The Escalator

Papa and Mama in Lagos

In Chapter 4 of Nigeria Revisited My Life and Loves Abroad, I recount the story of entertaining Clem’s parents when they came to Lagos to check me out. In this segment, I take them to the main department store of the time, Kingsway. We get on the escalator. But I hadn’t realized what a surprise a moving staircase would be.

“I’d been studying [Igbo] seriously since Clem and I had decided to marry, using the Igbo book from Peace Corps training. But for a tonal language, hearing words and phrases is critical. I had asked one of my female Igbo students who excelled in German to make recordings of phrases from the book. Clem also tried, less successfully, to teach me common phrases. Eager as he was for me to learn, he wasn’t always patient enough to be helpful.”

. . .

“I used every word of my limited vocabulary as I drove, pointing out the church we attended, the American Embassy, and Lagos Race Course. They, in turn, told me in English that they’d been to Lagos when Clem left for England twelve years earlier before there were so many tall buildings.

We parked across from Kingsway, the British department store at the center of the Lagos business district. Clem had thought they’d like to see this symbol of modernity. They liked the revolving door—a new experience. They seemed impressed by the orderly displays of Revlon lipsticks, Sony transistor radios, and kitchen utensils, all with prices clearly marked.

I led them to the escalator so we could visit the second floor. I said casually, “Bia. Come,” and took Mama’s hand. She stepped on by my side. “Eeh, o gini? What is happening?” she cried out loudly. She gripped me so hard I almost lost my balance. Customers and salespeople looked around to watch our ascent. I hoped there wasn’t anyone I knew.

I held her tight. When we reached the top, I pulled her with me onto the steady floor and kept an arm around her. I turned to see if Papa was all right. He stepped off with a show of confidence. Then he realized he’d stopped moving and nearly lost his balance.

A rapid exchange in Igbo followed with no effort to make me understand. I was sure they were saying I was crazy, and they would never trust me to take them anywhere again. But gradually they recovered, and I led them through the women’s dresses, skirts, and blouses, to men’s wear. I avoided the women’s lingerie.

When I suggested we go back down, Mama held back. Then, seeing no alternative, she gripped my hand and stepped on. She drew in her breath sharply and shut her eyes tight. But she didn’t scream on the way down. This was a relief. Papa made a good job of pretending nonchalance, but I could tell he was a little uneasy too.”