*MORTGAGED COUNTRY

In my youthful days my life was much more of adventure sekwed. I had often taken delight traveling on land: by train, cars, buses etc, and river: by speed boats, canoe and lunches: I had in mind than to see the bueaty of sceneries of the pouring river and seas and also the beautiful -lush- vegitation, undulating and intriguing land scapes

as it swiftly ran past , as one looks out from the vehicle, like apparition vanishes without notice.

            Those days one's nerves were stronger, one's mind  more alert , one was more curious and anxious about life. In fact, pains were not things easily or often noticed even in situation of stressful jobs that could easily make one prone to fatigue.

    Now, at better part of fifty, one had become a narcissist - has concern  for one's appearance and self. There had come noticeable physiological and pathological changes in one's entire physiognomy. Travels on land become cunbersome: tried joint ,  creaking  backs and cramping cheast etc. So, i given to traveling by air,especiallyon trips       ( journeys ) that  would gulp a good fraction of the day's hours.

      This turn in my lifestyle morphed my wife from the mum kind she use to be,into a  querulous one. Her fear had been that most of our car transport planes were percived not air worthy.  "Air travels were sorts of touch-and go things to do. " She had always opined.would you blame my wife, especially in the wake of incessant plane crashes in our air space, and the allegation that our transport planes were  all second - hands ( belgium ) in nigerian parlance? Beside, whose spouse wound want to be  a widow in a hurry; especially when she is in her prime and her hussy is really given to her heart desire ? But i had often told her that aeroplaneswere proven and adjudged the safest means of travels. Plane crashes  are often act of God ; sudden  apearance of vagaries of weather : wind, haze storms etc. Negligible pilot's  faults. Pilots were among the most careful  and deciplined professionals in the world ,they know the essence of the job and the risk therein, so they are a  pedantic lot.  She was not to worry -she should be a true believer of their safety records.

           On the appointed day of my travel, the queasy three-in-the morning cockcrow came just on time. Its persistent call to notice for the in-coming dawn jarred me as the crows were just coming from the  poultry adjacent my bedroom windows: not that i run a birds' farm in my  compound, but a neighbour's over the fence that acts a dole between us.   To worsen matters, the power Holding

Company of Nigeria, had switched off her station: there were indications of inclement weather, and the windows were all open to allow air flow in. Yenagoa was some some hours drive from the port Harcourt international Airport, Omagwa. My favorite airline would have only one flight for the day at 8:30am, I had already made the error of not taken the advantage of booking earlier. To meet up with the flight and get booked, I had only one option: early arrival.

             When the cockcrow came at that time i had to  consider the time it would take to get my self ready:  i would need  to brush, ease myself-do toiletries, do a little ironing of my clothes, snappy morning devotion with my family, I had no time on my side! As every moment time was being a  detritus.
            "Akpan" I bawled out to my driver, who lives in the boy's quarters some metters away from the main building.     "Oh, darling, stop it.   Yuo would distract ther neighbours," my wife cautioned. "Please use your  hand set to wake him up,"  she added sonorously.

                You think  Akpan would allow his hand set on in the night?". 

   " I suppose so,  knowing full well that you would travel today, and you would need his services" I put a call to his line , but the MTN annoyingly hushed out: "the number you are calling is not available at the monent, please try again later."
        I turned to my wife.
         "You see, his handset is off."
           "Really?"
             "Sure, I can tell you; this guy wants to get on my nerves."

Do not get anxious .Get other things done , then call again," my spouse interceded.

          In-between our tattles, I took a glance at the wall-clock, it was some minutes  past four o'clockwhen i heard the whining of the alarm from the boy's quarters. My heart  went light.

           "Good  God! He is getting awake ! His alarm clock is whining!" I am not surprised, Akpan is a true blue man. He has his method to keep his time .
              Anxiety would not leave me alone. To be sure  of having everything in my favour, I put my line to his again. This time it responded:   "voon voon voon," then came,  "hellow shaa, good morning shaa."

           "Good morning , Akpan. Please get your self ready. I am almost done."

             "Ok shaa."

                 Then in split seconds,i had the creak of door. He was opening himself to get ready. My ears followed his patter of feet  to the point where he opened the car and subsequent splash of water and other  chores in readiness for the journey. The rev of the enine car confirmed his readiness. Having done my brief morning ablusion, I picked my two breif suit  cases; I travel light. My wife raised our son from the trundle bed, laid him on our bed and shifted the latter to a corner.i took her right hand in my left and we walked to the car revving in wait. By the car we hugged and kissed

as if i was just arriving, then drew out goodbyes to each other.