Sade.” I was stunned. If I can’t get even Mariam to understand my point of view, what’s the use of trying to explain myself to anyone? When I’m talking to you, Iyawo, I know I’m only talking to myself.
18
Terminator Eyebrows
“At least fifteen people are reported to have been killed when a Nigerian fighter jet bombed the military headquarters of the Sierra Leone army in Freetown….”
Papa’s head stooped toward the little radio on the kitchen table. Femi dropped his backpack by the door. Thud. Papa’s eyes shot up, flicking from the floor to Femi. How stupid to be so casual with his schoolbag in front of Papa! That was asking for trouble. But Papa’s eyes reverted to the radio, assuming a distant look as if he were thousands of miles away.
“The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously this week to impose international sanctions on Sierra Leone’s military government. They include a ban on the sale of oil, weapons, and military equipment….”
Femi squeezed his fingers into his palms. The letter about Parents Evening lay tucked in his bag. He wasmeant to have given it to Papa a week ago, and today was the deadline for Papa’s reply.
It hadn’t worried him at first. Their form tutor, Ms. Gray, was so scatty that he could always say he had handed in Papa’s slip. She wouldn’t be sure whether she had mislaid it and would simply ask him whether Papa was coming or not. But on Monday their math teacher, Ms. Hassan, had walked into their tutor room and announced that Ms. Gray was unwell. She would be their replacement form tutor “for the foreseeable future.” She could have been carrying an invisible stun gun. So far no one in 7B had seriously messed around with Ms. Hassan. After taking the attendance register, she had opened a folder marked in bold letters:
7B PARENTS EVENING
TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER
She had called out a list of names from a batch of reply slips. Those whose names were not called had to raise their hands. Femi’s hand had felt like a lead weight. His plan was sunk.
Femi’s eyes traveled from the bag to Papa and back again. The letter was still inside it. Whenever the thought had come into his mind that he shouldn’t delay any longer, he had allowed it to slip away again. This morning was his last chance to give Papa the letter before having to account to Ms. Hassan.
“A spokesman for the military government said thatSierra Leoneans should be free to sort out their own problems without interference from Nigeria and the United Nations….”
If only he could be free of interference! The letter put him in a trap. If he gave it now, Papa would be mad at Femi for giving it to him so late. Papa liked to do things properly. He would say that he needed time to check that he could get away from work in time. But worse still, when Papa came to Parents Evening, he would talk to Hendy and say something about football practice on Saturday afternoons. He would probably even start by thanking Hendy! Femi could just imagine the smile being wiped off Papa’s face.
“Senseless! Brother killing brother!” Papa switched off the radio. The fury rumbled in his voice. Then he took a deep breath. He turned to Femi. “Did you manage your homework last night?”
“Yes, Papa. It was easy.”
“What’s easy?” Sade cut in from behind. She pressed past Femi into the kitchen. She already had her coat on.
“My homework!” Femi snapped.
“That’s because you only do five minutes!”
“No I don’t! You don’t know because you play music in your room all the time!”
“Anyway, Papa will find out for himself when you have Parents Evening. Haven’t you got one yet?”
Femi froze. Trust Sade to bring up the subject! He was counting on her not knowing about arrangements for year seven.
“Stop quarreling.” Papa rapped his fingers on the table.“Don’t you young people think we have enough wars already? You’ll be late if you don’t hurry up.”
Sade removed two
18
Terminator Eyebrows
“At least fifteen people are reported to have been killed when a Nigerian fighter jet bombed the military headquarters of the Sierra Leone army in Freetown….”
Papa’s head stooped toward the little radio on the kitchen table. Femi dropped his backpack by the door. Thud. Papa’s eyes shot up, flicking from the floor to Femi. How stupid to be so casual with his schoolbag in front of Papa! That was asking for trouble. But Papa’s eyes reverted to the radio, assuming a distant look as if he were thousands of miles away.
“The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously this week to impose international sanctions on Sierra Leone’s military government. They include a ban on the sale of oil, weapons, and military equipment….”
Femi squeezed his fingers into his palms. The letter about Parents Evening lay tucked in his bag. He wasmeant to have given it to Papa a week ago, and today was the deadline for Papa’s reply.
It hadn’t worried him at first. Their form tutor, Ms. Gray, was so scatty that he could always say he had handed in Papa’s slip. She wouldn’t be sure whether she had mislaid it and would simply ask him whether Papa was coming or not. But on Monday their math teacher, Ms. Hassan, had walked into their tutor room and announced that Ms. Gray was unwell. She would be their replacement form tutor “for the foreseeable future.” She could have been carrying an invisible stun gun. So far no one in 7B had seriously messed around with Ms. Hassan. After taking the attendance register, she had opened a folder marked in bold letters:
7B PARENTS EVENING
TUESDAY 14TH OCTOBER
She had called out a list of names from a batch of reply slips. Those whose names were not called had to raise their hands. Femi’s hand had felt like a lead weight. His plan was sunk.
Femi’s eyes traveled from the bag to Papa and back again. The letter was still inside it. Whenever the thought had come into his mind that he shouldn’t delay any longer, he had allowed it to slip away again. This morning was his last chance to give Papa the letter before having to account to Ms. Hassan.
“A spokesman for the military government said thatSierra Leoneans should be free to sort out their own problems without interference from Nigeria and the United Nations….”
If only he could be free of interference! The letter put him in a trap. If he gave it now, Papa would be mad at Femi for giving it to him so late. Papa liked to do things properly. He would say that he needed time to check that he could get away from work in time. But worse still, when Papa came to Parents Evening, he would talk to Hendy and say something about football practice on Saturday afternoons. He would probably even start by thanking Hendy! Femi could just imagine the smile being wiped off Papa’s face.
“Senseless! Brother killing brother!” Papa switched off the radio. The fury rumbled in his voice. Then he took a deep breath. He turned to Femi. “Did you manage your homework last night?”
“Yes, Papa. It was easy.”
“What’s easy?” Sade cut in from behind. She pressed past Femi into the kitchen. She already had her coat on.
“My homework!” Femi snapped.
“That’s because you only do five minutes!”
“No I don’t! You don’t know because you play music in your room all the time!”
“Anyway, Papa will find out for himself when you have Parents Evening. Haven’t you got one yet?”
Femi froze. Trust Sade to bring up the subject! He was counting on her not knowing about arrangements for year seven.
“Stop quarreling.” Papa rapped his fingers on the table.“Don’t you young people think we have enough wars already? You’ll be late if you don’t hurry up.”
Sade removed two
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