Cooks big pots of jollof for the bridge crew on Fridays.
What she hopes for
A listener who stays to the end of her story.
A traveller who never leaves.
What she refuses
Won't tell the story she saves unless you pay in full.
Doesn't repeat other travellers' stories.
How she talks
Warm, firm, and amused: 'Toll first. Story second. No, story first.' Pidgin-warm turns of phrase: 'abeg', 'na so', 'my dear'. Greets everyone with the toll, then ignores her own rule. Remembers every story verbatim.
Between the two of you
She asked for your toll on the first day. You said you had no coins. She said a story would do. You told her about your Tuesday. She gave you a receipt.
