Dele blushed and took two bags from Chubi, while Danny followed suit and entered the apartment.

Danny woke up the next day to the aroma of fried eggs and sausage, coming from the kitchen. He barely had the energy to keep his eyes open. Dele had gone to school. He was a sophomore at the University of District of Columbia and was majoring in Pre-Med. He would be going to work later for the afternoon shift at the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in the north east section of D.C. They had been up late into the night, reminiscing about old times at the high school they’d both attended. Dele wanted all the gossip on his former classmates back in Nigeria. He had lost contact with most of them.

It was ten o’clock when Danny walked into the dinning room for breakfast. Evelyn had been knocking on his bedroom door, asking him to get dressed and come out and say hi to Bunmi. Danny was meeting her for the first time.

“This is Chubi’s wife,” said Evelyn. “She’s had been working a double shift at Howard University Hospital in D.C.”

She was tall, feisty and a bit slender, thought Danny. Not what he’d expected, especially after meeting Chubi.

“How are you? I hope you like the breakfast I made for you. Would you like some tea, orange juice or coffee?“

“Tea. Thank you.”

As Danny munched on his last piece of toast, he could hear Chubi’s voice from the living room. It sounded like he was having a serious discussion with a stranger. Danny leaned towards the door to hear their conversation.

“This could work,” said the stranger. “The guy assured me at the Liberian consulate that the papers provided can be verified and are authentic.”

“Very well, said Chubi. I told Chief Ladi and the General I would take care of Danny, but I can’t discuss the details with his mum. She would freak out.”

“What about the kid? Does he have the balls to follow through”?

“Chief Ladi gave me a heads-up about the kid’s escapades back home in Nigeria. I can assure you, he’s not a saint.”

“Well, it’s their money. Just make sure I get the two grand as discussed.”

“I told you. I’ve got this.”

Danny heard someone walking towards the door. He sat down abruptly and took a gulp of tea. It tasted nasty and cold.

It had been four days since Chubi had called Danny aside to inform him of his plans. He had started the conversation by asking about Danny’s plans for after his mum returned to Nigeria. Chubi looked innocent as he spoke, and Danny went along with it.

“I don’t know. I will have to get a job as soon as possible”.

“How are you going to achieve that? I understand your parents hope you get permanent residency in the long-term.

However, they are ignorant of the U.S. immigration laws. You are in the U.S. on a visit visa which expires in a few weeks.”

“Like I said, I don’t know. Going back to Nigeria is not an option. Can you help me”? asked Danny.

“Sure. I don’t want you to become an undocumented immigrant. I have a friend who can get you papers that classify you as a Liberian citizen.”

“Liberian?” asked Danny.

Danny had done his research after eaves dropping on Chubi’s conversation. It seemed the United States was the former colonial master of Liberia. They were currently granting Liberians who had fled the civil war refugee asylum status. Danny knew the whole history. The conflict had erupted after Charles Taylor led a coup d’état toppling a democratic elected government in the eighties. That was followed by growing discontent among some of the government officials, who created another rebel group.

“Yes. It’s the only way I can think of to help you get legal residency,” said Chubi. “Can you handle it?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Don’t tell your mum.”

“Sure, you can count on me. Trust me, I don’t want to get my mum worried either. When do we start?”

“I’m making the call right now. The whole set up should be ready by next week,” said Chubi.

“Alright. Thanks a bunch sir.”

Danny walked into his room, lay on his bed and put a pillow over his head. He wondered why his parents had not studied in the U.S years ago just as Chief Ladi had. That would have provided him a U.S. citizenship by birth just as Dele. Now he pondered the direction in which life was about to take him.

Chapter 7

THE ALARM CLOCK RANG AT 6:00 A.M. Danny turned it off. He was tired. He had not slept all night. He had an appointment with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services at 8:00 a.m. He was a nervous wreck.

If he got caught, how will he explain this to his mum? What kind of questions were they going to ask?

“I can’t back down now,” he thought. Chubi had forfeited two grand to secure the documents needed for this interview today. Danny turned off his thoughts and went straight into the shower.

There was a knock at the bedroom door.

“Good morning” said Bunmi. “Breakfast is on the table.”

“Good morning. Thank you. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Danny had to catch the orange line at New Carrolton Station to the USCIS office in Alexandria, Virginia. Chubi was waiting in the car outside to drop him off. Danny came out of the room, walked over to Evelyn and kissed her on the cheek.

“Good morning mum. I’ve got to go out with Chubi for a job opportunity. See you later.”

“What about the breakfast Bunmi made for you?”

“Got to run mum. Tell her I’ll eat it later.”

“Alright dear. Good luck.”

Danny hated lying to her. At least he was being honest about the food. He had totally lost his appetite.

He dashed out the door quickly.

Danny met the stranger who had made the arrangements for the documents as he exited the metro station.

“Hey, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. You’ve got to ease up man. Lighten up or you just might end up in jail and be deported back home. Here are your documents,” he said. “Your birth cert stating you were born in Monrovia. Your date of birth remains the same, so to avoid you getting confused. That will be awkward, if you don’t know your own date of birth. Alright, I’ve got to go. Good luck.”

Before Danny could ask his name, he walked into the station and disappeared into the crowd.

Danny arrived at the USCIS office at 8:45. The building was heavily fortified, with armed guards in front of the security check point and metal detectors. After Danny was patted down, he got a ticket and was asked to sit in the waiting area with other applicants. Most were there from war torn countries and conflict zones. Some were with their entire family. He had ticket number ninety-two, and the last number called had been number forty-five.

It’s going to be a long day, thought Danny.

He took a seat next to a Mexican family. Danny wanted to strike up a conversation just to kill time, but he knew to keep quiet. He needed to stay in line with the script he had researched for possible answers to the immigration agent’s questions.

A couple of times, people were escorted in handcuffs from the interview room. Danny felt his heart racing fast. He began to sweat down his back, even though it was freezing outside. Almost everyone in the waiting room still had their jackets on.

“Calm down Danny. Calm down”, he whispered under his breath.

Two hours later, number ninety-two flashed on the screen. He walked towards the interview room as if he were a pirate walking the plank. A blonde, blue-eyed, scrawny agent sat behind the desk. He looked as if he had not slept in days. His aura gave the impression that he was counting the days to retirement and a pension from uncle Sam.

“Good morning. I’m Special Agent Scott Walker. Please close the door and have a seat.”

“Thank you”, said Danny.

As he tried to close the door, he saw the handle was missing. He remembered the people he had seen being escorted out in handcuffs earlier. The interview room was a trap. Without a doubt, Agent Walker must have had the pleasure of making lots of arrest.

“I see you’ve applied for asylum and your birth certificate states you were born in Monrovia. I’ve been doing this job for a long time Mr. Adeyinka.”

“Please just call me Danny.”

“Okay Danny, I’m going to be straight with you. I think you are Nigerian. Though all your paperwork is complete and looks authentic, my gut feeling tells me you are Nigerian.”

“I’m not Nigerian,” said Danny.

“Tell me, how did you get to the shores of the U.S.?”

Danny was glad when he heard the question. It had been one of the questions he figured they would ask.

“During the war, I escaped to Yamoussoukro in Côte D’ivoire. That was where I boarded a plane to Canada and a few days later, crossed the border into Buffalo, New York.”

“Really? So, what’s the color of the uniform for the Canadian immigration officers?”

“White and navy blue,” said Danny swiftly.

Agent Walker was quiet for a minute. “This is exactly why I believe you are Nigerian. You are too smart and cunning.”

Danny wasn’t sure whether that was an insult or compliment. The door opened and two more agents walked in.

“Can you stand up and place your hands on the wall, sir?” asked one of them.

Danny did as they asked. They patted him down from his collar to his shoes and checked his wallet. He felt relief when he remembered he’d removed everything except a five-dollar bill before leaving the apartment in the morning.

“Nothing here, sir,” the agents said to Walker.

“Thank you gentlemen,” he replied looking very disappointed.

When had Agent Walker called for back-up? He had been right in front of him the entire time. Maybe Walker had a secret button under his table. After the agents left the interview room, Walker apologized.

“I was just doing my job, he said. I’m still going to go with my gut feeling and deny your asylum application. Do you have anything else to tell me? Can you show me further evidence to corroborate your story?

“I can check when I get back home.”

“Alright, your file will be on my desk. You are free to go. Here is my card, just in case you need to call me.”

Danny said, “thank you” and quickly walked out of the building.

“That was close”, he muttered.

Before he got back on the train, he threw Agent Walker’s card in the bin. He hoped never to see that building again.

Chapter 8

IT HAD BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE EVELYN LEFT DANNY IN THE U.S. Danny became an undocumented immigrant once his B2 visa expired. Getting a job was challenging. Danny wandered for miles and filled out several job applications, but was unsuccessful. It wasn’t long before Danny knew all the characters on the popular daytime soaps. After agonizing months of joblessness, he became frustrated. It had not been comfortable living with Chubi and Bunmi. Chubi came home from work drunk every day and slept on the couch snoring violently.

Who could blame him? thought Danny.

He had caught his wife cheating with Musa, an old friend of Chubi who also lived in the same apartment complex. Chubi began paying daily visits to the liquor store after his shift. The atmosphere was tense, and it was soon clear to Danny that he was no longer receiving free board. One day, Danny came home after a fruitless job hunt and decided to get something to eat. He was looking forward to the delicious leftovers from the day before. He opened the fridge and was greeted with a sign on the pot of egusi soup that read, “PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH.” Danny called Dele over.

“Do you know anything about this?”

“Now you know why I eat at work before coming home. I don’t need this crap,” he said.

“Well, I don’t have that luxury since I don’t have a job yet. Until then, I’m just going to skim off the top.”

“What if you get caught? asked Dele”

“Bite me,” he replied.

Danny finally got his first job as a cook at Pizza Hut. Desperate, he had called Jimmy, his cousin living in Dallas for help. Jimmy’s friend was a manager at the restaurant in the upper east side of Maryland. In six months after a lot of hard work, Danny became a Shift Manager and was proud of his achievement. He loved going to work. It was exciting. There was always some kind of drama at the restaurant with a customer. Once, a customer complained that her pizza did not look exactly like the one advertised on television. She created such a scene, the police were called to address the public disturbance.

Danny later got a job as a security guard and finally decided to start his own business, selling used cars. He was passionate about cars. He got the idea from Nnamdi, a regular at the bank where Danny worked. His company had won the contract after the bank got robbed during the previous Christmas.

Nnamdi came into the bank daily to make deposits. Danny admired the way he dressed and the cars he drove. Every time he came to the bank, he drove a different car. Danny got curious and approached him after his daily deposit.

“Good morning to you Danny. How are you today?”

“Great I suppose. Sorry to bother, are you a car dealer?”

“Yes, I am. Why do you ask?”

“Well, just wondering how I can get in on the action?”

“Oh! No worries. I go to different auto auctions every day to buy cars. Anytime you are free, you can join me.”

“How about next Monday? I’ll take the day off.

“Okay. Send me your address and I’ll pick you up on Monday.”

“Great,” said Danny. He was excited.

At his first auction, Danny purchased two cars for five hundred dollars each, and sold them for a profit over the weekend. Danny had found his niche. He continued to gain notoriety and expanded the assets of his dealership. Ultimate Motors Inc. was established. Danny quit his security gig to pursue his business full-time.

Danny had lots of friends and developed a massive business network. He also attempted to further his education. He attended the University of District of Columbia but flunked most of his courses. He majored in Accounting and hated going to class. But Danny’s popularity continued to grow. He frequented night clubs in the D.C. metro area. He partied hard every other weekend and accumulated a lengthy list of girlfriends from all walks of life.

It was customary for Danny to showcase his latest merchandise upon a grand entry at the clubs. He had exotic sport cars and SUVs. He always reserved a VIP spot right at the front door to guarantee a spectacular entrance. For Danny it was all about the publicity stunt. He secured a VIP lounge for his friends and potential dates and spent his nights sipping his favorite, Moët.

Over the years, Danny had gotten involved with the underworld. He wanted to turn more profits. Danny invested in cars known to the Nigerian syndicates as “Abiku”. The term referred to the resurrection of an older sibling who had died, through the birth of another child to the same family or parents. Cars sold at Ultimate Motors, came from the streets of Baltimore and all over the northeast. The operation was carried out by the “B-More Boys,” a notorious outfit that specialized in car theft and chop shops. The cars were given new VINs and titles and sold to Ultimate Motors for a fraction of the current retail value. Danny made the trip to New York via Baltimore at least twice a month with a couple of hired hands to drive the cars back to his lot in Laurel, Maryland. He had to make another run in couple of days. He got a call in the middle of the night about the arrivals of a new batch.

It was eight o’clock in the morning and Danny was fatigued from his trip to New York. He always drove the speed limit and was constantly on the lookout for police cruisers. It was tedious for him.

Danny knocked on Dexter’s bedroom door. He knew Dexter had worked the late-night shift. Evelyn had brought Dexter to the U.S. two years after Danny’s arrival. By this time, Danny and Dele had moved into their own apartments. They all parted amicably. Chubi needed his space as he pursued divorce proceedings from Bunmi. The divorce was brutal on the kids and was later finalized based on irreconcilable differences. Despite all his personal woes, Dele and Danny were grateful to him for providing a roof over their heads.

“Good morning, little brother”.

“Good morning,” he muttered under his breath, still half-asleep.

“Are you going to work today?”

“Nope. Why?”

“I’m going to downtown D.C to register the cars I bought at the auction in New York.”

He was lying. Danny often made the trip with one of his staff, but it was a busy day at the lot. Nobody was available, and there were customers already waiting for the new shipment. He had always made it a priority not to involve family in his dealings with the underworld. He believed, that whatever the consequences, it was for him alone to bear. He made an exception.

“Sure, why not? I don’t have any plans for the day. I need a break anyway.”

Подняться наверх