Lyndollarz:
I just must comout of ghost mode, centino I swear you are da bomb....jeez...how do you do it... and I must confess I have learnt alot from you..about witch,faith ..etcetera....you are a silent teacher..thank you so much

You're welcome Lyndollarz. Pleasure having you here. Glad you learnt something

erobes:
I just must comment, i can't keep quiet any longer.

Nice piece,everything synchronizes well. One or two lessons always learnt from every update.

KEEP IT UP BRO!!!

Thanks erobes. Me too couldn't keep quiet again. Had to come welcome you

Poisonivy01:
Not a single effort of yours will go in vain. You will be rewarded for your pain. Your hard work will bring you a lot of gain. Good job Centino! I’m done being in the ghost mode.

Amen. Amen. And amen. Thanks for coming out Poisonivy01. Great to have you.

Just a few sentences for you. Centino.. God bless you for me ...

Centino your papa born you well.
Finally i have decided to get out of my closet just to shout Ewuoooooooooooo because my bros Irikefe don shine Nurse congo and na d only trap mama Akunna fit take hold am for balls.
Obong Owo Abasi udiong fién eti eti.

centino brought me out of ghost mode.... thumbs up bro

WAACUT:
Just a few sentences for you. Centino.. God bless you for me
...

Amen

IghoOvie:
Centino your papa born you well.
Finally i have decided to get out of my closet just to shout Ewuoooooooooooo because my bros Irikefe don shine Nurse congo and na d only trap mama Akunna fit take hold am for balls.
Obong Owo Abasi udiong fién eti eti.

Amen. Sosongo Ette

hharsnan:
centino brought me out of ghost mode.... thumbs up bro

You're welcome man

Centino:

You're welcome man

centino, when is the next update?

daviesblaze:
centino, when is the next update?

As usual

Centino:


As usual

Anyway, make the update long. We are waiting. Thanks for understanding.

I have been reading stories on NL ... but this particular story have been highly educational .. aside d comedy part.. is not everyday u read stories with some kind of spirituality and rationality on background of d story.. it gives u a new way of seeing things differently from d general point of view.. mere looking at d title nd d beginning of d story u would want to pass.. but as time goes on I always look forward to d part of Mr kingsley and Mr cosmos... d rational and d spiritual characters..
Thumbs up #Centino.. u r doing a great job..

Cmyname:




Anyway, make the update long. We are waiting. Thanks for understanding.

I think I can promise that. To last a week as enabledgoddess talk

wizsolzy:
I have been reading stories on NL ... but this particular story have been highly educational .. aside d comedy part.. is not everyday u read stories with some kind of spirituality and rationality on background of d story.. it gives u a new way of seeing things differently from d general point of view.. mere looking at d title nd d beginning of d story u would want to pass.. but as time goes on I always look forward to d part of Mr kingsley and Mr cosmos... d rational and d spiritual characters..
Thumbs up #Centino.. u r doing a great job..

Thanks wizsolzy

centibaba chop knuckle ;Dcentibaba chop knuckle

Finally am here, this is one hell of a story. Centino adodie na, nam uben nwo sia amenam tutu

Jenna3:
Finally am here, this is one hell of a story.
Centino adodie na, nam uben nwo sia amenam tutu

Glad to have you here Jenna3. Uyai mkpo. Mbok mben wo. Nsusen?

You are a gem of a writer and your work is simply divine. Kindly mention me when next you update as you don finally turn man to Oliver

wizsolzy:
I have been reading stories on NL ... but this particular story have been highly educational .. aside d comedy part.. is not everyday u read stories with some kind of spirituality and rationality on background of d story.. it gives u a new way of seeing things differently from d general point of view.. mere looking at d title nd d beginning of d story u would want to pass.. but as time goes on I always look forward to d part of Mr kingsley and Mr cosmos... d rational and d spiritual characters..
Thumbs up #Centino.. u r doing a great job..

thanks

oga centino been reading stories on here but yours is so captivating you perfectly combine alot of everyday issues faced in our community keep it up boss

Centino:

Glad to have you here Jenna3. Uyai mkpo. Mbok mben wo. Nsusen?

Afo ame ma idon tutu, sine ke katakata street mfo...lol

Jenna3:

Afo ame ma idon tutu, sine ke katakata street mfo...lol

mbakara abadie?

Ettubom Centino
amanam afo awongo adi ufok,menie ukot nsung ye ufofop ye unam ewa.

udemejack:
mbakara abadie?

Uyai akparawa idioko o. Idem e?

Jenna3:


Uyai akparawa idioko o. Idem e?

idem asine ke ofong..........edesi ye unen ado ready?

This kin language wey i dey see for here eh.

Been up all night to give a really large update as requested by enabledgoddess. Didn't know there was a restriction on length of posts on Nairaland. This means to cut it to size I have to rewrite or cut out some paragraphs. So pardon me guys. Life calls. Will do later in the day.

MODIFIED: SPLIT IT INTO TWO. WHAT WAS I THINKING BEFORE

wizsolzy, daviesblaze, scarra, twonizy, seun9303, IghoOvie, hharsnan, Cmyname, WAACUT, maryamuwane, Poisonivy01, Lyndollarz, jenna3, udemejack, XoshinugaX, Mhizsuccess, olumose001, calamus, Succette, donielord, pulchritude94(your bill dey wait for you o ) enabledgoddess (my largest update ever, just for you).


ALL CATS ARE GREY

Josephine slept like a baby. The satisfaction she felt was deep and total. The dopamine high was still there when she got out of bed in the morning. Once again, she would be confirming something she had always known – that there’s nothing quite like a good dick. She felt good and wholesome. She was off duty, and there was nothing wrong with a repeat, only she knew it would be difficult in the daytime with all the prying eyes. At any rate, what was important was that they had now crossed that bridge, and she knew from experience that they would find a way whenever they wanted it. First, she had a question for him. So she found a bum short and a thigh length men’s tshirt and went out to look for him.


Ndifreke stood at the frontage dressed and ready for the new day. He still had N160k from the land largesse and had made up his mind to go and deposit it with a benefactor who would give him a keke in a hire purchase deal. Previously the agreement was for him to pay twenty thousand naira weekly until he remitted N500k and the tricycle would become his. But depositing N160k would make the repayment even quicker. He had made up his mind to do this and there was no going back. He would drop the money, pick up the ride and then go and register with the union today. Tomorrow he would hit the road. He took a deep breath and the first step when he felt a tug on his belt and turned to see a smiling Josephine. Keeping his eyes firmly locked with hers he said, “Good morning nurse. No work today?”

“You wanted me to go to work and you did all that to me?”

Ndifreke did not like the look on her face. But he kept his eyes locked with hers.

“Excuse me?”

Lowering her voice, she said “And you even came inside me. You have not learnt your lesson you this boy.”

“What are you saying, Josephine?”

“Now stop this nonsense Ndi.”

“You are the one who should stop the nonsense, Josephine.”

“For goodness sake Ndi we f*cked last night!”

“You and who?”

Nurse Josephine took two steps back as the true situation registered. The man in front of her giving her the most dispassionate stare she would receive from a man was not the person that had made love to her last night. She began to feel light headed.

Ndifreke thought she was going to faint. Her face immediately became ashen and sweat gathered on her brow. Then she put her two index fingers on her temple, spun around, and ran into the corridor. It did not even occur to him to go after her. Her life, her headache.

She entered the room, locked the door, and jumped into bed. Lord, she had been raped! Someone entered her room and raped her! The worst part was that it was unprotected. She never engaged in unprotected sex. Who could have taken advantage of her so? She was in no position to stop him. She was half asleep. She was expecting someone. And to think that she felt so good after being violated! She had seen all his girlfriend’s test results and knew Ndifreke was monogamous and so felt reasonably safe after the unprotected sex with whom she thought was he. But alas, it was not him. And she knew nothing of whomever it was that had so taken advantage of her. Why didn’t she stop him? Why didn’t she verify his identity first, oh Lord. And who could it have been? She thought of all the possibilities. She felt revulsion with each face that came to mind. What was she going to do now? She pressed her face into her pillow and screamed into it. She then sat up and tried to breathe normally. With a good dose of righteous indignation, she found a pair of jeans, put it on, and stepped out to find her abuser.


Lukman had just opened for the day and had Tobi with him already. Tobi was excited about the Drake “In My Feelings” dance challenge and wanted them to take part.

“Bro Lukman, we can become famous like this. Imagine two boys from the ghetto doing our own dance. I have downloaded the song already. Make we just play it and dance shaku shaku and upload on YouTube.”

“Tobi I am not interested. You have already caused me a lot of trouble in this compound. Shebi it was only talk that I talked with you and you left here, I don’t know what you told your sister or what transpired and the next thing they accused me of trying to kill her.”

“Bro Lukman, that one has passed na. I am talking about the in thing. Come and see” He said putting his phone in Lukman’s face, “Celebrites, pregnant women, all kinds of people doing the dance. I want ours to be the first from this part.”

“Go and look for other boys your age. I am not interested.”

“But bro Lukman no one will know we are not age mates. You can dance. I want someone that can dance.”

Lukman looked up and saw Nurse Josephine entering his shop.

He stood bolt upright and Tobi straightened up too. He flung the broom he was holding in a corner and reached for a shirt on the visitors’ bench to cover his exposed bony torso.

“Good morning nurse,” they both said in unison.

She stood with one hand on her hip and the other tapping her thigh. She looked from one man to the other. Though the other was only a teenage boy, Josephine knew the boys there were all sexually active and she had heard rumours that Tobi fancied his sister. She was not ruling anyone out.

Lukman dropped to his knees, lifted both hands to the heavens, and said “Father! Today will be a good day as you have sent me an angel first thing in the morning. Standing up he said “Nurse, welcome. I am happy to have you. I am glad you have made up your mind to do the Anita Baker I told you will suit you.” Turning to Tobi he said “Yeye boy, don’t keep my special guest standing. Dust that last chair that I reserve for VIPs for the nurse.” Turning to her again, he said “Nurse, welcome.”

There was nothing about those two that suggested that either of them had been her assaulter. Lukman was still fawning and silly and clearly delirious at the sight of her. Josephine has had plenty enough of the morning after experience to know what to look out for. Even though this was a rape, a crime, she was sure she would still know if she went face to face with her attacker. Lukman was not pretending. It was not him. She studied Tobi. He too was self-conscious about his appearance and could not look her in the face. It was not guilt; it was just shyness that was normal in teenage boys when they receiving attention from an older attractive woman. She also ruled out Tobi. Without a word, she turned and left.


She met Irikefe telling Josiah about the stranded Nigerians in Russia.

“They are sleeping on the floor of the Nigerian Embassy and calling on the Nigerian Government to come to their rescue. Nigerians must always disgrace Nigeria.”

“But who sent them to Russia? And is it not return tickets they always sell? They should just go to the airport and catch their flights na.”

“Some of them claim people took money from them to help them get professional playing contracts there in Russia. Some also went with the hope that they will be able to settle in the country after the world cup. For some reason, we have Nigerians there whose journey turned out to be a journey of no return.”

“Na wa o. So some people let themselves be scammed into thinking there was a future for them in Russia? But Nigerians sha…”

“Oga Josiah, if me I had the chance, I’d have disappeared in that Russia whether good or bad.”

“Okay that’s enough. Time to do work.”

“But oga we just opened na, can’t we just take it easy small?”

“See, Efe. Today that you have managed to come to work, I don’t want to shout, otherwise just carry yourself and go.”

“Ah ahn nau.”

“You will make three mosquito nets. One door and two windows. Dimension is that of the rooms of this compound.”

“Whose mosquito nets is it?”

“Is that your business? Do you want to pay for the owner? Go inside and get the things you need and start o jare! I am not putting hand. If you cannot do common mosquito net, I don’t want you to come back here again, ever."

“Good morning Mr Josiah” Nurse Josephine said.

They both looked up and Irikefe straightened up.

“Sorry nurse. I will do it. I was not told on time otherwise you would have seen the nets ready. Are you on night duty today?” Irikefe said.

“Shut up. Who asked you? Good morning, nurse. This one that you came to my shop this morning with this type of tight face. I hope it is well?”

It was easy to see it was not Josiah. He looked all business and polite and genuinely concerned about her bad mood. She then looked beyond him to Irikefe. He was struggling in a lazy man’s way to carry out Mr Josiah’s instructions. He was tentative with the plywood he tried to move and nudged the bundle of net in the corner before deciding whether or not to carry it. Then he seemed to remember she was there and turned and said “nurse, nurse. You are not even saying anything. Oga should I buy malt for her?” He then winked at her in the same naughty way he always did. Nothing out of the ordinary. He even turned away, picked up the plywood, and took it outside where he was going to stand and cut it. She concluded that it was not Irikefe that had raped her.


Messrs Zubi, Cosmas and Kingsley stood outside discussing Ekiti State.

“Did you see Fayose crying on TV? What a disgrace.”

“All I could think of as I saw that was Baba Suwe. It’s play acting of the poorest quality.”

“Imagine what he said – that police hit him with the butt of a gun, slapped him, called him Governor my foot. In a country where even their concubines go about with a gamut of security personnel, a whole Governor was left alone to be so manhandled. And then teargas now broke his neck. They should tell us something else jare.”

“Images appeared on social media of Fayose doing the same thing four years ago when the PDP was in power. He wore a bulletproof jacket and was in the midst of gun-toting security personnel to disperse APC rally. That is karma, abi Cosmas?”

“Well, you can call it that.”

“What goes around comes around – Willie Nelson.”

“Ah Kingsley. I never knew there was a name to that saying.”

“All of that was in preparation for the loss of the election to the APC. You know, currying sympathy for when the inevitable happened. The State owes workers salary and there is a dearth of infrastructure for which the Fayose government has no answer, and the man has been a notorious critic of Abuja. He knows the APC are already sewing his prison robes.”

“Fayemi and APC has won I can now confirm. Linda Ikeji has published a picture of Fayose’s flight ticket to Paris. Man was prepared.”

“He had hoped to install that his dumb professor deputy to perpetuate himself in power. He is in trouble now.”

Josephine knew that this was the least likely group where she would find her attacker. But Mr Zubi had made a pass at her, though it was unlikely that he would sneak out of his self-contained and go and violate her without his wife waking up the entire street. She moved in when they summoned Castro into their midst. She did not know what they were telling Castro, but she quickened her steps and stopped there before Castro went away.

“Good morning sirs,” Josephine said.

“Ah nurse!” Mr Zubi greeted as his face expanded in a wide-eyed smile. She saw Castro scowl at him, just as Cosmas excused himself and walked away. Kingsley also went away with him. Mr Zubi held her hand and let his travel up to her elbow and back down. She ignored him for a moment and watched the retreating Cosmas and Kingsley. They only kept on talking; or rather, Cosmas was talking while Kingsley stroked his beard. Again, nothing there to raise her suspicion. The men behaved as they have always behaved towards her. She then turned to face Mr Zubi. Why was it that dirty old men always did that same thing – a handshake that would always go beyond the elbows? She endured it and watched him for any signs that he may have been the one. She found none. She turned to Castro beside him who was bemused that the nurse allowed his father to hold her arm in that manner. It was only revulsion and jealousy Josephine saw in Castro’s eyes. When she looked at him directly he only looked away embarrassed. Again, Josephine could tell that her abuser was not there. Who the hell was it that screwed her so? There was only one more place to look.


*********************************

Achike kicked Chisco awake. The stupid boy could not even surprise him. He came to Lagos with the same old habits from the village. Who still slept until 10am in these hard times?

“Stand up from that place my friend.”

“Ooooh brother!”

“What is ooooh brother? I have been doing welcome ceremony for you since, if you don’t know. Today you will follow me to the bustop and start learning okrika business.”

“Ha brother. Is computer I want to learn. I want to learn computer so dat when I grow up I will go and learn to fly aeroplane.”

“When you grow up Chisco? At twenty five years old you think you have not grown up?”

“I am your junior brother.”

“Okay. Your father will come from the grave and come and teach you computer and to fly aeroplane. Monkey.”

Oooooh brother. You too have not changed!”

“Look here my friend. The fooling around stops now. Under this bed is where I keep my market. When we finish talking, I will bring out everything and you will start by counting them one by one. Then I will show you the different bales and what they each represent. You will understand the pricing as we go along. When you have understood the business, you will be going to the bus stop early in the morning to catch the customers as they are going to work, while I continue to sell in the evening. If you catch up quickly and your head is good, I can settle you in two years. If not…”

“Erm brother, I don’t want to sell okrika.”

“Then pack your things now and go back to where you came from.”

“But brother…”

“ I am not saying you should not have ambition. Me too I did not grow up wanting to sell okrika. This is real life not Osofia and Mr Ibu show.”

Chisco got up and began to grumble. But Achike was not yet finished.

“My friend, sit down and listen to me. I have not had the time to tell you about this compound we live in. I have been seeing you going piompiompiom from one corner to another. You have to understand the people here so that you know how to live. You see that boy they call Wasiu, he sells igbo and cocaine and he is a friend to the witch we were praying against the other day. Stay away from him. If you put igbo inside this your big head, this room will not contain both of us. In the evening, the witch comes out to sell ogogoro. Now that we know what she is, nobody will go there and you too let me not see your leg there. I know that you had already joined the good for nothings in the village to be drinking kai-kai before you came. Let your throat not go there before they will give you winch. Avoid all the boys in this compound. The caretaker’s son Irikefe, he has torn the toto of all the little girls in this compound and his mouth is sharp like razor. I suspect he is in a gang. Stay away. Another one they call Castro. He is learning from Irikefe. Since I came to this compound, he has been writing exam and cannot pass. Today he is going to club, tomorrow he is carrying bible. No focus in life. At least his father is still feeding him. You, small time it is after you sell and see gain that you will use it and go to market and come and cook. Show respect to all the family men here. It is not easy to be feeding people. Avoid the girls and women. They will not even have your time but I should still tell you.”

“Brother. I will do all dat even if you no tell me. I don’t even like this place. Everyday, join line for bathroom, join line for toilet. Different kind of noise morning, afternoon, night. The compound – dirty. The road – dirty. When rain fall sh*t from gutter dey float everywhere. And somebody dey cook fufu for dis compound and people dey buy chop. Tufiakwa! You no see any other place to live for dis Lagos?”

“Shut up and put your hand under that bed and bring out those sacks. Have you not seen your mates building their own house? Work hard, and make money and go and live in Lekki if you want.

They heard a rap on the door and Achke went and found the nurse standing there.

“Where were you last night?” Josephine said. There was no point prevaricating. She could not think of any other place to look after here.

“Chineke! Nurse! Did you see me in your dream?”

She saw that he was genuinely surprised at the question. She felt both disappointment and relief because in as much as she wanted to find her attacker, she still hoped it was not any of the men she had previously turned down. She looked over his shoulder and saw his newly arrived brother.

“Can I come in?” She said.

Achike turned and said “Bia, Chisco, go outside. We will count the market later.”

“No no no. I want you to introduce him to me,” Josephine said.

Chisco straightened up and smiled as Achike made way for the nurse to enter the room.

Josephine kept her eyes on the new boy.

“I am Chisco. the ogbu agu of Arochukwu. I dey see you everyday as you dey go to work and I say Jehovah, this aunty fine o. Thank you as you come to see me.” He stretched forth a hand and Josephine took it, still holding his gaze. Then Achike broke the handshake and shuffled Chisco away. “Oya, out!” he commanded.

“Aunty nurse, if you want me to do anything for you, just call me. I go do am. Since I come this place, na only you come here come greet me. For that, Chineke! Anything you want, I go do am,” He said and left the room.

Josephine sank in the chair and covered her face with her palms and cried.

“Ah Nurse, don’t cry” Achike said. “People make mistakes in life, and it is in the place of others to forgive. I know you have now understood that of all those men that have been pursuing you like tolotolo that I am the one that really loves you. Your coming is enough. Ndo, don’t cry. Don’t even say anything. Just make sure that that man that is always coming every Saturday does not come back here again.”

Josephine wiped her face with her hand and stood, pushed Achike to the side and exited the room.

Out in the corridor she saw Mama Akunna coming out of her room.

“Wasiu! Oya bring all de rubber and all de cup come go wash dem for me. As I no dey you no fit wash de tins wey you know say when I come back I go start my market.”

“Mama I no know when you go come back na. Shebi I don tell you to say make you buy phone.”

“Oya dey go front.”

Josephine stood and watched as Mama Akunna with her baby strapped on her back and Wasiu shuffled through the corridor carrying various items of their perilous trade. She stepped to one side to allow them to pass when her eyes met Wasiu’s. He held her gaze and smiled. A canny half smile full of knowingness. He even stood and puffed out his chest when he reached where she was before continuing on his way. She turned and he turned too. Then the alarm went off in her head. Wasiu!

Wasiu the smooth-talking, sweet looking demon of Katakata street! Josephine turned and caught up with them as they reached the backyard. She placed a hand on one shoulder and spun him to face her. Mama Akunna, wise to what was going on covered her mouth with one hand and slithered away.

“Wasiu!” Josephine said looking him straight in the eyes.

“Yes nurse,” he said still holding a basin in one hand and a bucket that contained cups and tumblers in the other.”

“How dare you!”

“You want everyone to know?” Wasiu said softly.

“How…” Josephine began and left her mouth hanging open.

“And what was wrong with it nurse?”

“You!”

“Nurse, in the dark, all cats are grey.”



TO BE CONTINUED.

Hmmm

Hehehe So na Wasiu knack Nurse Jo

Thanks for the updates Centino Baba