chapter 28

Mmembe was visibly surprised when she opened her door for me and saw me with all my possessions which consisted of my new dresses and shoes. When I had sat down, with my possessions beside me, the first question she asked me was 'How are the Kwaghtaghers?' The name revulsed me. I told her they were doing

fine.

I didn't waste time before I told her I was going to rent a room in the town with part of the money she had given me. 'Are you no longer staying with the Kwaghtaghers?' She asked. I told her I had no intention at all of staying with them any longer. Why?' I had expected this question. I told her everything from Nancy's exhibition to my resistance, and Nancy's lies about me to her

credulous husband, and the fight that later ensued between me and them. Her facial expression didn't show me that she believed in my innocence. ,You will not get a room in town,' she said...

'You will stay with me at the risk of the Imam discovering that you are with me.' I told her that the Imam, by which I understood she meant Mohammed Ali, would never know. She told me

that the Ayatollah had agents who informed him about almost everything, and that we must guard against this. You will stay in this house without going outside until four months time when you'll get the job' I heard. The house is a self-contained flat..

A bathroom and toilet exist in it. You will not need to step out of the room for any reason. If you do so, his agents will see you!

I asked her if she meant that I should stay for four months in the room in the literal sense. I asked this question because I believed she was speaking in metaphors 'You will literally stay here for four months without moving out if you actually need the job in the Imam's company, and if you want me to retain my own job'

she said. Moreover,' she said if you hear any visitor knock on the door, run into the bedroom and hide under the bed. You must not be seen in the parlour by any visitor. Any visitor could

be his agent' I was sweating. I cannot willingly lock myself up in a prison!' I protested. 'At least I need to go out to be able to buy cigarette or beer."

Take it that cigarette and beer are ruled out of your life' she said. I didn't say anything to this, knowing very well that I wasn't going to adhere to any of the advice, or rules she was giving me.

I left the palour and went to sleep in the bedroom after she had taken my properties there and shown me a corner in the room which I could run to in event of a visitor if I felt that hiding under the bed was difficult.

She woke me up at 7 p.m. and called me for dinner. After the dinner, a strong urge for cigarette and beer came over me. I need a bottle of beer,' I said 'since it is night I think I can go for one under cover of darkness.' Mmembe shook her head, 'I will loose my job if you do so'. she said. 'Mohammed Ali is not a magician' I said he cannot sit in his house and know all that is happening."

She told me that Mohammed Ali knew everthing about his employees and potential employees. 'Alcohol revolts him,' she said.

I was tempted to damn all consequences and go to town. The danger in this was that Mohammed Ali could actually come to know of it, thereby endangering not only my chances but also that of

Mmembe who was already a worker in his company Mohammed Ali's company might be my last hope for I had looked for job in almost all establishments. "So I shall stay without beer for four months?' I asked. Mmembe told me that it would be four months I would stay without beer if I didn't get the job. 'If you get the job and work there for twenty years, you will stay without beer

fo twenty years. If you work there for eternity, you will stay without beer in eternity,' I heard. But I need a cigarrette now.' I said. Mmembe started to weep at this, rolling down tears from her eyes like water. I'hate smokers, Akaa' she said amidst tears. This touched me greatly.

Although I knew I could go against the wishes of Mohammed Ali since the highest he could do to me was to refuse to employ me, I found it hard to go against the wishes of Mmembe who was

responsible for my survival at this time. I hated to give a guarantee that I would stop smoking because any serious smoker of my type cannot make any such guarantee.

I need to be working instead of waiting idly until Mohammed Ali recruits me. I said "This cannot be possible if I imprison myself here in the room.' I heard that I should forget about looking for job since this would expose the fact that I lived with her.

'Nobody stays under house arrest without duress!'. I protested

. 'I am not under duress!' I heard from Mmembe that I was under duress in so far as I needed a job in Ali Group of Companies and in so far as I did not want her to loose her job.

'If it was when you were with the Kwaghtaghers' said Mmembe 'I could have told you to go and look for work in Palma Motors where there is a good condition of service. Now you cannot go there.' I told her that I might take a risk one day and go there. When I said this I discovered I was being selfish for not considering the dangers this posed to her. 'Do they have room for an economist?" I asked. I heard that they had room for any type of person. They recruit you and train you in their own way. You could be a Geographer but they could train you in Public relations. The only thing they care for is the integrity of the

employer. Their employee must be a man of proven integrity.' Although I consider myself a man of integrity, this jail of no offence has often given me a different label. 'How can they know who is a man of integrity and who is not?' I asked. I heard that they had a screening body comparable to that of Ali Group of Companies.

They have a research group dedicated to studying the background of any applicant' she said.

I suddenly lost all hopes on hearing this. What constitutes integrity' I asked. She laughed. I don't know what constitutes integrity in Palma Motors' she said 'but I have told you what constitutes intergrity in Ali Group of Companies