Today started badly with Sam Wharburton being sent off and us losing. However it got much better when Joseph, my tailor, came with my new embroidered blue silk dress for church tomorrow. It is better than I could have hoped really lovely. Joseph is a real character, so genuine and nice and helpful - but if he says 12:00 think 2:00pm!
We went out and congratulated Remy on France's win - he was very magnanimous, I know we would have crowed a bit more than him,we bought some bits and pieces and as the sky got darker and darker, and Carl's leg was hurting we decided to spend the afternoon veging out with a film.
We were driving back and I forgot we hadn't bought any oranges (Lagos oranges which are green are sold on every corner and 20 oranges cost N500 - £2.00) So Waheed stopped and he went to buy them because he would get them much cheaper than me. He left the engine running for the air con and unbeknownst to us, the door unlocked.
We were suddenly confronted by an armed Lasma (traffic warden) who pulled the door open and got into the car. He called over the tow truck he had been in and told us they were towing us away. He started to drive our car down the road, while asking us what we were going to do for him. It would cost us N25000 if we were taken to the police headquarters but he would help us out for N15,000!! Bastard! My brother, my sister I am helping you indeed!
After 10 very tense minutes with Waheed hammering on the door as we drove down the road, we paid him N6000 and got him and his tow truck pal out of the car. It was lucky Carl was in the car, he couldn't do anything, but if I had been on my own I don't know what would have happened, I'd have probably lost my jewellery as well.
Very frightening, very shocking, and suddenly you realise that there is no-one to turn to in an emergency situation, the police won't help- there is no fire service and an ambulance takes hours to get anywhere, you have to be prepared.
We weren't today- we let our guard down and suffered. We've been here 2 months today and this is the first time we have encountered anything less than friendliness and helpfulness from Nigerians, but it is a wake up call and I will never let Waheed leave the car unlocked again.
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