Episode 9: UI DIARIES

By Ategbe Kehinde

Standing at the base of the stairs, I waited patiently for Funmilola to show up. The lecture hall was already getting filled up. The few seats left were looking less palatable every moment. Groaning under my breath, I wondered why we had to come all the way from Faculty of Education for a two hours class when we knew fully well the lecturer would show up just before the class was supposed to end and would still go on to use two hours. Such callousness! Looking around, the lounge area was beginning to fill up with students who also wanted to see the Lecturer. Checking my wristwatch, I realized we had only six minutes before the class started. God knows where Funmi was. Sighing, I made up my mind to go get us a seat firstly then if she later showed up, we’d go see the lecturer together. Pulling my bag closer, I mumbled about all the injustices in the world and why there couldn’t be an elevator for a three storey building. I had only taken about four steps when a voice came behind me.
“Excuse me please”, a tiny almost inaudible voice said behind me.

Turning back, a lady in her mid twenties perhaps, nudged me out of the way as she struggled with getting the crutches under her arm to the top of the stairs. Her right leg was bent towards an awkward angle and the tibia looked as if it was near breaking. Her right leg on the other hand looked frail and thin. She cleared her throat and I willed myself to stop staring. Moving out of the way, I helped her with her backpack and her course materials. She kept breathing heavily as the crutches held the entirety of her body weight. Hit with an unhealthy dose of pity, I rested her left hand on my shoulders and helped her along.
“Where are you going to?”, I couldn’t help but ask.
“I’m going to the finance office, she answered calmly.
Oh. That was the topmost floor. She was in for a long walk up these stairs that looked like they would never end.

Carefully and painstakingly, I helped her along and in no time we arrived at our destination. Walking down the corridor, we were met with the closed door of the Bursar’s office. A pained sound came from deep inside her as she lowered herself on the pavement of the first flight of stairs. Remembering I still had a class at the LLT, I offered to help her back to the ground floor but she refused with a firmness that brought the pity rushing back. For several minutes, I stood there in awkward silence as I willed her to accept my help. Leaning against the banister, I checked out her appearance. She looked tired and worn out. There were heavy bags under her eyes that suggested days of sleeplessness. Sighing, I joined her on the pavement. Unsure how to proceed, I grabbed her shoulders softly and turned her to face me.

Breathing heavily, she mumbled “You must be pitying me right now.
Shocked and uncomfortable, I answered “I don’t find you pitiful in any way”.Clearing her throat, she shifted in her seat as pools of tears welled in her eyes. “You know, I had this accident when I was going for my UTME exams five years ago. The car I was in had a head on collision with a fuel tanker. I still don’t know how it happened but I remembered lots of screams and pain. For two hours, I was trapped under the tanker as I waited for help to come. My left leg was directly under one of the tires”. Pausing, I have never felt such excruciating pain in all entirety of my life. My legs were not spared at all. The only saving grace I had was that the tanker was empty”

(To be continued).