GOODS.

The night before Ifenna vomited blood and died, mama had whispered to me. "Their family is cursed." She sighed. "Nneka, their elder sister had contacted HIV from a rich Hausa man in Kano and died after few months. Obioma, their eldest brother, had gone to steal a cooking stove from a house. He got caught and was burnt at the middle of the main road." She paused. "I heard their grandfather used a virgin to do bad medicine. The children are now suffering the consequences. Tufiakwa!"

Mama is good at telling stupefying stories, especially about our neighbours.

Last night, she told me about Mr Ike. We had finished eating jollof rice made with fresh tomatoes and gathered at the veranda when mama began. "Do you people know? Our neighbour, Mr Ike cheats on his blind wife. He brings in the woman into their room and sleep with her on the floor while the wife lies on the bed." She made a sound with her thumb crushing the middle finger. "I pray his penis falls off one day. Wicked man."

"And he is even a pastor in their church." Papa added.

Papa has the habit of authentifying Mama's exaggerated stories. Mama would always reciprocate by backing him when his own stories bore the night. "I heard the woman he slept with is the senior pastor's wife." Papa added again.

Mama clapped her hands in excitement. "Okwa nu ofula. Hope you people have seen it. Bad bad Christians in the church." She turned to me.

" When are you even bringing us a man. Gbo?"

(Mama do not change the subject please!)

I knew where she was about headed. Pressuring me about marriage was a routine way of ending our night. Mama believe I am over ripped for marriage when I am just twenty five.

"I do not need a man yet. Biko."

"So you want to end up like sister Maggie our next door neighbour?"

"Mama!" I said. "Leave the poor woman alone."

"Biko hapum. Leave me. Am I the one who told her to be selecting men when she was young? Now her body has become like a man and she is running about in churches."

Letting another word out of my mouth was extending the fight. And I would lose like the night before and the one before it. I picked my book, torch light and bid the two old people goodnight.

I got into my room, stood by the door and eavesdropped on mama telling Papa. "Do not worry. We will pick a man for her before she is off market."

I guffawed and called myself 'goods' then fell on bed and slept.

Story source: http://charlesdonaldfreeman.com.ng/goods/