The environment was quiet, just as I always wanted it to be. There was no noise from my neighbour's kids, who usually played around my window, making it difficult for me to sleep or concentrate on whatever I was doing.
The only noise disturbing me that cool afternoon was rumbling in my tummy and the hum from the ceiling fan above me that was hooked to an already peeling wall.
I lay there on my thin mattress, scrolling through my phone. It was as if the Facebook algorithm had heard the rumblings in my stomach as all I saw as I scrolled through Facebook were just pictures of foods.
I kept swallowing saliva, and finally, I found the courage to drop my phone and try to force myself to sleep.
I turned and faced the wall, trying as much as I could to get my mind off the emptiness in my stomach, like the emptiness in my room. Ever since I was posted to Abakiliki for the mandatory National Youth Service, it's been weeks since I tasted good food or anything close to a home-cooked meal, and that was when I visited my aunt who lived in the same town I was posted to with her family.
The only surviving food in my house was the packs of noodles that stared at me whenever I opened my kitchen cabinet. I craved real food and good food, but the allowance I got from my service to my country could only afford the junk in my kitchen cabinet.
My stomach rumbled again. This time it was louder. I fidgeted and sat up on the bed
"Oh lord, for how long will I continue to eat noodles? I'm tired!" I yelled. Thank God I was alone in my room. I didn't want any other person to know what I was going through.
Then I had flashbacks of my mother's vegetable soup and proper jellof rice. My mouth watered at that memory. I closed my eyes wishing I could at least taste a bit of it from my imagination or maybe bring it to life. But as I opened my eyes, I was still in my room with the noodles in my kitchen cabinet staring at me. I was sure at that moment they were laughing at my foolishness. I joined in the laughter.
Knowing I had no other option, I got up to grab the noodles when a knock came at my door. I knew I wasn't expecting anyone, so I didn't bother at first. I thought it was my neighbour's kids playing their silly pranks again. I proceeded to turn on my gas cooker when the knock came again.
Grudgingly, I put off the fire and walked to the door. I was going to shout at those kids for messing with my mental health at that point in time.
But as I opened the, it wasn't the children but a delivery guy.
"Check the next door. I no order anything (I didn't order anything)", I explained with anger and tried shutting my door.
Holding onto my door "Oga wait, the person said it's room 12 and I'm sure that what I'm seeing on your door" the delivery guy said, looking me straight in the eye
"Which person?" I asked, getting interested now.
"My book says it's from Aunty Gift," the delivery guy replied, looking at the tiny book he had in his hands.
Immediately my eyes lit up. An order from my aunty in Abakaliki
"Ahh! Aunty Gift? But she didn't tell me anything," I replied, surprised. Ever since I've been in Abakaliki I've never gotten an order from my aunty. The only time I had even met her was just during my visit to her house.
"Sign here," the delivery guy said, ignoring me and my surprised look.
I quickly scribbled on the space he asked me to. Then he handed over to me a small box with my name inscribed on it and walked off. It was hot and had a nice aroma emanating from it and I wondered what it could be.
I quickly carried the box inside and locked my door. Placing the box on a table, my fingers trembled, and my eyes took longer to see what was inside.
As I got the lid off the box, I was greeted with a familiar aroma of Jellof rice and vegetable soup. Packed in different bowls. By the side was a pack of juice, some fried plantains, and a barbecued fish.
I felt tears drop down my eyes and my stomach growled again. This time I didn't bother because what I had before me, was the solution.
Without wasting more time, I grabbed a spoon from my kitchen cabinet and dug into the big bowl of rice. The first heavenly bite transported my soul to a different realm, and my senses came alive. I could feel the taste of home, and it was a comfort that no packaged noodles could give.
Little by little, I had a taste of each food in the box, and with each bite, I felt closer to home.
Then another knock came at the door. I stopped and stared at my door. "Another package?" I yelled to whoever was at the door.
"Guy open na me (open it's me" it was my neighbour Nnamdi, a fellow youth corper like me.
“Come in,” I replied, not wanting to stop eating.
Nnamdi stepped in to see me before a box of different delicacies
"This life. I go dey die of hunger make my neighbour dey chop but he no go invite me (I could be dying of hunger and my neighbour will be eating, but he won't invite me to join him)". Nnamdi joked as he joined me on the table, staring at me munching on the Jellof rice.
"Na you wey no wan go carry spoon na (You don't want to go grab a spoon na)" I joked, inviting him to join me.
Like the speed of lightning, Nnamdi found my cabinet and grabbed a spoon and together we ate the bowl of Jellof rice like prisoners who hadn't seen food in a long while.
"How come this food?" Nnamdi asked as we finished eating.
I laughed "You care to ask now. You didn't want to know how the food came or even if there was poison in it while you were digging into every corner of the bowl," I joked.
Nnamdi grinned. "Guy hunger no dey fear poisoned food (A hungry man doesn't fear poisoned food)", he replied, and though we laughed, I could feel that emptiness I felt from the hunger earlier in his eyes.
I told him how I was almost losing my mind because I had only noodles to eat when a knock came, and it was a package from my aunty.
"God will bless your aunty for me" he prayed.
"Amen o"
We sat there in silence, staring at the remaining bowl of Jellof rice.
"I miss home man," I said, breaking the silence.
"Same here. I miss good soul food" Nnamdi replied.
"I think I'll keep the soup for later" I stood up to clear the dishes.
"Please don't forget to call me when you want to eat it. And send my thank you to your aunty when you call her to thank her for such a nice meal." Nnamdi said, standing up and making his way to the door. At the door, he turned and called, "Marriott!"
"Yes!" I answered from the kitchen.
"Thank you once again," he said.
"For what?" I replied feigning ignorance.
"For saving a man from starving to death"
I laughed, “Just come with an empty belly at night for the soup” I replied
“Don't worry, I'll bring garri too,” he added.
Later that evening, I picked up my phone and called my aunty to say a big thank you, not forgetting to add Nnamdi's appreciation too. As my voice cracked with appreciation, she kept laughing at the other end, reminding me that I was her kid and it was nothing feeding me like she did. But to me it was everything.