Chapter Five
He wondered how many people managed to receive such smile from the cashier he assumed there must be a few. It was a long time he had he had visited the tailors shop last, there were a few changes in the shop, and more sewing machines had been installed, and even an embroidery machine.
He was one of the best and richest tailors in town. Because of his popularity and neat works, he claimed to be a London trained tailor. Actually he was trained right here in town. The tailor was surprised at Olumide’s rapid growth, ‘children nowadays grew faster, what is it you people eat apart from the food we give you?’ ‘hen my son’, and without stopping said ‘you re welcome come on in’, in response to Olumide’s greeting.
‘If I saw you on the road I wouldn’t recognize you again, sincerely speaking’, he said with an expression including raising of the two hands shoulder high. How is your father and the farm, I hope the crops are doing fine’, ‘We are managing sir, thanks sir’. ‘Eh, everybody manages, these days my son, we don’t even know what the world is turning to’. ‘You must have finished your modern school now, have you started working?’
‘I am presently working with my father on the farm’, Ah hah; that is very interesting, you are the first young man I have seen or met that has gone to work on the farm after the school, keep it up. Shake me for that’. He stretched forward his right hand and Olumide received it with both hands, also bowing at the same time. ‘I have brought this cloth to you to be sewn, this one will be for two complete French suits for me and father an extra trouser’, Olumide gave him the wool. And this other one is for 2 pairs of long sleeve shirts and One short sleeve for me ’, he handed the tailor, the cotton material. You can take the measurement now sir. I’m catching the four o’clock bus. Olumide did not like to stay longer than that there.
After the measurement, Olumide told him he would collect the clothes in 4 days time; the tailor said it would be ready in three days times. The tailor gave two Schillings for the bus fare. Olumide walked rapidly, knowing that he would more than an hour if he missed the next bus.
He was just in time taking his place at the back of a long line and got the last seat in the bus that left by three thirty. He got home after a two hours journey. He told his father he had bought the materials as he was sent and had given them to the tailor. Three days expired, Olumide’s immediate problems was how to get the money in his fathers safe. Once he had taken up the idea of going into the office after the gateman would have gone home and the night watch man would not have come, but he dropped the idea sooner, because he thought it was too risky for him.
Much later it occurred to him that he might just be more trickish to get his way. Olumide’s mother was no more, his father never liked stewards or house boys (male house servants) so Olumide took up every domestic work in the house. Olumide bought some cow meat which he was going to cook for lunch and purposely dumped it in a corner in his father’s office. By the time they closed, for the day, Olumide’s father did not remember anything about the meat; even his secretary didn’t notice it. She was not looking for meat in an office.
It was as easy as that. They were half-way down through the driveway when suddenly Olumide made a jolting loud sound, ‘I’ve forgotten the meat in the office’. ‘You are always forgetting one thing or the other, isn’t it?’ go back and take it, that is your headache, ‘I want my lunch in an hour’, his father said, as Olumide ran back to the office. Olumide pulled out a paper bag from his pocket; he counted the money in bundles, ‘one hundred and eighty, five hundred and ninety …nine hundred…..one thousand….. he finished counting and taped it with a nylon bag and dumped it in the meat. He locked up, as soon as he got out of the office he started to run towards the car and it’s impatient occupants. The lunch wasn’t bad. They had a relaxed afternoon. The dinner was alright. The house was quiet, the sleep sound, but not for Olumide.
Olumide rehearsed his early exit, over and over in his head until he it became complete puzzle in his mind. When the sun finally hit him, jarring him of a troubled slumber, it was as if he had closed his eyes in a moment’s meditation.
Olumide got down from the bus that took him to the town; he carried his two suitcases, and walked straight into a supermarket, as always the door keeper took charge of the suitcases. He went in as buying something, actually he selected a packet of biscuits and a park of liptons, he dropped them, and rushed out, ‘hey! Have your luggage’s’, the door keeper shouted, ‘I’ll be right back, I forgot my change at the chemist’, he shouted back.
He met the tailor ironing some dresses, ‘everything okay?’ he asked, ‘yes, it’s great’, the tailor replied. ‘But if you’ll wait a bit, I’ll iron your suit for you’. ‘No don’t worry, it won’t be of any use, it’ll get squeezed up in the bus’. ‘I’ll do the ironing myself when I get home’. ‘Okay son, here it is then’. Olumide paid the balance, ‘here we are’, the tailor said collecting his money, ‘that’s my good Mr. Ogunbeshin you don’t wait months before you get the balance’, greet your father for me, and tell him to visit me someday’.
At the supermarket, the doorkeeper looked up at him as he picked up the second suitcase. ‘Thank you, bye-bye’, he said with gratitude, why shouldn’t he, he got the ¼ of his monthly salary. Gbesan an Elsie were at the railway station to welcome Olumide. They exchanged greetings, Olumide was particularly glad to see Elsie, Olumide carried one the suitcases in one hand and in the other hand Elsie’s soft tender hand.
As they walked along the terminus big passenger’s hall and ticket stalls, shoulder to shoulder, they pressed their way among the teeming crowd, exchanging glances and joking about oddities in the people around them and recent experiences. They got a taxi, once they got outside the terminal. As they got into the taxi, Olumide said; ‘13 Akande lane’, the driver agreed and drove off into the busy traffic. It was getting dark, and the lights were coming on in the different colors, Gbesan showed Olumide as they passed by the busy sots and different film houses, and theatre halls.
Lagos was very colorful at night, it’s activities always on, that was what Olumide wanted, that word ‘always on’ seemed a very high sounding word found in Latin lexicons, given as a gift to the city of Lagos from a foreigner, he almost spoke his thoughts aloud but the noise of horns and screeching tires of the traffic, and their own noisy charter made silenced that idea.
They got to the one room apartment under two hours. It was a one storey building with a balcony at the front of the first floor, the atmosphere around the house was not very interesting to Olumide, to the left of the house was a mushroom kiosk and to the right was a deep water-well. The front of the house was very dirty.
In the space between the motor road and the house frontage was occupied by a large gutter. It was covered by a thick plank on one side, to enable one coming into the house to use the plank to cross over instead of jumping. Gbesan seemed to have become a popular boy in that neighborhood, he greeted and they greeted him as Gbesan and his companions climbed the stairs up.
They got to room seven and Gbesan opened the door, they all went inside. The room was occupied by a single bed, two straight chairs one center table, an armrest chair, and a reading table with two drawers one can store things into. Olumide sat down exhausted on the armrest chair, Elsie sat down on one of the straight chairs while Gbesan went downstairs to buy some soft drinks. ‘you must be tired now, the journey was long, wasn’t it?
Elsie said, ‘I’ am more than tired, I am tubed’, Olumide said that when someone is tired, he can still talk, laugh, and even do some non-power exerting works, but when one is tubed, he couldn’t do better than to stay put and keep mute, because the tube is smaller than the tire. Gbesan came in with three bottles of minerals(soft drinks), he opened them and gave one to Olumide and one to Elsie, he took the remaining one himself and sat down on the other straight chair, he drank from the bottle. Tell me Olumide, when you left home? Did he allow you to leave? Elsie wanted to know as much as possible. “He wouldn’t allow me; I left without his consent, I wrote him a note, that I’ve gone somewhere the life was better, and more exciting.
I’m sure he wouldn’t eat tonight because he would be too upset, Gbesan said. I’m past caring now, he would allow me freedom, I can’t take it anymore’. They all made a gesture of approval of that. Then Gbesan said, that’s very true, but you wouldn’t have had the opportunity of talking to me or even having any impression about Lagos.
That was a point, but all the same, Olumide thought some one else would have helped him out of his care if his father hadn’t done so. Gbesan also agreed partly, but that in cases like Olumide’s own, one might find that nobody even cares. There was one thing Gbesan did not want to discuss with Olumide, in the presence of Elsie, for to him, discussing a man’s financial problems in the presence of an unknown woman would be downgrading him. He wasn’t too sure, if Olumide had got the money to back up himself, he had strained his personal purse to get the room for Olumide and to find some furniture for him. He decided to postpone it till the next day. ‘There’s a bar and restaurant at the end of the road, would you like to eat?’ Gbesan asked, still hosting.
‘That will be great, except that if I fall on the way, you’ll carry me the rest of the way’, Olumide replied jokingly.
They laughed heartily. ‘No, you can’t fail’. Gbesan and Elsie said together. They got to the hotel under ten minutes. Gbesan ordered the food, but Olumide did not allow either Gbesan or Elsie pay the bill.
They shifted from the restaurant to the bar, Gbesan was going to buy the drinks, but Olumide beat him to it. ‘Hold it man, I didn’t come from, I live here now, this is my room key’, Olumide said raising the key to the room above his head. They laughed. Gbesan thought well he should relax a bit because Olumide’s attitude showed he had enough money, he also thought this might be just to put a good impression on the lady around.
Elsie thought the same thing too. But it was for different purposes that they thought about Olumide. They both saw him home before departing. ‘I’ll like to run along now, my old man will be yelling for mum to close the door, I’ll see you tomorrow morning’. Olumide was very grateful, he returned home to sleep. The next morning Olumide was feeling very well, he had slept very well, he had taken his bath.
He was combing his hair when Elsie came in. ‘How do you feel today?’ she asked. ‘Very fine’, Olumide replied delighted. ‘I brought some breakfast for you’, Elsie said as she opened the bag, and carried out a flask and some plates. She also brought out some teacups, then she carried them to the center table from the bag she took a loaf of bread, it was already buttered.
Just then Gbesan came in, he met Olumide standing beside the table starring at Elsie in astonishment, he too stood looking surprised. ‘Well, what do you think’, she said standing aside. ‘marvelous’, said Gbesan, ‘It’s great’, said Olumide. ‘Come over for breakfast then’, I must say you got common sense that’s not common.
The breakfast was absolutely delicious. ‘We have something to celebrate you know’, Olumide announced when they finished the breakfast. ‘Gbesan, he called’ ‘I noticed a shop opposite this building, they sell drinks’, he brought out two Pounds and gave it to him, ‘do me a favor, buy us a bottle of whisky’.
Again, Gbesan remembered his postponed discussion of yesterday. ‘As you say’, he replied and went out. When he came back, Olumide said: ‘You are all about to get a surprise’, he was about to open the bottle when he noticed that there was no cup. ‘Oh, It’s absurd’ he exclaimed. ‘What? The two of them asked, ‘no cup’, he answered.
‘Don’t worry, we can manage with the tea cups’, said Gbesan.‘Yeah’, Olumide said slowly, ‘but it’s not natural to drink wine from the cup’. ‘Come off it Olumide, it’s all right’. He poured the whisky into the three teacups. ‘Time to celebrate with me, on my arrival in Lagos, not as a suffering street walker, but as a gentle rich boy. ‘come and see’, Gbesan had a feeling.
What Olumide was doing wasn’t right, but he had no proof of it, even if he had, he couldn’t stop Olumide now, he was very much excited. He carried one of the suitcases and placed it on the side-board. ‘guess what is in here’, Olumide said. Money both answered. ‘How much? Olumide asked, ‘One hundred?’ Gbesan asked, ‘two hundred?’ Elsie asked. ‘No, you both failed’.
He released the lock and gently opened the box ‘Six hundred and fifty Pounds’. The noise of the applause and cheers of surprise was almost like the type you’ll hear on Martins Street or Balogun Street on Christmas day. ‘how did you manage this?’ Gbesan asked, very much amazed. ‘I told you I will get it’. I bet you must have done a lot to get this’, said Elsie, ‘You’re right, was the only word he could say, he didn’t like that question.
At about eleven thirty, Elsie said she was leaving, then Gbesan mentioned to Olumide that it will be better to put the money in the bank. Olumide said it was all right ‘When?’ he asked. Gbesan had said Monday would be okay, he had no lectures on Monday. Elsie had said she would like to go too, none of them objected, so she promised to come on Monday. She was now on her way to Borowly, she was sure that since it was a Saturday, Borowly would be at home.
It was a well furnished three bedrooms modern flat. She (Elsie) pressed the doorbell, the door opened, borrowly himself welcomed her inside. ‘It’s unusual for you to come in the morning, anything?’ Borowly asked. ‘There is something’, Elsie got to the sitting room, there was a man on the settee, cigarette hanged on his lips, as he drew at it endlessly, ‘You have a visitor, hope I’m not interrupting? Elsie said, ‘Oh, don’t worry about him, he is one of mine’, responded Borowly, ‘Go on, tell me is anything wrong? Nothing is wrong’, said Elsie, ‘but there’s a big fish for you to catch, the boy I told you about the other time, you remember him? ‘Yes, I do, go on’
‘He is in town, he came yesterday evening, I’ll tell you what, he is worth six hundred and fifty pounds. But I came to you now because after tomorrow it will be too late.
His friend suggested to him to take the money to the bank, they have decided to go on Monday’. ‘Where is this place’, asked borrowly. ‘It’s Akande Street’; ‘Does that amount cover your request? ‘Yes, it’s perfectly allright’. By this question Borowly reffered to Elsie’s request, which she had made about two months ago, she had said she was going to use the money to open a supermarket of her own.
She wanted to leave the civil service; she said she had become bored with sitting down at only one place the whole of the working hours. Although Borowly had promised to give her the money, whenever he had the money, it was going to be, possibly a long time’, before she can get the money it had become a regular custom for Borowly not to ask the amount of money she was requesting until he had the money.
This was because he would give any amount and would be free to lie to her that it was the thing he could offer. She couldn’t ask for more, for she had not stated the amount needed earlier. It was one of his best tricks on women. It was evident to her that if he did the job, he wouldn’t take anything from it. so she was very happy, when Borowly said; ‘okay I’ll do it’. then she sat down. ‘It’s a very simple job, he is your boyfriend, is that right?
‘Temporarily’, Elsie said. ‘Okay for your own sake, you can afford only one round with him tomorrow night, hen? Although that didn’t mean anything to her, she seemed to hesitate a bit then said it was allright with her. ‘Okay, I will be there, by three a.m. sharp, he would be asleep by then, I’ll give you two knocks on the door, then you’ll get the money and give it to me. One vital point is that you must be awake. I can’t wait more than two minutes, okay with you? ‘Yeah’, she replied highly excited. She stood up happily and rushed into his arms, pressing her body firmly against his.
He pushed her gently away from him reluctantly, she let go of him. She went over to the cabinet and poured herself a drink; she emptied it and refilled the glass to the brim. Then she carried her bag and went into his bedroom. She left borrowly by 5.30 in the evening. Olumide had just finished a bottle of beer, he had nobody yet except Gbesan and Elsie. Al-through the morning of Sunday he was sleeping until eleven o’clock, he remembered that if he were at home at the village, he would just be returning from morning service.
Gbesan promised to be there after church service, but it was then two thirty and Gbesan had not shown up. The only thing he could do was buy another bottle of beer, (which was an excuse for him) and sip it gently. He was in this state of mind when Elsie walked in. he sprang to his feet and embraced her. He thought she did not notice his state when she came in, but she was faster than that.
‘You were looking so lonely and dull when I came in, you don’t have to do that now dear, there is time for everything, I couldn’t come here in the morning, I was at the service, did you attend one? Elsie lied; she never went to any church in her life. ‘No’, he replied negatively. ‘Why not, Gbesan didn’t come to take you?’ ‘I’ve not seen him today, he promised to be here after the service, but he never showed up’. ‘That’s not fair’, she replied sympathetically’, But cheer up, I’ll tell you what, we are going out to a cool place.
They spent almost 3 hours at ‘Hotel De Supreme’, firstly they attempted the bar, after they went to the disco hall, Elsie told Olumide that a little dancing would shake off the dizziness on him.
After the disco, they shifted to the restaurant, then they came back to the bar. Olumide was feeling very high by the time they left the hotel, Olumide had become like a dead beat. Elsie was very careful not to drink more than 2 bottles of beer, but she kept throwing the liquids down Olumide’s throat. Elsie took her time too, at the dancing floor, to dance very gently and easily, so she does not get tired at all.
All this time were to make him so much tired that, once he sleeps, even if he was being sold, he would not wake up. ‘Oh, what a wonderful girl you are’, Olumide said softly and tiredly as he rolled over Elsie, and before long he was snoring. Gbesan Ajigbotinu was at that moment thinking of his friend, he had not been able to visit Olumide that afternoon because his father sent him somewhere, he had not been told before hand. A relative of the mother had died, so he was sent to tell other relatives nearby, and some friends who might like to accompany them to the burial of the deceased, which was taking place the same day. The deceased was not an old person, therefore he Olumide not be kept long in the hospital for the purpose of a ceremonial burial. It was a thing of sorrow for them; they hadn’t time for the service.
What could he do? Nothing. He would not have worried quite much but because he was a new person in Lagos, it would have been a different case with someone who was quite conversant with the city he could find his or her way around, anytime, anywhere. At exactly three o’clock, a knock came on the door, it was gentle. She stood up from the bed, the knock came again the second time, very gently, it was a double knock.
It didn’t come again, until Elsie opened the door, she didn’t quite see anything, not until he saw a glimmer of light that came from borrowly, did she see him and noticed that he was wearing a black trouser, a black pullover and a black pair of shoes. She gave him the money, which she had earlier collected from the suitcase into a brown paper bag. She went back to the bed after locking the door. She coiled up her legs in his, her head on his chest and her hand across him. It would give him the impression she had stuck very tight to him although the night, but she did not sleep, she just closed her eyes there and waited for sunrise.
Gbesan Ajigbotinu walked hastily into room number seven at 13 Akande Street, Olumide Ogunbeshin’s present residence. It was a great surprise for him to find Olumide sitting down on the bed looking dull and dejected, the whole room seemed to be a pit, the bedlace was scattered and dirty. Instead of finding a look of reproach on Olumide, it was a look of disgust and hatred he met. He stood transfixed at the door, unable to go in or reverse, he was dump founded. It occurred to him that, it certainly could not be because he failed to fulfill his promise that has made him so much sad, neither is it that his girl friend had parted with him that had made his friend so dull.
Ehem… em Olumide, please whatever has made you so sad, I hope it’s not because I wasn’t here yesterday, please tell me what is wrong’, Gbesan forced himself to speak at last Olumide didn’t utter a word neither did he move, ‘Olumide, please I’m begin you, certainly you know I did not invite you to Lagos, just to see you in this sort of state Olumide, but please why don’t you answer me? Olumide said nothing at all. ‘Okay if you are not going to tell me what has happened I will tell you what stopped me from coming to you yesterday. There was an unexpected incident, just as we were preparing for the morning service. Someone came to report the death of one of my mothers close relatives.
So my father told me to try and reach as many of our relatives and friends as possible before two o’clock and tell them about the burial ceremony taking place the same day. So I had no alternative. I couldn’t come to call you because my father doesn’t know you are here, it would cause another palava, maybe you don’t believe me, but I have an evidence, your father sent some to my father, the person traced us to the burial ground and gave a letter to my father, the person traced us to the burial and gave a letter to my father. My father has acted according to the letter, when my father left for office this morning I thought it might be an idea to let you read the letter yourselves’.
