Apain way: The Shortest Route

He saw him from afar, wondering what he was doing on an isolated road like that raising a thumb up. He reduced speed and came to a halt a little after him. Still observing him from interior mirror of his 404 Peugeot 1970s model, Mr. Mike Okolo was apprehensive of offering strangers help in an isolated places like this one after many ugly stories going rounds nowadays concerning hitchhikers and this one aren’t looking innocent on the jean and T-shirts; add the funny bag he is carrying on his bag like baby.

“Where to son?”

“ To the city junction sir”

“ Get in then”

“ Thanks a lot sir”

“ You're welcome”

The young man entered in front of the car and for about Five minutes, were looking out of the side window. Mr. Mike has to initiate conversation for they has about twenty minutes to stay together. 

“ So, how come you stand there alone, I don’t remember seeing any car before meeting you. How do you trek to the road there?”

“ Ah, sir people that are not familiar with the place always think that people’s houses are not near the road. Four minutes walk will bring you to the place you picked me if you wade through the bush by your right from the village”

“ By your right?, you mean there are peoples houses in that forest?”

“ Ah, sir, all those big trees were intentionally left standing there, behind those big trees were people’s farms and a little bit walk will bring you to the village”

“ what is the name of the town?”

“ Ah, Umuachi sir,, 

“ Umuachi?, I have been to the town twice. But that is not the location of the town, I knew the route and three entries. How come the place you were standing leads to the town too.”

“ Ah, sir, I don’t supposed to stand there, but I am heading to the city junction. If I follow the three routes you are talking of, it will take me about an hour to get there so, I followed the short route”

“ What stop your town people from creating road through the farms and forest?”

“ Ah, sir, decade ago, the town union wanted to do that but the village near the road and the farm owners objected seriously, citing security reasons”

“ Security reasons?, but it’s more dangerous as it is now than if roads are paved there”

“ Ah, sir, I don’t think so. Thieves on foot are less dangerous than those on cars”

“ Yeah, that’s if they are professional ones, so why would high profile thieves target Umuachi. Those hungry ones always repeat themselves”

“ Those ones operate there now sir. They come with Jack knives and fake guns. Once you pave road there, they will start coming with pick up vans to Carter peoples properties in droves”

“ You are talking sense. But I have never heard of town rejecting development out of fear of unknown. They say if you want prosperity, build roads not circle yourself with trees”

“ Ah, sir, there would be proper time for that. Dead man doesn’t talk of prosperity. There’s no security now. Other towns neighbouring us equally refused to pave road there. They considered there back of the village”

“ This line of reasoning is reason the road remained isolated and dangerous. If I don’t have any business that warrants my plying the road, I will not recommend it o any one”

“ Ah, people will still use it. Some people towns are located that side. They don’t have choice. Any time I am in the village and heading to junction, I usually take the route”

“ And you usually get a lift?”

“ Sure, it takes time some times”

“ For how long have you been standing there before I came along?”

“ Ah, maybe 20 minutes or less”

“ But what of if you don’t get a lift, you turn back?”

“ I have stood there last year in one occasion for about three hours before I got help sir. Cars always come along.”

“ But, don’t you consider that place and your action dangerous?”

“ Ah, sir, everywhere is dangerous in this world nowadays. I truly believe that criminals don’t ply that road unless when on run. Why should they?, nothing to get from there. Why waste time and fuel? You see, the route is even more safe than other ones”

“Your logic makes a little sense, but I will still not stand there like you. I don’t remember seeing any police car on the route since using there.”

“ They have given me a lift once last year sir. They at times ply the road.”

Mr. Mike was watching the young man all along, reading his words and body language. He relaxed only few minutes after engaging him in the lengthy talks intentionally. There is nothing out of ordinary about the guy, but children of nowadays are too intelligent and dangerous.

He recalled the story of a professor some boys he believed to be undergraduates kidnapped for about three hours and put in the booth of his own car and took him to two other operations before releasing him on the similar isolated road.

      On narrating the incident, the professor himself confessed that he was more afraid of the civilized and courteous manner they treated him than the AK-47 they were parading.

On dropping him on that isolated road after releasing him from the booth and handing him transport fares, one of them said to him:

“ Sir, I know you don’t know where we are now, if you follow your left, it will take you about 25 minutes to get to the major road, the right route would take you about 47 minutes to get to the major road. Bye and take care.”

All these education was before they made away with the man brand new car. It turned out that the reverse was the case about the time of each route. 

Mr. Mike was happy that his case turned out differently. He dropped the young man on the junction and went his way.