Of Volkswagen and Banana Peels

I remember those tales told of the olden days 

The 90s story we loved our elders telling 

Tales of Old Roger and Mango Trees 

And the crooked man, in the crooked house down the crooked street 

Back when we played with bottle corks and made aims with cashew seeds 

Our treasure was rubber bands and decorations of candy stickers 

Tales from local songs over the radio 

And millions that were only made abroad 

Stunted growth that comes with being jumped over by your mates 

Such tales 

We took it serious 

Like we saw the omen of sweeping at night 

And never allowing babies look at mirrors at night 

Tales that scare us to obedience 

Like what happens to our sisters when men touch them 

I remember, those times when present day classics were on charts 

The twenty Naira printed metal plates were prestigious 

Us as kids frowned on ladies on trousers 

Made jest and threw pebbles 

Dancing and chanting songs behind the trails of any loitering mad man 

We heard tales 

Of long pythons in Aguleri 

And the carnivorous indigenes of Ugep 

The habit of stray monies 

Turning greedy children to yam and goats 

Back when every smoker was a bad boy 

And chewing gum was for slutty girls 

Such tales 

Like every boarding school told stories of madam koi-koi 

And every day school told tales of how Nigeria lost 99 to 1 against India 

Tales of every wealthy man being a ritualist 

All these tales are legendary 

Like the tale of banana peels on a train track 

Back when Volkswagen Beatle was a luxurious car