Episode One
CHINEDU
“Why won’t this lousy young woman pick up the phone? I bet she’s somewhere with one of her Aristos having a swell time and I’m starving to death here.” Chinedu spat out his hateful thoughts as he continuously tried to reach Anita over the phone. He decided to give up after several attempts and collapsed into the red sofa in his one bedroom apartment. Different thoughts swayed through his mind as he pondered on the reason for ill-luck when it came to issues relating to the female sex. Maybe he was just transferring his aggression on her but the fact remained; the worms in his stomach were stinging like scorpions.
Chinedu held a job as an attendant in a fuel station on Mainland and earned enough to take care of immediate bills, unable to afford the luxury of living an extravagant lifestyle. This affected his choice in women as he did not want to promise a woman what he could not fulfil. He had been in a relationship with Anita for about two years and both of them had been in love. Recently, the organization Chinedu worked with embarked on downsizing the number of staff and Chinedu was relieved of his duties to the organization. He had come home to explain his ordeal to Anita but all efforts to reach her had proved abortive.
A knock on the door forced Chinedu to snap out of his thinking as he got up to find out who was disturbing his meditation.
“Who is it?” Chinedu asked.
“Na your Papa, open door.”
Chinedu immediately recognized the voice of his friend Tunde who lived two blocks away and opened the door. It gave off its usual irritating squeaking sound each time it was opened or closed.
“Guy, I don tell you make you no dey use my Papa play again”
“Is that the reason you have refused to call a carpenter to fix this door?” Tunde responded mockingly as he made his way to the sofa.
“What brings you to my room this hot afternoon?”Chinedu asked as he downed a glass of water from the dispenser.
Tunde recognized the gloomy look on his friend’s face and wondered what must had happened.
“Chiboy, why do you have that sad look? Abi, your Nairabet ticket don cut?”
“Baba, that my stupid oga don sack me o. Him say economy no good o.”
“Blood of Jesus! Which kain bad luck be this naw?” Tunde exclaimed.
“Omoh, na so I see am o Tunde. I am back to the scratch.”
“I was even planning to ask you for money to cut my hair at Shavers.’’
“Tunde, your ear dey pain you abi? I just got fired and you want to cut your hair. Please go away.”
“I understand your plight man. I’m so sorry. I will give you a call later today.”
Chinedu slamed the door behind Tunde and walked furiously to the sofa while cursing under his breath.
“See that Idiot o. I just got sacked and he’s talking about his hair. Some people sha.”
The cursing went on until he noticed the blinking light on the screen of his mobile phone notifying him of a text message that had just arrived. It was a text message from his mother reminding him of his promise to purchase a JAMB form for his younger sister who had just completed her secondary school education. He tossed the phone as his thoughts went back to Anita who had not returned even as the clock struck 5p.m.
ANITA
“Why do you like dating poor boys Anita? I’ve never seen you with a man that can take care of your bills. Na so so church rats.”
“Dupe, did you bring me here to insult me or my Chinedu? If so, I’d love to leave right now.”
“Anita, your problem is that you despise the truth. I don’t think I have said anything wrong.”
“Look, I love Chinedu just the way he is, church rat or not. Moreover, he would not remain that way forever.”Anita replied.
“Na you know. I have said my piece. Let’s head home before the traffic becomes worse than it is already.”
Anita and Dupe had been friends since their secondary school days. They lived several streets apart and hung out once in a while at their favourite hair dressing salon where they kept each other abreast of the latest happenings in their neighbourhoods, relationships, and fashion without leaving out any tiny detail. They were always in competition for who had the latest gossip, clothes and accessories and everything women loved to talk about. Chinedu did not particularly like Dupe since he knew she had been against the relationship between him and his sweetheart. But he did not want to come in between two friends and as such decided to keep at bay.
“Mama, I am simply trying to explain my ordeal at work today to you.”
“So what do you want me to tell the poor girl that girl has worked hard enough to ensure that she passed her WAEC examinations just as you instructed.”
“She would just have to be patient with me. At least I did not sack myself.”
His mother hisses.
“I think I would just send her to you so that you can tell her all these things you are saying to her face.”
“Mama, biko try to understand my situation. Things have taken a bad turn o.”
“Goodbye Chinedu.”
The conversation between Chinedu and his mother had just ended on a sour note. His mother had just threatened to send Gloria to Lagos which means compounding his woes. It was bad enough that he had to deal with Anita on one ear, now it was to be Gloria on the other. He could not bring himself to deal with two women under one roof.
“Chi, are you home?”
Anita opened the door to meet a quiet, yet fuming man playing Snake Xenzia on his mobile phone.
“Chi, how are you na? I’ve been calling your name all through the corridor and you won’t answer.”
“So you have decided to come home after enjoying yourself with your Aristo boyfriend?” He replied.
“Ahn Ahn Chi, how can you say a thing like that? I only went to see Dupe.”
“How many times have I told you to desist from seeing that girl Anita?”
“Chi, she’s my friend. In fact she’s one of the few friends I have.”
“Whatever.”
“Chi, you do not look nor sound cheerful, that’s not a way to welcome your sweetheart.”
“So, I should start dancing makossa because you have come back.”
Anita smiled and decided to join him on the sofa to cheer him up.
“Have you eaten anything my darling?’’ Anita asked playfully.
“Anita, I was fired from work today.”
“What?” Anita exclaimed in shock.
“What did you do wrong? Did you offend your boss? Did you apologize?”
“Madam, please just take this hundred naira and cook noodles make I chop first.” Chinedu replied.
“Chi, this is a serious matter and you are here talking about noodles.”
“Anita, if you were home when I had the strength to talk, you would have been in luck. Right now, I just want to eat something. After that, I can talk biko.”
Anita collected the money from him with a sad look on her and headed towards the door to purchase noodles for her man. As she headed out, Chinedu picks up a throw pillow and shoves his fist into it while cursing under his breath. He could not stand the sad look on his Anita’s face; neither could he imagine what it would look like when he would tell her about the phone conversation he had with his mother.
(. . . Watch out for Episode Two)
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I like the suspense
ReplyDeleteYou're going to like episode two then.
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