The chicken chasers

It was half past four on Sunday evening when our aircraft touched down at Heathrow airport, UK. We were a group of Nigerian journalists sent on a week training sponsored by FirstBank of Nigeria plc. It was a journey we had all been looking forward to for so many reasons. It was the first time a financial institution would bring together journalists covering different beats. The group was diverse. There were journalists covering the capital and money markets, aviation, brand, features and lifestyle. Our diversity contributed a great deal to the way we saw things and how we formed opinions. This made our interactions in and out of the ‘classroom’ really interesting.

And so, upon arrival at our hotel, we needed to fill our rumbling tummies. We all agreed that to have a better taste of London, it was best to eat outside the hotel.

With the daylight playing a trick on us, we never knew it was half past eight already! The sun was still shining. It’s summer. Dusk doesn’t fall until past 10pm!

We enquired from the receptionist which way was the best to go. Hendon Way where our hotel, Best Western, The Palm is located, is a major highway with several junctions. He told us to turn left and take the right turn at the next junction. Although someone had suggested to us earlier to go to the shopping mall, we decided against it because of time. It was a Sunday. Malls close early.

We embarked on the stroll looking for a McDonalds or KFC. It was a bit of a walk but we were enjoying ourselves as we chatted noisily about all manner of things.

“We are at the junction. The guy said we should take the first turn right,” I said.

“No, that’s not what he said. I heard him say we should go past the junction,” said Johnson, a member of the group. “Is that that not what you heard him say?” he asked Taofeek, another group member, who answered in the affirmative.

After we had walked a few metres, Demola, a journalist with Punch, shouted we were heading the wrong way. We turned back, walked back to the junction and took the right turn. This led us to a hilly street called Child Hill. On this street was a fruit shop where soft drinks, chocolate, biscuits and other things were sold. Luckily, we were able to get SIM cards and airtime for our phones. That solved, we were still in search of a meal. The shop owner was kind enough to direct us to an eatery up the hill.

When we arrived at the eatery owned by Arabs, chicken, chips, sausages, amongst others were on sale. Everyone was hungry, and there were five pieces of chicken left. Those were not enough to go round. The meal was served on first-person-to-order basis.

Unfortunately for Demola, the chicken was sold out by the time it was his turn. “I want that chicken,” he told the seller.

“We don’t have any chicken left,” the seller replied.

“But there are four pieces over there.”

“Yes, but your friends have ordered it. We are frying the chips that will go with it.”

“But you can still make some more.”

“No, we can’t. It is finished, it is finished.”

Demola couldn’t understand why the man could not roast more chicken if he could fry more chips.

Since others couldn’t get chicken, we had to continue with our search for chicken. We walked further uphill and took the first turn on our left. We met some people on our way clutching bags of their purchase from Sainsbury. That gave us hope that we were almost there.

Our group, full of black men and women, was subjected to some kind of furtive looks by white passersby. The neighbourhood was predominantly white. It was a kind of posh refined neighbourhood. Blacks were not very common there. At a bus stop, a white lady actually walked away while we were approaching. She stood at a great distance. The recent killing of Drummerboy Lee Rigby in Woolwich by two black men did not help matters. It seemed white folks were now more careful being around blacks.

In spite of this, we trudged on. By the time we arrived Sainsbury, it was closed. There was an eatery nearby, though. And those who couldn’t get chicken were happy they could get some at last.

We returned to our hotel rooms happy.

 

 

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