Chapter 6

I left his office and passed through the general office, deliberately refusing to say 'bye' to either the girl or the youngman. On my way outside the building, a young man who was coming towards me continued to smile to me as if he knew me. I smiled to him too because I felt we must have met somewhere. Both of us were wearing smiles as we approached each other. It was a mistaken identity and we knew this only after we had come

closer. We stopped to greet each other. It was in the process of this that I came to know that he also worked in the Drama section. I told him the purpose of my visit and what his boss had told me concerning my employment in the state Television.

Who are you referring to as my boss?" he asked in the manner that gave me the impression that he had no other person above him. I told him I was refering to Mr. Kolawole, whereupon the young man broke into an uncontrollable laughter. I waited awkwardly until he managed to finish laughing. Then he said 'Mr. Kolawole is a junior man here in the office. He has nothing to do with employment of new staff. His only job is to compile the list of costumes to be used for dress-rehearsals for our play productions. I didn't believe the young man so I said 'But he is the head of drama isn't it?' The young man burst into another round of laughter. Mr'. Kolawole's post is the lowest in rank in the drama section' I heard. 'He would soon be sacked from his job for incompetence. His case is already with the board."

I could not believe what the young man was saying. The first time I met Mr. Kolawole, he had promised that he would give me job after receiving a one-hundred-naira bribe from me. He had said that he was solely responsible for employing new staff. During my second meeting with him, he had made it clear that in my next meeting with him he would give me the job on the spot. It was only at this evening's meeting that I heard for the first time that other board members were also connected with my employment. Is he not among the board members who recruit new

staff?" I asked. Once again the young man couldn't help laughing.

The board members who decide employment matters are university graduates on salary grade level 12 or above. Mr. Kolawole did not pass his first school leaving certificate examinations and he is on salary grade level 2. As I said he is about to be dismissed from his job.' I was more shocked than I could express. But the girl in the general office refers to him as boss' I said. Both the girl and Mr. Kolawole are nonentities' he said. Why did he claim he can give me a job?' I asked. The young man told me that it was better I went to Mr. Kolawole and asked him the question. 'He had posed big to other people before. You are not

the first person to be deceived." I heard.

I was tempted to go to the police and report Mr. Kolawole for duping me of a hundred naira. But I discovered that the police might equally hold me for giving bribes. Cursing myself for ever meeting Mr. Kolawole, I went to the road and took a taxi to my house at Gbagi. My landlady welcomed me back with a suspicious look in her face. I guessed she must have concluded that I was returning from a robbery operation. I didn't care. I passed her and went into my room, wondering whether I should tell her about my departure for Maiduguri which I had scheduled for the next day.

I went to her door and knocked. She told me to come in.I went inside and sat on her bed. No sooner had I sat down than one of her lovers arrived. And this is something I forgot to mention: my landlady was a woman of about fifty years old but most of her lovers were teenagers, mostly college students. I shook hand with the lover who arrived. He was a boy of about fineteen. Then I proceeded to tell my landlady that I was travelling to Maiduguri the next day. That is very good!' She said, obviously delighted that she was getting rid of an armed robber. Turning to her lover, she pointed at me and said this is my tenant whom I

shall miss badly.' Then he introduced the teenager to me as Kehinde. Kehinde is a relation' she said vaguely. I shook hands. with Kehinde and told him I was very happy to meet him. This wasn't true, because I was rather jealous of him and wasn't happy at all to meet him.

I left them there and went to my room where I started to read my novel. I read till about 11p.m. when Kehinde and my landlady started to converse.I was sure they could have been conver-

sing all this time but my concentration on the novel probably made me not to hear them. 'My daddy gives me school fees only. He does not give me pocket money! Kehinde was saying. 'I know,' said my landlady. and that's why I gave you three

hundred naira last term. You are a very sweet boy on the bed.Kehinde laughed. 'Only you don't like to sleep here nowadays.

You prefer running after those small girls!" I heard Kehinde protesting against this with some vehemence. The only girl I have is the one I want to marry. I can sleep with you as many times as you want, but I have a girl to marry though." My landlady replied that it was a good idea to marry, and that she would infact sponsor his wedding anytime he decided to marry. Only you should not forget me after your marriage. She said. kehinde promised her he wouldn't forget her.

Then my landlady said 1 read something about ways of making love which they call oral sex. I will give you the book so that you read it and do it to me. I think six hundred naira will do you for your pocket money this term. You will have it.' Kehinde told her Six hundred naira was quite enough for him, and thanked her for being so kind. Then he asked for the book about which my landlady spoke.