Chapter 29

At 7am the next morning we took a bath together. She prepared some eggs which we took with bread and hot nescafe.

When she was about to go for work she said to me "Do not venture out of here. When anyone knocks on the door, hide under the bed or in the toilet." I told her I would do that and she left.

I languished in the room longing for cigarettes for three hours. In the fourth hour of my punishment in the room I decided that I was no prisoner, I dressed up and took a stroll along the road ending up in a beer parlour. I jumped on the cigarette the bar man was selling like a dog rushing for a bone.

Sitting down on a chair I ordered for three bottles of beer. I smoked three sticks of cigarettes consecutively before the beer arrived. When the beer arrived, I opened a bottle and gulped it down in a matter of seconds, making the barman look on in amazement. I took the remaining two with lesser speed. Feeling completely satisfied, I paid the bill and left the beer parlour.

I picked a taxi and told him to take me to Lake Chad Research Institute. I wanted to tell the Institutes director to put pressure on his friend Mohammed Ali to give the job earlier than he had

scheduled. I had to be fast in everything I did today so that I could return home before Mmembe closed from work. I didn't want her to know that I had violated her advice by leaving the house.

When the taxi dropped me in the Institute I headed for the director's office, waving Kwaghtagher as I crossed the central office. The director was smoking. As soon as he welcomed me in he offered me cigarette, which I took. I apologised to him for being unable to check on him all these days! You came at the right time' he said There is a letter to me from Mohammed Ali

which I would like you to read. It is about your employment. issue.

My heart skipped a beat. Has there been some complications? The director drew his drawer and brought out the letter.

He read through it again before giving it to me. His face was expressionless. I received it with trembling hands. The letter read:

My dear friend,

The idiot you sent to me for consideration on employment continues to be an idiot That buffoon whose whole life is to go against the injunctions of Allah had the impudence, nay, the

effrontery, to go to Green Park where he drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes to his satisfaction two things which any godly man who loves himself must try to avoid..

The sins of that satan did not stop there: he went to look for a teaching appointment in the education ministry, and when told there was no vacancy, pounced on the recruiting officer and beat him unconscious. The recruiting officer sustained injuries because of the evil temperament of that son of satan. That man of

unparallelled barbarity continues to participate in those evil things that have been anathematised by Allah, and consequently by me. I could have decided by now that he would not be employed

in my Company. Two things prevent me from punishing that evil man. The first has to do with my friendship with you. The second-and the most important-has to do with my own private

reasons. I am employing him for reasons private to me. Do instil the fear of Allah into that demented barbarian, if he still needs a job in my company.

Your darling,

Sadiq Said Al Abdallah Ibn Tahir Mohammed Ali

.

I was striken with fear. This letter showed clearly that Mohammed Ali had many informants. How did he come to know that I went to Green Park? How did he ever came to know that I beat up the employment boss in Education Ministry? I was particularly frightened because Mohammed Ali could come to know that I was staying with Mmembe. That would ruin her, and me.

That is it' said the director 'you can shape your own destiny."

I agreed with him. I can shape my own destiny. If I was to get a job in this wealthy tyrant's company, I would have to stop smoking and drinking. I would have to be less temperamental,

and hide my stay with Mmembe as a great secret. Having decided that I was going to stop smoking cigarettes for good, I took two sticks from the director and smoked them one after the other.

This is my last day of smoking,' I told. the director, and left his. office.

I was lucky that I returned home just before Mmembe came. She thought I had been in the house throughout. She smiled on entering the room. When we held each other and started to kiss, she wriggled herself from me and burst into tears You've smoked cigarettes again,' she managed to say inspite of tears. I was thoroughly disturbed. I told her it was true I smoked, but

that I would never do it again. "Do you promise me you'll keep to this?" she asked, still in tears. I nodded and told her I would keep to the promise and would never smoke cigarette again.

She kept hammering in my ears while we were on the table that I should keep my promise and stop smoking. After the meal I went to lie in the bedroom where I began to read my novel.

She woke me up at 7 p.m. for supper. After supper, a strong urge for cigarette arose in me. I resisted it. It was tough. After languishing in resistance for a long time, I began to feel once

more that I was in prison. I thought desperately about a replacement for my cigarette habit. Do you have draught?" I asked, feeling that indoor games could occupy me and make me forget

about cigarette. She told me she had no indoor game and did not know how to play draught. She said she could only play Ludo, which she didn't have. Frustrated, I went into the bedroom and

picked my novel. Just as soon as I laid on the bed, I heard a hard knock on the door. I rushed under the bed in keeping with her instructions in event of a visitor. Welcome Ayatollah' I heard Mmembe say. This greeting took me by surprise. Ayatollah

Khomeini had never visited this country and even if he did I would not expect him to visit Mmembe. There was no reply to the greeting. I guessed the Ayatollah must have nodded. Then the silence was broken. It was Mohammed Ali. "You will now close from office at 6 p.m. instead of 3.30 p.m..' he said. Its alright Ayatollah' Mmembe replied, 'I have increased your hours.

It will be so until I get the new man I want' he said. 'It's right Ayatollah,

Mmembe replied. This new man is in town and I will soon employ him' he said. "That's good Ayatollah,' said Mmembe.

This new man is already in town,' said Mohammed Ali who went on 'He is a sinner. A man oppposed to Allah. I will employ him when

he changes from his evil ways. Woe betide him if he doesn't change. An enemy of Allah is my personal enemy." I heard 'Mmembe say it's most true Ayatollah.' Then Mohammed Ali said That

have been to most of my workers to inform them about the increase in hours. When I leave here I will go to Jumei's house and that of Ibrahim to inform them.' I heard some movements, then

Mmembe said 'May the Most Merciful guide you to your house O Ayatollah.

Mmembe rushed to the bedroom even before I could come out from under the bed. 'Akaa!, she called as I began to struggle to get myself out from under the bed. 'You are a fast man' she said

Thank you. I thought you were exposed somewhere.' I told her it was impossible for anyone to catch me by surprise in this house.

'He was speaking about some ungodly potential employee' she said. 'He has increased the hours in the office and it will remain so until this ungodly man changes from his evils ways and is given

a job. Try very hard and get the job before that ungodly man that, he is speaking about.' I told her I guessed I was the same ungodly man he spoke about and that I was going to change my ways.

'You mean the man he was speaking about is you?' I nodded.

Then you have to stop smoking and drinking.' I told her I had already done that, and that I thought it might be good I went to tell him that I had stopped. There is no need to do that;' said

Mmembe. 'He will know.'