Against the Odds. Ben Igwe

doesn’t tie you. It secures you to the seat so that you do not hit your chest on the steering wheel or your head on the windscreen, if not fall through it in an accident.” Nnamdi moved the car.

      “I think this belt would restrain me from jumping out fast if there was fire or even an accident.”

      “I don’t know about fire, but in an accident you have a chance of being saved if you have your seat belt on. It has been proved.” Jamike showed shocking surprise as they drove through a wooded area of the highway.

      “I thought there were no trees or bushes in America.”

      “Who told you that?”

      “From what one hears or reads about America back home it is hard to imagine there are bushes here.” Nnamdi laughed.

      “It is a misconception. People have a fantasy idea that everywhere in America is paved with concrete. I don’t know what they think will be here in place of trees and bushes or the type of buildings they imagine. But America is a place where you can experience nature too like any other place in the world. There are bushes and wooded areas, even forests like in Africa.”

      Two motorcyclists, one on the tail of the other, rode past their car with very high speed and deafening noise. Jamike thought the two men were heading for a crash. They passed many other cars and disappeared out of sight.

      “You can’t imagine the risks people take with their lives. These are the people who need belts to tie them to the motorcycle. According to what you said, in an accident they would be blown to pieces.”

      “Sometimes they have serious accidents, and some can be fatal. But you can see they have helmets to protect the head, which is most vulnerable in a crash.” They came to a stop sign.

      “Now I know there are bushes here like we have back home. People in their imagination think that America is a land with every good thing in life. They even think there is money everywhere to pick.”

      “Well, you know how many dollars you have gathered since you arrived.”

      Jamike kept quiet for some period of time, but in those moments when he was silent, his eyes roved from one side to the other, observing and internalizing what he saw.