The Mad Man
Episode 5
Nzube drove the mad man to a salon where he was given a clean haircut. His face changed instantly. He took him to one of his houses in the city and kept him there. The mad man took his bath, cleaned up properly and ate a delicious meal bought from the restaurant. He was given new clothes. He looked very handsome and entirely different.
“I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you in the morning. It is not in my character to disrespect people in your kind of situation. I’m really sorry. And I want to say I’m ready to listen to you now.” Nzube said. He was sitting at the balcony of the one storey building when the mad man came to meet him after eating and cleaning up. There is a bottle of wine on the table before him.
“Please sit down.” Nzube tells the mad man. He was speaking to him with a measured tone, trying to know if his mood would change like that of someone whose senses are not complete, but the man remained stable and watched Nzube with close attention.
“I’m happy you want to listen to me. No one has ever given me the opportunity to explain myself. Also, thank you for taking care of me. I have not felt this good for the past 20 years. Today feels special. I feel so happy that someone cares for me.” The mad man said. He sat on the extra seat on the balcony, directly facing Nzube. He is not behaving as if he is mad and this made Nzube uncomfortable. The man’s reasoning seemed completely crystal clear.
“Pardon me for asking. But are you really mad? You sound very reasonable for someone who looked so dirty a while ago. Pardon me please, don’t be offended. I’m just curious. Would you want to talk about your life with me?” Nzube asked. He poured a cup of wine for the mad man who sipped it with so much dignity.
“I’m not offended.” The mad man said. He lowered the cup of wine from his mouth, placed it on the small table. The air was cool and the compound was calm. Nzube bought this house a year ago because of how it overlooks the streets. When he sits on the balcony, he takes a look at many parts of the street and it makes him feel good. The mad man too seemed to like it when he looked down and saw people going about their business in the streets nearby. Then he started talking.
“I was once mad. But I’m no longer mad. I stopped being mad when I saw my daughter and my wife walking into your house a few weeks ago.” The mad man said.
“Can you recall why you ran mad?” Nzube asked.
“My wife is the reason I ran mad.” The mad man said. He sipped his wine copiously as he talk and there was no atom of madness in his voice.
“How do you mean? Did she use charms? Is that what you mean?” Nzube asked. He has become more and more curious as the mad man continued to open up about his life.
“She did not use charms. As a matter of fact, she is a very good woman and my love for her was immeasurable.” The mad man paused and sipped some more wine. He looked away into the vacant space and returned his gaze at Nzube. Then he continued talking.
“Twenty years ago I used to live in Aba with my wife. We lived in a one room apartment but we were so happy. We loved each other so much and managed what we could afford. One day, when my wife was pregnant and close to delivery, armed robbers attacked our house. The bastards raped my wife and made me watch it. They did not care that she was heavily pregnant, in fact, already nine months pregnant. There were eight men who took turns to rape her one after the other until she fainted and became unconscious but they did not stop. They tied me with a rope and held a gun to my head.” The mad man was crying and tears poured from his eyes as he recounted the ugly experience. Nzube was so shocked that he dropped the glass cup in his hand and listened more attentively.
“When they left, I was no longer in my normal senses. At some points when I was watching what they did to my lovely wife, I stopped being a normal person. The trauma and sorrow in my heart turned my brain upside down and since then, I have never being my normal self. All I could remember was me leaving my house and running into the street and that was it.” The mad man said. He bent down as tears continued to pour from his eyes like tap water. Nzube gave him a white handkerchief to clean his eyes.
“And you never saw your wife again? After you left that room? And why did you leave? You could have taken her to the hospital. I’m not judging you but anyone in his normal senses would do that for his wife.” Nzube said.
“I just said I was not in my normal senses. When I saw the brutality she went through and knowing that I could not help her broke me down. I lost it all. If I didn’t run mad, I would probably have killed myself. It was too much for a man to take. I felt helpless. I lost my mind. But that madness was gone the moment I saw my wife entering your house with my daughter. Knowing that she made it out alive and even gave birth to the baby effectively cured my madness. I thought she and the baby died because that night was so brutal. And that is why I’m fighting to stay with my daughter and also my wife once again. I was not able to help her that night. I was not there for the two of them. But now, I will give even my life for them. I will give my life to get them back.” The mad man said. He was still crying. Even Nzube fought back tears as the moment became very emotional for him.
“Don’t worry, I assure you that you will get your daughter and wife back. I will help you get them back.” Nzube promised. From that day on, they became friends and really close. But deep down in his heart, Nzube wondered how he will handle the situation.
Watch out for episode 6.
