I recall my first day in a big city, and state
in my country what made that day phenomenal
was the incident that took place. As fate
will have it I had the window sit and saw the whole
painful and hilarious thing that took place that day.
Exhausted by a long journey from a little
town in the north which is very far away
from the shoreline, I sat in a coach watching flyovers
and awe by them and the number of people that stay
in the a big city. It look like it was swamp by ants
moving in and out of their home. There was hardly
any space that was not occupied by feets or cars.
Just as I was busy trying to look at the lovely
buildings and sights in the city a beautiful car
drove beside us with a youth who is hardly
out of his teen, his carefree nature and demeanour,
I notice for it remind me of myself in my youth,
as his car in the other lane came a bit closer
to us in a traffic jam smoke began to rise underneath
the bonnet of his car like the exhaust of a train that
use coal. I panic, and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth
I wanted to tap the glass of my window and shout yet
I just sat there watching with my heart in my
throat; while the youth rushed out and open his bonnet
he quickly began to blow away the smoke by
using his hands and mouth, the more he blew
the more the bonnet glows red, instantly he realize
he was fanning the flames; as the smoke became few
I could see a fire was beginning to rage near the battery
sit. The young man leap into a flurry of action and flew
into a shallow ditch near by, recklessly and gather a very
small handful of loose sand and weeds, and dump
it beside the battery where the fire rage with more fury
as he turn to dive into the ditch for more sand to drop
into the bonnet he suddenly stoped realizing how futile
it was. The next moment he went for his belt and zip,
but stop again when he realize that was a futile
exercise too for no **** will put out that inferno and
without a fire extinguisher he was doom, miserable,
and helpless.He then shouted "help!" turning his head
form side to side and looking at passing motorist with his
hands held up in the air like he was pleading with God.
At the time he was diving into the ditch for weeds
and sand I saw the passenger door of the truck
ahead of us open and another youth maybe in his
twenties; with chest like a barrel Calmly walk
Over to the burning car and use a fire extinguisher
to douse the fire, and quickly rushed back to their truck;
for vehicles in the traffic began moving a bit faster;
since the the traffic jam had ease up. All this event
lasted for no more than 60 minute. As our driver
move on I felt and knew the youth with the burnt
car has learn about the importance of fire extinguisher
in a car the most painful way. as for me I felt relief, yet
I pray never to find myself in that young mans shoe.
© A B Faniki 01/05/2020. All right reserved plz do not copy this work or part of it.Part of Banal Tells coming soon. Terza Rima form. The longest poem I have ever wrote.