(Episode 6)
Christmas in November –
Doctor Sanusi: “Jennifer, go and get the oxygen ready! Let’s take him to the emergency room!”
They trolled him towards the emergency room; Iya Loja followed them crying, Audu stood seeded in a position at the corridor; he couldn’t believe he was going to lose his son. Tears trickled down the left eyes. Jerry was held firm on the bed, whining, crying and tussling, as they entered the room. Iya loja’s cry pierced into ears, forced her way into the room but she was stopped, threw herself to the ground crying,
Jerry: “Pray for me, daddy! Pray for me mummy!!!” Jerry cried out,
The doctors and nurses in the room wore the same blue raiment with their noses covered; the room twirled with Jerry, the lights in the room seemed to melt and form a cloud, the noises around became distant life slipped out of him, he could feel it, it was peaceful but dark. It was like sedation.
Iya loja banged the door when she couldn’t hear the cry of a son anymore,
Iya Loja: “Jerry,please! Omo mi,e jo ooo! Mo gbe o! Death come an carries me! “She flung her hands in the hair and threw herself on the ground again.
Donald ran to where she was and helped her up to the chair, he was in tears too. Audu hadn’t changed position; he could no longer hide his pains. He cried bitterly too.
It was hurting for Donald to see the family who had been there for him hurt so badly. Donald had worked for them for nine years. Being Chief’s driver had helped him achieve a lot; he had his own house, was married with two children. The eldest Elsie was in her first year in a federal varsity studying medicine and the youngest, Dora, was almost done with secondary school. And chief paid their tuition fees. For close to eight years he was jobless as a graduate of Geology; he decided to move to Abuja instead of remain in Nsukka and rot in misery. Coming to Abuja, squatted with his university schoolmate, Bari, at Bariga. A neigbour of Bari had told them of the driving job,
Bari: “Owfa? Shey, you go apply?”
Donald: “Dat wan na question? As you see me so I no fit wait maik dey break!”
It was Iya Loja that interviewed him, she was with a friend at her mighty boutique at Victoria Island; he entered with his worn out shirt and brown turned grey shorts with his credentials. He was directed to where she was by one of the workers,
Donald: “Good morning, ma!” Iya Loja talking paused; herself and the friend exchanged glances then feasted their eyes on Donald who was already feeling inadequate,
Iya Loja: “Ehen? Who you look for?”
Donald: “I’m here in respect of the driving position, ma” he said bowing his head.
Iya Loja and friend exchanged glances again,
Iya Loja: “Drifa? And you speaking feri well?” she looked at her friend again, “Ah!” he looked uneasy, the friend chipped in, “Are you a good driver?”
Donald: “Yes,ma!”
Iya Loja: “shey, you ‘er a graduate ni?” he nodded, with a sigh she added, “but eh, we ‘er no looking for graduate drifa!” gesticulated, looked her friend and they both returned their gazes at Donald.
After the long interrogation, he was told to drop his number, he left sullen for it looked like he wasn’t wanted for the job; for he was too qualified according to Iya loja and friend. After a month, he was called for the job. He drove her for months; Chief liked his dedication and made him his personal driver.
The doctors were busy in the room as Jerry had oxygen on; they were whispering
…
Comfort felt exhausted she had visited most of the hospitals but no signs of Israel anywhere; strung out, she flagged down a cab, her well combed hair looked scattered, Lizzy came to her mind
Comfort: “Take me to Gwarimpa. How much?”
The driver was fat with and spoke like his vocal cords were failing him,
Driver: “one-five!” that was too much but she couldn’t care less. At the back, she lobbed herself.
On the their way the driver kept talking but she tune off couldn’t even hear a word of his,
Comfort: “You dey house?” she said on the phone to Lizzy,
Lizzy: “You sound like a broken record!”
Comfort: “I…I” she started crying she ended the call.
Driver: “Madam, why you dey cry na?” Comfort refused to answer him, “Hope all is well sha!”
She didn’t know when she lost it,
Comfort: “Does it look like all is well? Just drive and stop putting your nose where it isn’t needed!”
Driver: “sorry o!”
Comfort: “Israel, I’m sorry! “She kept on repeating those words as she tried his number. It wasn’t reachable.
Driver: “Na wa o! one yeye boy don break dis fine geh heart na!” he whispered.
She heard but ignored him.
….
Back at Chief’s house, John was worried in his own small security room; Jerry was on his mind,
John: “Chai! Na so Oga Jerry wan take finis e sef! See fine boy wey get everything! Na wa oo!”
He came out and sat on the bench with only singlet on, “Oga John owfa?” a female voice said, it was Catherine one of the housemaids, she was taking food to the hospital,
John: “Cattie,fine o!”
Catherine: “Make I reach hospital na!”
John: “Amos no carry you?”
Amos was the driver was at home, he was the one who drove the domestic staff on errands,
Catherine: “E take permission e get small family wahala fo house!”
John sighed,
John: “E get as e dey do everybody for body oo! Hope say e fine no beat em again!”
Catherine giggled,
Catherine: “Abeg maik I go quick!” she left.
John has been asking Catherine out but she always told him, “John we no fit marry na! you bi illiterate me na semi-literate wetin we wan born na?” He always felt offended for that comment, and John had one bad leg, “besides, I no fit marry pesin with your kin leg! John oo! I no fit bi second wife oooo! When no bi say you bi rich man”
John: “Eh, eh o! no abuse me. Na toast I come toast you no use style abuse my generation o!”
John had a habit of visiting the place locally known as ‘Morocco!’ a brothel. He visited there thrice a week but reduced it to two when he caught gonorrhea. Having a wife and a girl friend didn’t stop him from that kind of life.
There was a bang on the gate,
John: “who bi dat Mad pesin wey wan comot my door! Shey your fada fit buy dis kin door!” a female voice was heard screaming as the bang comtinued; “Ah,Magi! I know no say na you!” he held the door opened,
Margret : “Eh, shey na my fada you dey abuse?” she stood frowning; John knew there was trouble, for Margret to show up that late at the place of work.
Margret was his girlfriend, very troublesome but she loved him. She sold food at the market.
John: “No vex,baby. I bin no know say na you,” he was still holding the door,
Margret: “No baby me ooo!”
John: “Wetin again na?”
Margret: “I no see my period o!” John’s heart missed a beat; he shut the door and stood with her outside,
John: “Eh, go find em na? na for here you e loss?” he looked away.
Margret: “Eh eh o! John no just allow me scatter my dada here for you oo!”
He sighed and frowned,
John: “Na wa oo! You too like fight pass quarrel!”
Margret: “I don tell you my own sha!”
He sighed again,
John: “how e go bi na?” Margret stared at him,he wanted to suggest abortion but with that look he couldn’t dare, “okay, just go perch for house we go see tomorrow!”
Margret: “You promise?”
John: “Yes na! Baby! Baby!! Maggi di baby!” he cuddled her, she smiled and they departed; seeing that she was gone the rant started, “God go punish you! Nonsense! Which kin belle “ his wife was pregnant too.
….
Amos, the driver of Chief, had his daughter at the front and two policemen following; one of the men was his cousin, Angela was her name. she was in tears.
Amos with his Igala marks yelled,
Amos: “Take us to that house!”
Angela: “Papa,please!”
Amos: “If I kick you eh?”
She led them. Amos and the policemen were talking on the way. Angela was a very beautiful girl seventeen years old who attended the government girl’s college in town; a very bright science student.
Jane felt better but her mind ate from the plate of worry. Felix had told her the call was from a friend and knowing her ill state he didn’t want to bother her that was why he went to the bathroom to pick the call.
As she sat watching Channels TV a slug came from the door,
Jane: “Yes, who is that?” dragged her feet and when she opened the door; she was met with two Amos, daughter, and the policemen.
Amos: “where’s that useless man! My daughter is pregnant!”
Jane was taken aback!
