Crossing the road this morning I was surprised by the lack of interest shown on people’s faces as a half naked man, totally out of his head, struggled up the hill of our somewhat genteel neighbourhood. There was half a loo roll hanging out the back of his dirty blue jeans and trailing along the pavement behind him. He spat out obscenities with every step to the people who passed by pretending not to see him, or perhaps just oblivious to him, as if he did not exist in their world. For all intents and purposes he was invisible.
What is it that does not make the English stop and stare like Africans do when presented with these sorts of scenarios? I mean all you have to do is drop a coin in Lagos and a crowd gathers to watch you pick it up!!
Are they too comfortable in the security of their own routine? Have they seen it all before? Are they just blotting it out? I am puzzled. Me, I stopped to watch. As the police drove up a few minutes later to wisk him away I wonderd who phoned them, must be one of the twitching curtains.
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12 comments:
Funny,
In Lagos, several times I have seen a completely naked lady walking around Victoria Island beating herself with a small branch from a tree. I once saw her wander right past Silverbird galleria on Ahmadu Bello, with all the crowds around fighting to get their jeeps parked up, and hardly anyone batted an eyelid.
In Lagos, I've seen pedestrians simply cover their noses and step over a human corpse on the side of the road and then continue on to work as if nothing unusual has happened.
In Lagos, there's a guy who sleeps on the flyover above bonny camp entrance, I have no idea how he doesn't fall off, no body has ever moved him away from that dangerous place.
I've never seen any of these happen in the UK.
Aaron's right. In Lagos a mad person is part of the scenery. I remember thinking at what point that all the naked mad people must've been carted off in some govt-sponsored agenda. As it turned out, they were all still there. I had just stopped noticing them.
In England though, where mad people are not part of the scenery, you could be forgiven for expecting some sort of reaction from 'polite' British folk. Wrong. I have always maintained that someone could rape a girl in the middle of a high street, and no one (by 'one' I mean big burly men obviously) would do a thing. Curtains would simply twitch.
Iyawo oh! Where is Part 4 of the memoir?
bitchy..part 4 is on the way ive just been thinking what to do with what im writing as i think its turninig into a book.Thanks for your support.
I am guessing you are in the capital city (london). I would think it depends upon the region, I have been to so many regions outside the capital, where a lot would stare.
Mandy, on a very serious note, where can I obtain a copy of taxi driver, pleeeeeeease? I can send you a cheque or pay by credit card or pay pal. If you do, would you email me, please, at oladapo_ogundipe@msn.com
Oya where is part 4?
Oladapo..I have no clue I think its out of print I am hoping to re-do the track though its in Gods hands. part 4 is on the way I will post today or tommorrow.
By the grace of the Lord we will hear your new track...
Like Aaron, I too have witnessed people walk past dead bodies and/or mad men without looking twice, in Lagos. But I think your questions are justified, Mandy.
The reluctance to engage as you've described, is particularly apparent in London where people seem to be afraid to even make eye contact with fellow travellers on public transport, for example.
Having said that I think there's more of a community/brothers keeper spirit in the nations and regions of the UK.
On a different note, I'm also anxiously awaiting Part 4 of the memoir!
April part 4 is on its way should post by week-end.my kids are keeping me too busy.
I have Taxi Driver.. but i am not selling it. It is family property.
Mandy how many kids do you have now?
*You were beautiful
*You are more beautiful now
*I remember i was in secondary or university? school then when you took Nigeria by storm
Now i am an engineer and manager married with two lovely kids
remain ever blessed
wow i just watched an interview of you , mandy on new dawn with funmi iyanda on youtube, i must confess i never knew you sang that song 'taxi driver' but my mother always loved it and sang it around the house and i always knew the song even though i never heard the recorded version till about an hour ago!
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