It was unusual for me to get tired of a party, but it happened that day. I was there sitting on a chair, observing everything at the naming ceremony, but I wasn't flowing with the party despite the good music, food, and the presence of other family members; I just wanted to go home.
"I should have just attended the other party," I thought, because we had another family event on the same day, so the available family members split into two groups to ensure we were present at both events.
My focus shifted from the party to my wristwatch, I kept checking the time, and it didn't look like it was moving. I wished night would just come, and we all could return home, but it was still past 4pm.
Leaving the event wasn't a problem. Nobody would stop me, but I didn't have enough money to take me home. Asking my uncle for money wasn't going to work because he brought us on his bus and would insist on taking us back.
Around 5pm, I couldn't stay anymore and had to confide in my uncle's wife. I told her I couldn't wait anymore, and she tried persuading me to just mix up with people. She got me a drink and some meat to keep myself busy but that wasn't my problem.
I eventually gave up on leaving earlier and just stared at people like I was watching TV.
"Omolara, didn't you say you wanted to go home?" My uncle's wife came to ask me.
"Yes, ma. I just got tired of everything," I replied, my face screaming exhaustion.
"Big daddy is leaving the other event now, you should wait for him at Mopon junction so he can pick you up, or what do you think?" She said stretching a two hundred naira note to me.
"That's fine. I will take a bike and wait for him there," I replied taking the money.
"Ensure you stay where he can see you and be careful at that junction," She warned.
I immediately took my things and she gave me a food pack to go home with. While she walked me down the street to get a bike, she called Big Daddy, my dad's older brother, to inform him that I was heading to the junction already.
I waited for some minutes at the junction before he arrived and was so happy to see him. He asked why I left the party so early and I told him that I wasn't just feeling good.
He also wanted to retire home early because he had a business meeting the next morning in a neighboring state. Big Daddy drove carefully, and he sang along with the juju music playing from the car speakers.
He would stop singing at different times to ask me questions and I answered. We'd moved for about thirty minutes when a vehicle hit us from behind.
Our car bumped forward, and Big Daddy had to step on the car brake immediately.
"Are you alright? What kind of nonsense driving was that?" He muttered and stepped out of the car angrily after checking that I was fine.
I rushed out of the car and watched Big Daddy check the body of his old blue Honda Accord. He shook his head in disbelief, seeing that his car's rear bumper had been damaged, almost fallen off.
Big Daddy turned to the culprits, two guys probably in their early thirties. They just stood there like criminals waiting for their judgment in a courtroom.
"You guys drove recklessly, why? You just damaged my car," Big Daddy screamed at them.
"We are sorry, sir. I got distracted and the next I knew was the crash," One of the guys stuttered.
"This is not good, you can't allow any distraction while driving. A slight mistake can cause the unexpected," He replied calmly, and I was stunned by how he switched his mood that easily.
"I have been driving for close to thirty years now and never hit another car. You have to stay alert always," Big Daddy continued lecturing these guys and I just stood there watching.
Together, they tied the rear bumper with a rope to its position, and Big Daddy allowed them to go. Immediately, he got into the car. One of the guys came with some cash, but Big Daddy rejected it, so instead, he took Big Daddy's number.
We left the scene, and I didn't believe my eyes because even my dad wouldn't take such a thing lightly. I know big daddy is nice and kind but I don't know how far he could go with his kindness.
"They have had too much alcohol, I can perceive it. That's why it's not good to drink and drive," Big Daddy said, as we continued our journey, and I just nodded my head because I was still processing the whole thing.
We arrived home safely and several months have passed after the incident. I was at home that evening when Big Daddy called my daddy. They had a long chat over the phone before he told my daddy to give me the phone.
"Omolara, do you remember those guys who hit my car the other day?" Big Daddy asked me after we exchanged pleasantries.
"Yes, sir. I remember them," I replied.
"You won't believe that I met one of those guys again today," Big Daddy replied excitedly.
"Did they recognize you," I asked.
"Yes, he was even the one that saw me at the vehicle papers renewal office. He came to greet me and I was wondering who he was."
"He introduced himself and I was speechless because he works there. He is even the head of a department," Big Daddy replied.
"Wow, that's interesting. It is good to be good," I replied and we laughed.
"You don't know the best part of everything," He stuttered.
"What's that? I asked curiously.
"He insisted on paying for my paper renewal, and he took me out for lunch," Big Daddy replied, and I felt really happy about the news.
The conversation continued for a few more minutes, and I picked a vital lesson from the big daddy lifestyle. He believes that every act of kindness will always be rewarded, and even though he's late today, I still remember a lot of his good deeds.
