Chapter 6: Locked Out Like a Suspect
After battling rain and getting soaked like kelewele in oil, I finally dragged myself home.
My jeans were sticking to my skin, my T-shirt was dripping, and my new twenty-cedis slippers were making that annoying "squish-squish" noise.
I reached the gate and pushed it gently, expecting to enter like a lost prodigal son.
The gate refused to open.
I pushed harder.
Nothing.
I banged it with my hand.
Still nothing.
Then I realized:
The caretaker had locked the gate — and taken the keys away!
I looked around helplessly like a thief.
Small boys playing ampe nearby started looking at me suspiciously.
One even shouted:
"Hey, thief ooo!"
I ignored them and tried calling the caretaker.
Network decided to disgrace me too.
The call was just making that annoying sound:
"Beep beep beep... the number you have dialed... is busy."
I almost cried.
Now I had two choices:
Stand outside like a refugee. Or climb the wall like a professional criminal.
Guess which one I chose?
I looked left. I looked right. Nobody was watching (apart from one nosy goat chewing plastic nearby).
I rolled up my wet jeans, gripped the wall with pure village strength, and started climbing.
My left slipper fell off midair.
My right foot slipped on the wet cement.
I dangled there for a second like plantain waiting to fall from a tree.
With one final effort, I flipped over and landed heavily on the other side.
Flat on my back.
The fall knocked the small remaining sense I had in my head.
As I lay there gasping for air, staring up at the grey sky, I muttered:
"Samuel... you didn't come to Accra to live. You came to fight for survival."
I picked up my dignity from the ground, dusted myself off, found my fallen slipper, and limped back to my room.
The door creaked open and a cockroach ran past my foot as if welcoming me home.
I didn't even argue.
I just entered, locked the door, collapsed on my bed, and slept like a dead lizard.
End of Chapter 6