Missing for eight hours

This article is about when I went missing during childhood

I think I was about eleven years old at the time. Satellite televisions that provided a variety of interesting channels were rare at the time. By the way, it's not all households that could afford it. Dad didn't want to buy one because he was afraid that his children would remained glued to the screen throughout which would definitely affect our academic performance. So, we were stuck with the local stations were not as interesting.

However, the next house had a TV satellite. The family also had a daughter who was two years older than I am. So, whenever I return from school,I would spend most parts of my evening with the girl at their house, watching fascinating cartoons and children movies . But I always made sure I come back home before 9pm which was about the time that my dad returns from the office. Sometimes, mom would come to fetch me before that time if she suspects that dad would return home earlier than usual.

Unfortunately, the family with the cable TV moved out of the neighborhood to another location inside the city. They only lived with us for five months. I was unhappy for days as I missed those carttoon network and movies too. I also missed my friend. Sometimes, during Friday prayers, I'd ask God to touch my father's heart so that he could get a television satellite too.

Two months later, Mom announced that we would be paying our former neighors a visit. Since it was on a weekend, we spent alot of time at their place and I got to catch up with all the exciting TV episodes. When it was time to go home, I felt depressed once again but I promised my friend that I would come visiting next Saturday.

The following Saturday, Mom announced that she would be attending a wedding ceremony and asked if I would come along with her. I immediately told her that I was not feeling well. Mom was quite surprised to hear this since I had never declined going to a wedding party.

As soon as Mom and elder sister were out of sight, I left the house too.......

I didn't have any money to board a taxi or a bike but I didn't bother about that. This was because the last time I and my Mom went visiting our former neighors, it took us less than fifteen minutes to arrive at the house. So I thought it wouldn't take much time too if I go on foot.

Before I realize what was happening, I was already walking for more than two hours under the hot sun. I became surprised at the sudden distance and I was also surprised at how far my legs had carried me. But I didn't worry about that anymore, I believed I would be back home before my mom and sister arrive. Mom usually spend long hours at ceremonies.

When I finally arrived at the house, I found out that the gate was locked. Somebody from the next house told me that the family had left for a wedding ceremony too. At that moment, I felt like crying and fainting at thesame time. I sat down on the exposed roots of a nearby tree and started thinking about my life.

Perhaps, the family might not returned home till late in the evening.Tired and hungry, I got up immediately and began my journey back home, if only I had met them at home, maybe the dad or Mom would offered me money just like the way adults give children money when they come to their house, I would have used the money to take a taxi back home. I thought bitterly.

An hour after a hard trekking, I found myself walking on train tracks. I began to panic immediately as I was sure that I didn't walk past any railway when I started the journey. I hurriedly jumped out of the the track as if I had stepped on a snake. After walking for another twenty minutes, I found myself inside a market that I have never seen in my life. By this time, my shoes and my feet were as dusty as that of a street child (almajiri) .

It was now certain that I had lost my way and I began to cry as I walk aimlessly through the thick crowd in the market. I was so exhausted and thirsty that I had to talk to someone. I scanned through the faces of the traders and picked out the most friendly faces. I approached a fat woman selling fruits and simply told her that I was looking for my mother ( I was too sad and tired for long stories) .

At first, She looked at me as if I were a beggar. Maybe she later noticed the kind of dress I was wearing and realized that I wasn't one. She then asked me wether I had lost my way and I said yes.

She spoke to the other women around her and soon a group of five women gathered around me. From their conversation, they prolly thought I came to the market with my mother and we lost each other. I deliberately kept my mouth shut. If I told them the true story , maybe I would have gotten my ears pulled or my cheeks smacked for being an idiot child. They asked me the name of my street and I told them. Luckily for me, one of the women was heading in thesame direction.

It was already past 5pm when I got home. I met my mum, elder sister and a group of neighbor waiting outside of our gate. They were all talking at thesame time but the distressed voice of my Mom stood out ......... Thank God daddy had not yet returned home at the time else the story would have been longer than this.

What about you, have you ever went missing as a kid or even as a grown up . Lol

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