Chapter 20

After listening to these additional ordinances. of Mohammed Ali I became thoroughly discouraged about getting this job and keeping it. I saw I was getting farther and farther away from

getting this job and keeping it. I couldn't see how I could stop smoking and drinking all at the same time. Although running after women wasn't one of my weakness, I hated to guarantee that I would restrain from doing it. Why does he want his

. employees to loose all pleasures?" I asked. Mmembe told me that I wouldn't loose any pleasure in the first place. "Is it a loss of pleasure to obey a boss in your office?" She asked.

"Anyone who bars you from smoking and drinking is your best friend.' She said.

'It should not be enforced!" I said. That is very autocratic!'

We are opposed to autocracy!' She smiled at the protesting nature of my outburst. I went closer to her and started to caress her. I continued to do this until we ended up in her bedroom....

When we were up again I revealed to her that I was going to start work in Christian Bookshop from where I would resign at

the end of four months and join Mohammed Ali. I also told her that I used my last thirty naira on bribery before I could secure the job in Christian Bookshop. That is because you went to the wrong person' she said There is a religious man called Raphael Ekenem don't not take bribes. He is a very upright person.' I heard. charge." I smiled and told her that it was the same Raphael Ekanem who I bribed. Mmembe burst into laughter 'Raphael Ekanem does not take bribes. He is a very upright person.' I heard

I told her that this was indeed the opinion of many people about the man and that this opinion was not true because it was the man himself who requested for the thirty naira tip I gave him. My

statement only increased her laughter. That man, Raphael Ekanem will not take bribe. All of us in this town know him.

And it is either that you experienced this in a dream and have confused it with the real world, or something else she said. I informed her that at my age she should know that I could differentiate dream from reality and wouldn't say this of Raphael Ekanem if I didn't give him the only thirty naira i had. She responded that it was sacrilege for me to make this accusation against that man of God and advised me never to repeat the

accusation to the hearing of any other person again.

I cannot be forced to stop accusing a man who took all my money!" I said, almost screaming at her. 'I am advising you in this way because I

know you are properly balanced mentally. Any other person who hears this accusation would certainly question your sanity. I heard. 'But the accusation is true!' I screamed. 'Because you

are a visitor' said Mmembe you have mistaken another person for him. This could not be. Apart from the fact that he worked in that office, his name was also conspicuously displayed on his

table in a well-written sign-writing.

I left the matter there and told her I wanted to go. She went back to her bedroom and was back almost immediately. When I entered a taxi in front of her house, she handed me an envelope

as the taxi took off. We waved each other as the taxi roared off.

I held the envelope she gave me in a tight manner, wondering what it contained.

When I reached Kwaghtagher's house I met him packing clothes into a small handbag. He announced to me that he had been sent to Gedam on an official journey and would spend at least four days there.

Nancy and I saw him off to the motorpark and waited there until he got transport. We also took a taxi back home.

I went to the bathroom and locked myself inside so that I could open the envelope Mmembe gave me and see what was inside. My guess was that it would be instructions on codes of conduct for a Mohammed Ali employee. When I opened the

envelope, I was face to face with many naira notes in twenty naira bills.

I counted them and discovered that the amount wasas much as four hundred naira. Four hundred naira! I was close to screaming for joy.

She wrote in a white sheet of paper that I should buy new cothes for myself and should not wear what I was wearing since Mohammed Ali would consider me a tramp if I wore such clothes.

The thought that I was worth four hundred naira after all this harsh life of penury was incredible to me. The whole thing was like a dream.

I pocketed it and left the bathroom to the parlour where I met Nancy. That girl who paid you a visit, is she your girlfriend?"

Nancy asked in a direct manner. I nodded in acceptance. 'Had she had a motor accident before?' She asked. The question startled me. I could not guess why she asked this question. I don't know if she had had a motor accident before' I answered.

Nancy told me that she was asking this question because Mmembe appeared to walk with a limp. I considered her observation to be very malicious. Mmembe's gait was one of her best qualities. She

had stylish steps that reminded me of Diana Ross. It was completely ill-intentioned for Nancy to suggest that she walked with a limp. 'I don't think she walks with a limp' I protested. She limps definitely,' Nancy told me.

I ignored her and left the palour for my pigeon hole where I laid down on the bed and started to read my novel. Nancy later came to tell me that food was ready. I followed her to the table

and we began to eat. We ate in silence. This was because I did not wish to engage in any conversation with her. Nancy and her husband had been putting me to task on practically anything I said so I wanted to avoid such situations. For instance I told them that Mohammed Ali was a serious man and they didn't believe me. I told them Raphael Ekanem took a bribe from me and they disbelieved my story.

Mmembe who had the best gait visited me and Nancy said she walked with a limp. I had no choice but to avoid discussions with them as much as possible.