Beautifully ugly episode 9 – 10

Beautifully Ugly

Episode 9

Good afternoon mama,

My son, you’re back?

Yes mama, “I replied and grabbed the transparent bucket I normally used for my hawking business,

Why didn’t you stay back and rest at least for today?” She asked but maintained her focus on the akara balls (bean cake) she was stirring with a skimmer spoon,

I watched as she squints her face due to the peppery smoke that kept oozing out of the fire,

Mum, how could I have remained and let you suffer all these Alone, at least let me bear some of the responsibilities, I wanted to talk more but she cut me off,

Shhhh,” she said and looked around to see if someone was listening to our conversation,

Don’t say such here, you know that this is a public place,” she whispered and stirred the akara that was beautifully frying in the pan,

Ok, mum, I promise to do as you have spoken,” I said and moved closer to the frying s₱0t,

How was school today,” she asked and wiped off the Tears that were coming out of her eyes because of the smoke,

It was great, “I said and feigned a smile, I didn’t want her to get to know all I passed through that Day,

Did you like the school?” She asked and this time raised her head to see my reaction,

Hmmm, this woman is really suffering, oh God please help us” I said as I observed her red teary eyes that were staring at me,

I did not only like it, I love it, “I replied and deluded another Smile,

Have you eaten?” She asked,

No mama, am not likely hungry and I need to go out as soon as possible,

Mama, please put my potion let me hurry up before I miss some of our customers,

Are You serious? You want to go out with an empty stomach? So you will die and leave only me in this world right?

No mama just as I said, I’m not really hungry and I need to hurry up you know I’m already late today and need to meet up, “I elucidated hoping she bought my story,

No, don’t tell me that, if not to eat, what else are we working for,
Our customers are not worth more than you to me,

They can’t be a son for me,
so you must eat something before going anywhere,”

She put her left hand in her waist purse and brought out money,

Take, go and find something to eat,” she stretched out the money towards me,

I looked at the money and almost cried, 500 naira, this woman is just too caring, in my next world, I will still choose her as my mom, this money might even be all the money she sold for the day,

But mom, I’m already late, just put them for me, I will find what to eat on the way,” I pleaded,

She contemplated on what I said for a while and said,” make sure you do as you said, you know I can’t do without you,

Trust me, mama, I will, “I said assuredly but deep down, I knew I was never going to eat anything,

She used the skimmer spoon and collected 5 balls of akara then held the spoon for a while for the oil to drip back to the frying pan,

when the oil was completely exasperated, she put the balls in my bucket and collected another five.
She continued doing it till there were 20 balls of akara in the bucket,

You can go, like I always say, make sure you don’t go to people’s houses no matter what,
And don’t listen to anybody that is saying anything ” she said and started putting the remains in another bigger transparent bucket,

Ok mom, but this won’t be enough, if daddy Emeka the vulcanizer Takes 5, aunty Mira the tailor takes 3, and Magnus the shoe mender takes 7, how many would remain,
Is it not 5?
Mu,m what will 5 balls of Akara do for me? You know all those motorcyclists and transporters that often stop me on the road, please mum do something about this, “I pleaded soberly,

He sighed and said,” my son it’s not like I don’t want you to even carry everything but what I always reason is your safety,
I don’t want any evil to befall you, and I don’t want you to stay too long in this scorching sun,

Alright mama, I’ve heard you, thanks for being such a lovely and caring mum,
I promise to try my best to finish on time,

So how many more do you,” need she asked,

I need 20 more,” I replied confidently,

No, you can’t go with 40 balls of Akara I can only add 5 more,

We argued and argued but peacefully till she later agreed to give me 35 balls,
see you later mum,” I said and she wished me well,

I covered the bucket with the lid and put it on my head.

****

Hot akara!!
buy your hot Akara!!,”
I s¢ræmed as I wandered around the whole market,

There was a time I felt nervous to s¢ræm but it wasn’t so again, I didn’t care if anyone was seeing me or not, all I could think was making my mum happy,

How do you sell the Akara,” an average man stopped me on the track,

Good afternoon, sir, one is 50 naira,

Give me 200 naira’s own,” he said and my heart got filled with joy.

I brought down the bucket from my head and opened the cover to give him,

I would have appreciated it if you have bread too,” the man implied as he stood and waited for me to package them in a small black nylon bag,

Sir, honestly you weren’t the first to say this or the second or even the third,” I said and feigned a smile, we’ll soon have bread,” I said assuredly and handed the nylon that contained the akara to Him,
He then put his hand in his pocket and brought out 500 naira,

Sir please I would be glad if you have the exact note, I’m just coming out please,” I pleaded and the man brought out a 200 naira note and gave it to me,

Thank you very much, sir, God bless you,
I stood and watched as he walked away with the akara in a black nylon bag,

I then put the money in,side my pocket, the bucket on my head, and resumed my hawking.

****
prosper what kept you so long?

Good afternoon, sir, I’m very sorry I apologized to Daddy Emeka the vulcanizer,

Don’t stay up to this time next time you know that it’s only your akara that satisfies my stomach every afternoon,

alright, sir, I promise to come as early as possible,

You better do oo,” he said and yawned hungrily,

Today I won’t be going with my usual, give me 6 cuz I have already overstayed my lunchtime,

ok, sir very sorry about that,

I brought down the bucket and removed 6 Akara balls with a fork and put them in the black nylon,

He collected and gave me 500 naira, thank goodness I still had the 200 naira from the other man then,

so I brought it out and handed it over to him as his balance and pocketed the 500 naira,’

thank you, sir,” I said, put the bucket back to my head, and continued my journey.

****

I smiled in satisfaction as I walked back with an empty bucket in my hand,

Today’s hawking wasn’t even difficult at all, “I said as I moved hastily to meet my mum and show her my latest achievement,

As I was going happily,
I walk past a man that stood by the corner of the road with a small suitcase in his hand,

My son, please come, ”
He called me back and I was really surprised cuz I haven’t seen his face before,

I remembered the word of my mother not to answer the call of a stranger and wanted to walk away but the man told me he meant no harm,

My name is Ponzi sakura and am a money multiplier, I can help you multiply your money free of charge…

Beautifully Ugly

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Episode 10
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My name is Ponzi sakura and am a money multiplier, I can help you multiply your money free of charge, “The man said and I became extremely confused,

But I never said I need one,” I said to the man,

Well I just wanted to help your life, nothing more, so if you are not interested you can start going,” he said and looked away,

what do I do now?” I contemplated confusedly,
what if he is a scammer?
but he can’t be,
his voice sounds so cool and real,

Maybe I should give it a try,

I then brought out 50 naira and gave it to the man,

He collected the money, put in,side his suitcase, and hit his hand on it five times,
As he opened the suitcase, he brought out 550 naira,

The 500 naira is your yielded results while the 50 naira is your capital,” he said and stretched out the money to me

wow, thank you very much, sir,” I appreciated happily and decided to give him the 500 naira my mum gave me to use and buy food.
I brought it out of my pocket and gave it to him,
he did the same thing and brought out 5500 naira,
This 5000 naira is your yielded results and the 500 naira is your capital,” he said and handed the money to me,

This is unbelievable,” I exclaimed in my heart may be, God just decided to remember us, maybe he is even an angel,” pondered thoughtfully,

It wasn’t so long before people noticed what was happening and started coming closer to witness what was going on,

my name is Ponzi Sakura I can multiply your money free of charge,” the man announced to the hearing of everyone,

Do you have any other money with you,” the man asked me again and I decided to give me 1000 naira from the money I sold that day,

he collected it, did as usual, and brought out a huge amount of money,

Take,” he said and stretched the money to me, this 1000 naira is your capital and this 10,000 is your yielded results,

I collected the money and my heart was filled up with joy,
the large crowd that gathered to witness the happening hailed the man,

People started coming closer for the man to multiply their own money,
go and gather as much money as you can, I’m ready to multiply it for you the man said boastfully.

Where do I get money now, this seems to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but where can I get money now,
then an idea came into my head
I remembered my mum’s life savings,
she was reserving the money to sponsor my education,
maybe I should go and bring it once I bring it and this man multiplies it, then we’ll become rich and have even more than enough to sponsor my education and our condition will be changed I reasoned in my heart,

one man came and brought out 5,000 naira, gave to the multiplier and he put it in the suitcase, and did his usual process,

*boom*
he brought out a very huge amount of money and it was confirmed to be 50,000 naira wow the whole crowd exclaimed in amazement,
Another man brought 10,000 naira and gave it to the man, he put the money in his suitcase as usual,
after doing his usual procedures he opened it and brought out a huger amount of money, the money was counted to be 100,000 naira plus 10,000 naira which was the man’s original money,

I decided to hurry up to my mother to tell her the latest news

I also wanted to thank the man before going but he was so busy enjoying the cheering from the crowd that he did not even notice my departure.
Passing through the ground wasn’t easy at all,
they were all busy watching the Man, No One was even ready to shift a beat for me,
When I managed to get out, I raced unstoppably till I got back to my mum’s shop,

Her akara was finished too and she was waiting anxiously for me,

why are you running like someone that is being chased by a lion like that?” she asked and examined me from head to toe,

see the way you are sweating what is chasing you,” she asked and looked behind me to see if someone was truly chasing me,

I didn’t want to tell her anything I wanted to make it a surprise,

Nothing mama, I was just trying to meet up as fast as possible,”I said and held my chest as I breathed uncontrollably,

she look me in the eyes and I’m sure she was trying to figure out if I lied or not,
looks like she didn’t, thank goodness

You should not run again, do you want to run into a car?
You want to be crushed by a car?

don’t you know how busy this road can be,
don’t try such again,
did you hear me?

Yes mama I have heard you,” I said to her,
only if you knew what is going on in my mind right now mum, you won’t be saying all these.

I quickly packed everything in,side our wheelbarrow and we headed home,

I wished we could just vanish and appear in our house,

I needed to go home and bring my mum’s life savings and hurry
back to ponzi Sakura.

It was around 5 p.m. when we got home, my mum left almost immediately after we arrived,

she told me that they were going to a church women’s meeting,

Take care of yourself, I will be back soon, “that was what she said before leaving,

I leaped in joy immediately after she left, this day was just designed as the last day of our sufferings, once I carry this money to Sakura the multiplier,

he will multiply it for me and we will have more than enough,

my plan was that once I carry the money,
I would enter bike and go directly to the s₱0t I saw ponzi Sakura.
So I went under our mat and collected the suitcase that contained the money.

To be continued.