Chapter 26

After the meal I left the house and picked a taxi too BoLori layout. Paying the taxi driver his fair when we reached Bolori layout, I headed for Mmembe's flat. When I entered the room, we

held each other in excitement. The excitemen. ended us in the bedroom. After doing all that we needed to do on the bed, we both fell asleep.

I woke up, at 7 p.m. and told her I wanted to go. She drew out her drawer and counted one hundred naira which she gave to me. I took a taxi from there to Kwaghtagher's house. When Nancy heard the sound of the taxi, I saw her through the

window. She drew the cuntain slightly to see who had arrived.

She was dressed. I entered the parlour and did not see her. I guessed she had made herself stark naked somewhere in the building. I wasn't averse to seeing females in the nude so I went to peep into her bedroom to see if she was there. She was there, stark naked, with her back to the door. I think she was holding something and pretending to be examining it. I looked at her nude figure from her head across her buttocks to her feet. I stood there watching, resisting a strong urge to go into the room and drag her to her matrimonial bed. I watched her for three minutes, then I left

for my tiny room.

Few minutes later Nancy was saying 'I thought I heard foot. steps? Is there anyone in the house?, I nearly ignored her, but replied from my room that I was around. She rushed to my room fully dressed

'Ah! when did you enter?' I told her it was about

seven minutes ago. God! I hope you didn't see me!' I shook my head. Thank God' she said.

I had dinner with her and returned to my novel once more. I woke up at 4 a.m. I went to the parlour and put on the light, making my way to the bathroom outside to ease my bladder.

When I was about to step into the parlour on my return from the bathroom, I collided with some one behind the curtain by the

back door that led from the parlour to the bathroom. My 'heart jumped. I thought it was a burglar. It wasn't a burglar. It was Nancy. She was in the nude, covering her breasts with her hands.

My God! you are here!' she said as she ran back across the parlour to her bedroom. The way her bottom shook as she ran across the parlour stripped me of all restraints. I ran after her and managed to halt myself at the entrance to her bedroom. When I went back to my room and wanted to sleep, I couldn't. Sleep refused to

come, I was busy thinking about her soft body. I cursed myself aloud for setting any moral standard for myself.

I could have kept awake for more than an hour because I woke up a little bit late. Nancy did not fetch water to the bathroom for me this morning. What's more she did not invite me for breakfast. I did not even know when she took her breakfast,

although there was evidence on the table that she had taken breakfast. The worst thing was that she did not greet me. And when I greeted her she did not answer. I didn't care.

When she had gone for work I fetched some water for myself and took a bath. I dressed up and went to the road, waiting for a taxi to take me to Natchen Construction Company to see Hajia Tahira Dan Fulani....

Hajia Tahira Dan Fulani was a respectable woman by all standards. She told me politely to sit down when I entered her office. What can I do for you young man?" She asked. I felt a little flattered because this was the first time anybody had addressed me as youngman'. I gave her the note from Nancy.

You are the person Nancy spoke about?" I nodded. As a muslim said Hajia Tahira Dan Fulani I will not tell you lies. The same person who gave you this note has just left my office. She said I

should not give you any job. I was shocked. Nancy said you shouldn't give me any job?" I asked, not believing what I heard.

She nodded. Why?" I asked. Tahira Dan Fulani told me she should be the one to ask me that question. For all I know theres no reason for this! I said. The Hajia was silent. As a muslim' I said you will certainly ignore what she said? The Hajia told me that she would have infact ignored what Nancy had told her. She has no right to bar me from employing people for my company but I also learnt that you are a rape ex-convict. i do not have any sympathy for rapists.

But if it can be proved that she was lying, I would give you the job. There is a vacancy. I was silent

in thought. The Hajia asked 'As a muslim, are you a'rape ex- convict or not? I told her I was a christian as a matter of fact, and that I was actually imprisoned for a purported rape. I did not rape anybody. It was a malicious imprisonment' I said..

The sympathy which had been in Hajia Tahira's face vanished, giving way to a look of disgust 'Nancy wasn't lying after all, she said. There is no vacancy." I heard.

Frustration made me long for a cigarette. We do not have any clause in our laws which says that an ex-convict should be denied job opportunities' I said. Our own law in Natchen Construction

company does not support employment of ex-convicts' said Hajia Tahira Dan Fulani. I looked at her and said 'Your company should not make laws that are opposed to the fundamental laws

of this land." She told me I should remember that I was addressing Hajia Tahira Dan Fulani, and endeavour to be more polite.

I am not addressing God! That's all I know!' I said with an undisguised edge of my voice. Standing up in great anger, I stormed out of the room. The first thing I did when I stepped into the road was to buy two cigarettes. I smoked them one after the other in frustration.

I took a taxi to Kwaghtagher's house. My decision was to give Nancy a thorough beating and force her to tell me why she went to ruin my chances in Natchen Construction Company. When the taxi dropped me by the house I expected to see her through the window in preparation for her nude parades. She didn't come to the window. I went straight to the house and pushed the door open in fury. I was halted in my fury by the sight of Kwaghtagher.

He has returned!..