CHAPTER ELEVEN

A stagnant week of boredom, and soberness gradually dragged past. Dawson felt it was time he got a grip on himself and keep a stiff upper lip despite his state of mind. On the second day of the first week in October, he took his certificates and made a call at the Employment Agency in town. Without difficulty he found the office, a two room apartment on the first floor of a five storey building along the Warri-Sapele Road with the words JEREMI HOUSE boldly written on the top-most floor. He found the stairs and climbed his way up. When got to the front door, he knocked and gently push open the door. The room as expected of an outer office was moderately furnished. A girl, who could not be more than twenty-two and wearing a coffee-coloured sun goggles sat behind an office desk on which were placed some files and an in and out tray for files and other documents. The table also had a desk top computer on it. He nodded good morning to the girl behind the desk and after introducing himself asked to see the director. The girl motioned him to sit while she went into the inner office. After about three minutes, the connecting door opened and he was told to go in. There he was interviewed by a man who took his credentials from him. Later, he was given a form to fill requiring him to state his curriculum vitae. The man promised to find something for him in the nearest future after Dawson had paid the registration fees..

Three minutes later, when he stepped out of the staircase into the hot morning sun, he was feeling light-headed and sweating. He called Eldorando Hotel to a taxi that was crawling past. When they got there, Dawson paid off the driver and stepped onto a street road that branched off the main road of Dashuum Avenue. He headed straight for Daniel’s apartment. Daniel answered the door bell as soon as it started ringing.

‘Hm, how are you’ he said.

‘So, so,' replied Dawson

He looked Dawson over as he stepped back to allow him in.

‘Hey!, he said, ‘you’re not looking very fine. You look pale somehow.'

‘I think it’s the touch of the weather’ Dawson replied.

‘Hm, how can it be?'

‘Forget it’, won’t you allow me to sit down before you subject me to endless interrogation like a policeman?'

‘Sorry’, he said scratching his right ear. ‘Do sit down, sit down’. How are your parents?

Dawson ignored the last question but sat down.

‘Now, the other time we met, you were saying something like you were called for one interview. How was it? Any verdict from it yet?

‘So you took that seriously eh? Now, Dawson, let me tell you. This country has changed for a very long time. It’s no longer as it used to be. Without any big gun to do the interview for you, you are wasting time. And as it is, I had no big gun to do the real interview for me, so I failed. Well if you want to know what I mean, I’ll tell you. I went to the interview and was interviewed quite alright, and I’m dead sure I passed it, but I don’t know any big man to push me in. So that was the end of it."

‘Aa-ah! What’s all this! This question of big man, big gun.'

‘There you are. But your case may be different. Your father knows many people. He could fix up if you press him.’

‘Hm, my father! He is too busy running around his business to be concerned with me.’

‘Well’, Daniel shrugged.' I’m still trying. Maybe God will answer my prayer very soon’.

Then Dawson told him about his mission to town. When he had finished, Daniel nodded and said. ‘Well, that’s something’.

Then as if he was forgetting and trying to remember something, he said, ‘How was your holiday with Justina! ‘. Dawson was taken aback.

‘Well, since you asked, it’s good I tell you about it. Justina and I are through. She walked out on me a week ago and since then I have not seen her. Daniel, I don’t want you to ask me more questions. I can’t explain the details. It’s sordid somehow', he concluded standing up.

Daniel remained seated for at least three minutes absorbing the meaning of this. He guessed that was why his friend was looking so pale.

I’m sorry Dawson, really, but I’ll say I’m surprised to hear this', he finally said getting up. ‘I would have like to hear how it happened, but as you are not in the mood to discuss it, I won’t press it.

‘Yeah,' Dawson said braving up again.

Daniel escorted his friend up to the main road and before he handed him into a taxi, he apologized for not calling at the estate as he thought that Justina was still there and promised to call anytime in the week.

As Dawson entered the estate he saw the 504 saloon car in the garage and guessed that his mother was back. When he entered the flat, he saw her pacing up and down in the palour and after greeting her, he went to his room. He stayed there until it was time for lunch. He went to the kitchen, got some rice and carried them to the dining table. He took out a bottle iced water, poured and drink some quantity before he started eating.

Later in the evening, after he had rested, Dawson decided to go to the river. He had no intention of swimming, but he felt he should go. The sun was now setting behind the tress, and the atmosphere was cool and breezy. When he got there, he sat on top of a big stone which they had brought to the beach for that purpose. His mind was blank like a plain sheet of paper. He did not know what to think neither did he want to think. Sitting still, he packed a handful of pebbles and started throwing them into the water. He did not know what attracted his attention, for he turned. And when he did, he saw Candida coming along the path. His heart started beating against his chest like a sledge hammer. But she was yet to see him. Dawson kept looking at her as she made her way towards him, and when she suddenly moved her gaze up, it was to meet his curious eyes piercing at her. By then, she was within fifteen feet of him. She made to go back when she saw him, but Dawson called on her to stop.

‘Candida, please don’t go,’ he pleaded but she was already going. Dawson made the fastest move of his life. When he reached her, he swung her round so that she faced him.

‘What is it again?’ She blurted out.

‘Candida, I know how you must feel after what happened. I know Justina made you miserable and said a lot of awful things about you. But then you know she also said a lot of awful things to me.'

‘You deserved what you got’. She said furiously.

‘Yeah, maybe I deserve it, that and her walking out on me forever. I deserve it all. But I want to apologize to you for everything l may have caused you. Please, l beg you to forgive me and forget the whole incident. I know it is very much my fault and that is why you are being bitter with me. But please try to forget and forgive Candida, please.'

She listened to everything Dawson said to her but she did not say a word in answer. Instead she continued on her way home. Dawson stood very still. He was confused. How can he bring this girl to understand him? He didn’t want this girl to go away like that and still carry the bad impression she had of him. But what would he say to her now. He found himself tactless and short of words.

“Candida’ he called again.

She looked back over her shoulders.

“Candida’, he repeated, ‘I know this thing has upset you so much and made you to have so many bad images of me. It’s not long we have known each other, but to me it’s like years and I hope you’re not letting this ordeal jeopardize the fine relationship we have made. It would be a bad thing if the friend we had of each other should end this way. Why can’t you forgive and forget?'

She turned round and faced him. She was about to tell him what she thought of him and his secret cunning way of knocking other people’s head together when she looked into his eyes. What she saw in his eyes left her speechless. It was eyes full of love and suffering. She quickly diverted her eyes, but her heart was beating fast against her chest. All the hostility she had felt towards him melted away. She too was in love without knowing it. ‘I should not have treated him like this’, she was thinking. 'l have overreacted.' After all it was not him that insulted and called her all sorts of names, but his fianceé and now, he had lost her too. And here l was treating him like this after everything he had done for me, laying down his whole time to teach me without asking for a penny. No, she wouldn’t want their friendship to end this way and because of her.

“I am sorry, Dawson,' she said, ‘I have forgotten everything. Maybe I should not have acted the way I did.'

‘You don’t have to say that, my dear, for you have the right to, after what happened;' he said taking a step towards her.

'Okay, maybe, but now I have forgotten everything.'

'Thank you very much'; he said. Then as she was about to go, he said, 'Candida, I am very happy that you’ve forgotten everything'.

'I hope we’ll still be friends,' he continued. ‘Why don’t you stay and talk with me a little. I’m feeling very lonely. I’m sure you must have come here to do something or were you just wandering about. Do stay with me, darling’, he said unconsciously extending his left hand to her as a gesture of friendship.

Mechanically, she placed her right hand on his and he led her back to the beach.

Sitting opposite each other, they kept quiet. Not a word passed between them for about five minutes and their eyes did not meet all this time because they both looked in different directions. Later Dawson cleared his throat to break the silence.

‘Candida, did your mother not tell you that I called and asked of you?'

'Yes, that was last week eh!'

‘Yeah’

‘I remember I was not feeling very fine that evening and didn’t want to be disturbed. Was there anything to it, I mean the visit '

‘Well, no. I only wanted to see you and apologize for that incident.’

'How are you preparing for you examination. It’s very close now'

‘Well, I have been studying very hard-o’, In fact I have been reading all day and was just strolling around to straighten my legs. I felt I should come here and deep my legs into the cool water and that’s when I saw you’.

‘I see’, he said looking thoughtfully at her.’ ‘I am sure you will make your papers all right’.

She didn’t say anything.

‘Candida, I’m still very much around. If you want any explanation in any of the topics or something, I would be most grateful to help.

‘Thank you’, she said and looked up at him because the way he said it made her heart miss a beat. Dawson heaved a sigh and stood up.

‘Let’s go, my dear, it’s getting late’, he said. His heart was beating heavily as he watch her brushing the sand from her skirt.

‘Please, I have a few books which might be of help to you. English and Mathematics apart from the biology. I am sure you will find them… he could not finish it for the pressure that had been building up in him took the better part of him and without warning seized her and took her in his arms. He held her fiercely against him that she could hardly breathe. She struggled against him, ‘please don’t….' she protested but then his mouth came down hungrily on hers letting out all the force of passion that had been killing him into the kiss that followed. She struggled no further. Instead her hands reached up his shoulders and closed about him. She was lost and gave up herself to his hot, fierce and demanding lips. She felt herself standing feebly against him, her whole body melting against his as she felt his hands going all through her body, caressing her and bringing alive the womanhood in her. She was vaguely aware of everything around them for as his body burned against her, she felt herself drifting into a state of unconsciousness.

When at last he pushed her away from him, she felt very light and her body trembling uncontrollably. Feeling shy that this could have happened to her, she ran away covering her face with her hand. When she got home, she locked herself, in her room and started weeping. But why, she didn’t know. To her this was an epoch-making experience in her life. She had never known a man all her life and she did not know how to explain what she was feeling. She had not the slightest knowledge that she could feel the way she did when Dawson had held her in his arms. She had been transformed into a woman. If what she was feeling was love, she thought, then love doesn't follow the rules. She of all persons had-fallen in love and she was highly disturbed by the power of her own emotions. ‘Oh Dawson’, she sobbed, 'how could you have done this to me.'