₦airaland Forum

Infinite Love 85

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

"Oga sorry, so sorry I won't do that again sir." Michael pleaded on his knees begging for his friend and his brother who were both lying on the floor bleeding from their limbs that had been broken.

"Are you begging me?" Inspector Martins bellowed "Why are you begging me? I thought you were supporting your friend and your brother when both of them were insulting me, saying that I owed you money in front of everybody and even my DPO."

"Oh, no sir."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No o, no sir. Not at all sir. It was all a misunderstanding sir. You don't owe me money."

"Really? So I didn't get my clothes drycleaned without paying you?"

"Yes sir, I mean, no sir. You always pay me sir. Always, infact I am the one that owes you money."

"Oh?"

"Yes sir. Your change. I haven't given you your change." And he ruffled his pockets and brought out all his squeezed naira notes, his earnings for the day, and with shaky hands he painfully handed all of them to Officer Martins pleading;

"Please sir. Have mercy on my brother and my friend, they are in pains. Please sir. I beg of you, for the love of God."

Martins took the notes and squeezed them deep into his pockets and smiled viciously.

"You know something Michael? If only you had treated me with such respect in the past, I would taken care of you. I may have even taken your business to the very top of the polic force and introduced you to big men. But since you decided to humiliate me in front of your shop and at my station, I will make you suffer as well as the rest of your filthy friend and brother. NOW WATCH AS I BEAT THEM TO NEAR DEATH BEFORE DESCENDING UPON YOU!"

And he began to club the two nearly lifeless boys on the floor as Michael begs and pleads.

"AH NO PLEASE! OFFICER! OFFICER! OFFICER MARTINS!"

"OFFICER MARTINS ARE YOU DEAF??"

He was startled as he got up from the desk, where he had been dozing for the past forty five minutes. He briefly looked at his hand the club he had been holding just a few seconds ago had dissappeared and the bodies of Michael and his wretched accomplices had disappeared. It was all a dream. He looked to the entrance of the station and saw the image of DPO Duala standing there looking menacingly as he usually did when he was annoying with him, which was always.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE STILL SLEEPING AFTER WARNING YOU ABOUT THIS TWO DAYS AGO." he shrieked

He got up and saluted "Shun sir! Sorry sir! It won't happen again sir!"

The DPO watched him for a few moments about to launch into a tirade of insults but briefly decided against it. He had a ton of paperwork to do and Martins was a lost cause. He is not worth the effort. And so he simply marched upstairs towards his officer without another word.

"Sir wait, let me help you with your briefcase sir." he said feigning care but the DPO didn't fall for it and refused to slow down until he was inside his office.

"MTCHEW!" he hissed "Useless mallam." he spat under his breath and sat back down on his seat behind the counter at the station's front desk.

Ever since Michael and his brother were at the station and embarrassed him before the DPO he had been forced to work at the station and removed from his beloved traffic duty. Traffic duty where he would make in a day what other civil servants make in a month. Traffic duty where he was the master and commander of the road and every motorist in Lagos lived in fear of him. So much respect. So much money. All gone. All because of that Michael and his brother, and his friend. How the DPO managed to believe a couple of lowlifes over him was still a mystery. Even after he had explained that they were only lying against, the man didn't believe him. He decided to try again. He went upstairs and opened the door after knocking briefly.

"Yes, come in." he said not looking over his the documents he was working on but when Martins said;

"Erm, excuse me sir?" he finally looked up in revolsion through his moon glasses.

"Oh God! What do you want?"

"Well, sir. It's about my stationing here at the station."

"Big surprised!" he mocked rolling his eyes and Martins blood boiled knowing already that his request would be denied.

"Well, I was thinking that my traffic experience is being wasted here since all i do is just sit behind the counter all day. I could be doing some serious police work out there on the roads..."

"I'll bet you can." he sneered folding his hands over his chest.

"...yes sir. There are some serious criminals and criminal minded people out there. You don't know them but I do and I monitor them everyday, to keep the peace. Without me, I fear chaos and anarchy could be reigning out there on the streets sir." he said finally.

Mr Duala relaxed against the back rest of his swivel chair and gazed upon the disgrace that was Inspector Martins for a few moments regarding him with well earned disgust.

"So,.." he began "...you think the roads are in chaos with you? Abi?"

"Yes sir." he nodded earnestly. "And if I was allowed to go..."

"Please be quiet and let me finish. I allowed you to talk, didn't I?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

"You should be sorry. If only you knew just how sorry you should be." he said and Martins' brow furrowed a bit trying to get his head around that statement.

"But fortunately for me and the rest of us, they are not. You see, I use them same roads and I didn't see any chaos or any sort of anarchy. Also, Officer Richard and the rest of the boys that I put on traffic duty are doind a good job and there has not been any reports of disturbances thus far. So, unfortunately for you. There is no trouble at all and hence no reason whatsoever to put you back on traffic duty."

He hated to hear about Richard and the others. He showed them the ways of the job and now that he was benched by the boss, they all sidelined him when they could have at least be giving him a percentage of their cut. He called one of them the other time and the animal told him blatantly that they were not running any side gigs, just doing their regular policework; LIES! Rubbish! No policeman in Nigeria just does his job. What, with the poor pay and nonsense benefits? No way. Every policeman uses his gun to run gigs to keep poverty at bay. He knew they were making a ton. It was getting to the festive period with a high level of road users. They must be making a ton and they weren't slipping him any cuts; traitors, fake friends! He had to get back to traffic since non of them would slip him a few.

"Sir, please. You have to send me back to traffic. Sitting behind a desk all day is not proper police work. It is so boring."

"I don't have to do...anything! You're staying here. Right here, to do your job. Do you understand me? I don't care if its boring. You will sit right there and wait for people to bring their problems and attend to them, like a good policeman. I will NEVER again send you back to traffic. Do you take me for a fool? Don't you think I know why you want to go back so badly? I no about all the money you want to get back to. But you see. Ever since I put you back to desk duty we have received zero complaints about the police in this area and I want to keep it that way. Now get out and get back to work."

"Yes...sir." and with that he turned around to leave when he asked.

"By the way, that woman who complaint that you owe her money, the food vendor, have you paid her yet?"

"Erm, yes sir."

Duala regarded him for a second then added "If I find out that you are lying, it is suspension for you."

He grumbled all the way downstairs. He couldn't believe the kind of nemesis he was having in a boss. The old one was a sharp who allowed sharp practices and took his cut regularly but this mallam was being a total pain. He forced unto him desk duty which was nothing short of cruel and unusual punishment and now he spends his days with nothing better to do than daydreaming of ways to torture Michael and the others.

He had just sat upon his chair when they came in; soldiers. Initially, he was alarmed. The last time soldiers were at the station was not a very good memory. Martins and his boys had mistakenly harassed a senior military officer during one of the roadside gigs. The military officer who was in civilian clothing got so pissed that he went into the nearest army barracks and got some boys to come to the police barracks. The camoflag boys beat the hell out of the policeman at the station and even Martins had to jump the station fencing in order to escape the brutal thrashing. So, it was understandable that he would be on the edge on siting army officers at the police station.

But there was no need to fear because these boys were not the ones that came over last time, he noticed quickly.

"Hey, please we need assistance finding someone in this area."

"Um, okay. What is the person's name?"

"Osu, Michael."

"Michael the drycleaner?"

"We don't know his occupation. We just know that he is friends with someone we are looking for."

Martins could not believe his hears. He had been dreaming of ways to make Michael pay for his situation and now he got soldiers looking for him too. And apparently, they are looking for his friend also. This was too much.

"Oh, I know him. I know him well. His friend may be with him right now. Why don't I take you to him?"

"Thank you." and he got into their van and led them towards Michael's neighbour. He knew Duala would be pissed at him for leaving but he didn't care. Christmas was coming early and he just had to make sure that Michael and his family and friends got exactly what they deserved. He asked justina to take over front desk and went with the search for Michael.

Infinite Love 84

Never Too Young To Die

You have really outdone yourself this time, dee. It used to be just high school bullies but now you've graduated to pissing off military generals.

Tell me something, do you plan on living to the age of fifty?" Michael asked him, as a taxi dropped him, Dayo and his brother Johnny together in Michael's neighbourhood.

"Honestly? If I make it to the age of forty five years old, I would be very surprised." Dayo said.

"I'm just glad the two of you were at the bank today to help me. Thanks."

"Nah, that's no problem. You can be a big pain in the butt but of course we'd help."

"O-kay...hey why were you two at the bank anyway?"

"I came to talk to you about Zaria. I'm leaving." Michael said seriously his steps slowing down.

"Zaria? Wow! Are you...are you sure, Michael?"

"Yeah...it's time."

"Wow. So much has happened and so much time has gone by, I actually thought that you'd have given up on Zaria?"

"You know what? I thought so too. I almost did too if not for..." he paused.

"If not for what?" Dayo asked and Michael couldn't bring himself to say it. He didn't know how to say or even if Dayo who was usually emotionally unavailble would understand. He wanted to tell him though. To tell him that he had almost given up on his dream. It was his father's dream that he infected him with. He gave up on it when his father died and his mom fell ill, badly and they lost their home and Michael had to make sacrifices for his family. His father was the heart of the family, he was also their visionary, without him they had lost their way. Michael lost his way. He couldn't dream anymore, because life was life and a dream was a dream. But then, she came back into his life. She was his one and only dream, since secondary school, and she had achieve all of her dreams, thereby inspiring him to dream again. So he was finally ready to take a chance and build his father's dream for himself, for all of their sakes and for her, for Angela.

He wanted to tell his best friend all of this but instead all he said was;
"It's time...and I'll be leaving next week."

"PHEW!" he whistled "Next week!? Are you sure? Do you have everything ready?"

"Well...not exactly."

"Not exactly? Do you even have the money?"

"No...not yet."

"Not yet? What nonsense are you saying? How are you going to get the money? Not from me at least because...well I think I was just fired."

"But all those money that you were giving to those people, didn't you keep some for yourself?" Johnny asked finally speaking.

"What? No!"

"Eh hen? Why not?"

"...because it wasn't my money. So I couldn't take it for myself."

"Na wa for you o! All that money and you just left it for other people to spend."Johnny said incredulously.

"I only touched that money so that I could help people with it. The right people who owned it."

"Are you not a Nigerian? A good Nigerian helps the people and then helps himself. What you did doesn't make sense at all."

"Hey!" he gasped "Michael, when did Johnny become so... terrible?"

"I wish I knew. Okay that's enough Johnny, go on ahead while I talk to Dayo."

"Okay brother. I will leave you and your good Samaritan with no money."

"GERROUT!" he snapped and Johnny ran up ahead of them.

"So what are you going to do? How are you going to get the money?"

"Well...um we will get it from Onos." Michael said as plainly as he could but even saying his name he could see Dayo's eyes narrow with anger.

"What do you mean... From Onos? We haven't seen or heard from that traitor in years. Right?"

"Um...well...I um...sort of hear from him from time to time." Michael said still keeping his cool. He knew that this was going to need to be done delicately. Onos, their third best friend disappeared and remained incommunicado from both Dayo and Michael for many years. Dayo never admitted it, not once but it affected him that Onos would do that. They were the best of friends, more like brothers. Cutting them off in such a manner hurt him more than he cared to admit but Michael knew that it did. For the first few years they actually thought that something might have happened to Onos, some sort of accident because all through their school years neither of them could remain without the other for more than three days. But Onos hadn't replied their letters and mails for months. They actually thought that he might have died. Dayo many times planned to go to Delta State himself to go look for him because Michael couldn't leave his family after his father's passing at the time. He had packed his luggage and armed with the only address he knew that Onos had in Delta state he was about to leave if not for an old classmate of theirs; Sunday that he met by chance the day before his departure. According to Monday, Onos was alive and well, infact he was doing fine. He had gotten admission into Delsu (Delta State University) and was taking a course in Political Science. When Dayo came to Michael's house to inform of the news Michael suspected that he had been crying. But he knew better than to ask that as Dayo raised insults upon insults on Onos and his big nose.

"That dummy. Mumu, can you believe it? He is alive and well. That monkey! Oh I prefer it if he was dead."

"Come on, now!"

"He is alive and well and we have been worried sick about him for months! How could he do this to us? That stupid, stammering monkey!"

Michael tried to calm him down back then but he was hysterical.

"We were the ones that were there for him all those years. We helped him, we protected him, we showed him Lagos and helped him with school and first chance he gets, he bails on us?"

"Calm down!"

"TO HELL WITH HIM! I NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM AGAIN. EVER AGAIN!"

"Will you shut up and listen?"

"As a matter of fact when did you start talking to him again?"

Michael stuttered "Er...erm, he erm...contacted me a few times about erm...say a few years ago."

"WHAT?! And you didn' tell me? Traitor!"

"What? Hey! Everytime I try to bring him up you get all...weird and hysterical."

"No. That's not an excuse, you could have told me. Why didn't you tell me?"

"He erm...Onos didn't want me too, sorry."

"Oh, I see. Okay, well. He doesn't want to talk to me then I also never want to see him too, ever again."

"Don't be dramatic. It's not like that."

"I don't care, I don't want to see him." he said stomping up ahead.

"So, what then, you're not going to help me get to Zaria?" Michael asked and he stopped in his tracks.

"No! Of course not. We just don't need him. We can do it all on our own."

"No, we can't and yes we do need him. Onos is not like before he has resources and connections now. He is my only chance at this."

"What...? Onos...how?" Dayo asked completely stomped.

"Let's go home. I'll explain everything there." but as he lead Dayo towards his house he saw Johnny running back towards them again.

"Johnny what's wrong? Why are you running?"

"Brother, soldiers! There are a few soldiers in the neighbourhood looking for you!"

"What? They're here?" Dayo said suddenly afraid.

"Yes, they must suspect that your friend is here."

"Oh my God. No no no. That's not good. I have to get out of here." Dayo said panicking.

"Wait. Calm down. We still have time. Our neighbours never talk to policemen or soldiers."

"No, brother. There's another problem." Johnny saidnl still panting from his run.

" What?"

"Martins is with them, Officer Martins."

"What...start panicking!"

Infinite Love 83

Dangerous Liasons

Being friends with Dayo had always been hazardous to Michael health since back in secondary school.

He was hated by the girls who called him "foul mouth" because everything he ever said to girls in school was usually foul. And he was usually one step away from a fight or getting beat up by the guys because of his disagreable attitude and Michael and Onos usually suffered for it too. They became avoided mostly because they were friends with Dayo. It affected Onos mostly because he really liked girls but everytime Onos tried to get the courage to talk to a girl, ruined it. Once Onos got up the courage to go say 'hello' to a girl with a weave on. Unfortunately, Dayo was there. As soon as Onos said;

"Er...er hello, Ronke"

"Oh, hi Onos." she said twirling her artificial hair in her hands. "How are you?"

At this point Onos starts to stutter and he looked towards Dayo his wing man to help with smart conversation but Dayo unfortunately said:

"You know, that is probably a horses hair. Like, horse tail hair. Why are you covering your head with something a horse uses to clean away shit and chase away flies?"

"Hmph! Nonsense!" she hissed and walked away never speaking to either one of them ever again and Onos stared at his friend.

"What?" he asked indifferently "Doesn't she look like a horse's rear end walking away to you?"

On another occassion; the head prefect; Hector came over to Michael, Onos and Dayo proudly showing them his face in the local newspaper.

"Wow!" Michael said.

"This is really cool!" Onos said.

But after standing in front of Dayo for a long waiting for accolades Dayo only said:

"I don't get it, what's the big deal?" and Hector's face looked shocked.

"Your face is in the papers and so what? Why are you showing me this? Why should I care? What has that go to do with me?" he added.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Hector said exploding in outrage. Michael and Onos who couldn't help themselves were laughing and Hector turned to them as well.

"AND YOU GUYS ARE LAUGHING??" he bellowed.

"Erm...no o!" Onos said.

"We were just thinking about...The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Michael chipped in.

"Oh you two think it is funny abi?"

"NO O!" they said "Not at all!" Hector was strangely muscular and he was a notorious bully, so Michael and Onos were right to be afraid but Dayo only added.

"And wait a minute; wasn't this taken after last week's match? Didn't we lose that match? Shouldn't you be ashamed of yourself instead of showing everyone in school this?"

That was one of the days that all three of them got their butts whooped because of Dayo's foul mouth.

"Why am we friends with you? Do you want to get us killed?" Onos used to ask.

Fast forward twenty years later. Being friends with Dayo was still a pain but now it was downright dangerous. Michael had changed into Dayo's clothes and left the bank with his brother Johnny hoping to distract the soldiers and giving Dayo a way to escape. It worked and as soon as they left the military pick truck chased after their taxi stopping them about a quarter mile down the road.

It was the scariest thing to ever have happened to him. To have a military truck cross their cab and watch about six heavily armed soldiers disembark and charge at them. They ordered them all out of the cab and after a few minutes of double checking their, especially Michael's face, it was established that he was not Dayo but just another bank's customer and they were free to go.

Soon after they left the taxi and waited for him at their rendezvous point. It was one of the longest sixty minutes of Michael's life. He was constantly tortured with thoughts of Dayo being captured and tortured by brutal soldiers. But when they saw him coming from afar in a cleaner's uniform Michael ran up to him and hugged him.

"What are you doing...get off?" Dayo said shrugging him off awkwardly.

"Unbelievable!" Michael said incredulously.

"I think I should crash at your place for a bit. I don't think my place is going to be safe."

"Wait. Is that all you're going to say? Because of you brother and I nearly got roughed up by soldiers and that's all you're going to say to us?" Johnny asked.

"Oh..." he thought for a bit and said "...yeah, sorry about that."

"Never mind Johnny, let's go. After all this is over, I'm going to see a shrink and find out why I'm friends with him"

Infinite Love 82

See No Evil

"What...what do you mean?" Michael asked.

"Are the soldiers back?" asked Dayo looking behind his shoulders and down into the hall for any signs of bone breakers in camoflage uniforms.

"No, but I have a feeling that they'll be here soon. The general has some informants in this bank and I think that he may have been informed already." Mr Bamidele said.

"Wait, are you saying that brother Dayo stole money? Because I don't understand this entire thing." said Johnny

"No, technically he didn't steal." Said Micheal.

"Technically, he didn't do anything wrong." said Mr Bamidele "But he still broke the rules and he shouldn't have done it so now he's in trouble."

"I still don't understand this thing." Johnny was shaking his head.

"Listen, there are some monies that some very powerful people are hoping to inherit because the people who kept those money with the bank have died and their families don't know how to claim the money."

"So, what did brother Dayo, do?"

"I showed their families how to claim the money." He said holding his head in his hands.

"And the politicians that know about those monies have been watching it closely and they have even spent out if it because it is a lot of money...and they are very greedy." Mr Bamidele said.

"Like how much is it? Like a hundred thousand or a million?" Asked Johnny

"No, billions."

"WOW!" Johnny gasped

"It is infact a miracle that the money hasn't been finished already. But usually with every new administration brings a new set of politicians that want to spend it but the banks always manage to convince them to instead spend the interests accumulating over the money which is into the millions as well and to leave the money so that the banks can use it as a strong capital base for its operations."

"Oo-kay. I get it now. But how much brother Dayo steal...I mean give out of it?" Johnny asked again

"It was about twenty million i think. Eight million in cash and the rest was in form of assests." Dayo said.

"But what is twenty million to billions? I say we just tell the soldiers that the money issue was a mistake. That the family accidentally found out on their own. They can believe that right? Maybe we should try that, it was just twenty million." Michael said desperate for a safe solution.

"I don't think you understand the kind of people these are. They have been tipped off and with money like this, they would fight tooth and nails to get it back or punish anyone who trespasses on it." Bamidele said.

"Yeah, and also...technically, it's more than twenty mills I erm...sort of gave out." Dayo said nervously.

"What!" said Johnny.

"WHAT! shouted a very shocked Michael and Mr Bamidele.

"I kind of...set up the system to erm...alert beneficiaries and next of kin along with the details of...AHEM HEM" he coughed"...how-to-get-the-money," Dayo said not looking at either one of them.

"Ha ha." Johnny was laughing. "Brother Dayo get liver o!"

"ARE YOU INSANE!?" Michael shouted.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR GOD DAMN MIND?"exclaimed Mr Bamidele "Do you realize what you've done?"

Dayo got up protesting "Wait, wait. To be fair! In my defense. I didn't know about the soldiers at the time."

"Well, now you do so stop the alert." Michael charged.

"I can't, it has already gone out."

"Oh-my-God!" Michael held his face in his hands.

"But hey...it may not even matter because most of those people and their beneficiaries are mostly dead anyways."

"And for the ones that are alive?" Michael asked tentatively.

"Well, I don't know but whoever is alive would probably start coming in by next week or so."

"NEXT WEEK?!" Mr Bamidele lost it. "Do you have any idea the kind of heat my bank will be getting? This entire place will not just be crawling with soldiers but I...will also be interrogated about this by my superiors!"

"I'm sorry." Dayo said weakly "I wasn't really thinking..."

"No, I don't think you were..."

"I just wanted to make sure the right people got what they deserved. That's the right thing to do...right?"

"Well...yes but now you're in deep trouble for it." Michael said worried.

" Yes and now...there's no way around it. I have to throw you under the bus." Mr Bamidele said.

Sigh "Fine." Dayo said his face falling.

"WAIT! What does that mean?" Michael asked.

"It means if I or any other person in this bank gets too much pressure as a result of this. I will simply tell have to blame it all on him!" Said Mr Bamidele.

"But wouldn't that put him in danger?" Michael asked

"Yes, of course it would...disbursing a few millions out of the curfers is forgiveable but when its a few dozen or hundreds of millions? Well, let's just get him out of here before the Khaki boys get here. Let's be fast."

...

There have been many times is Moses Akpobaro the bank's security guard didn't believe his own eyes.

He still doesn't believe that he; primary school dropout from Insit Atai in Akwa Ibom would be so fortunate. As the last born son of his father. The only child of his last wife; he was always ignored and mistreated. He was easy to ignore being the shortest of his siblings. Compared to the rest, he was practically a runt.

His father had once told him that his best chance at success was to work for his elder half brothers and sisters and hope for goodwill from them as all of his properties had already been allocated to them and there was nothing leftfor him. He had resolved to live his life in misery until his secondary school youth corp teacher; Mr Desmond told him that anyone could make it in Lagos if they worked hard enough. And so as soon as he could gather enough money to make the transport; he fled his old home thinking;

"Lagos couldn't possibly be more miserable to me than my family home." and fortunately for him, he was right.

By sheer determination and hardwork in odd jobs he was able to get an apprenticeship with a street welder and after a few years making fancy metal gates and burglary proof window bars. A pleased customer helped him get a job at Dustin Long an Oil & Gas company were he was paid handsomely. When he first collected his salary he nearly collapsed on the road from shock. It was while working at this job that he was able to start building his own home in his hometown and even send back a few to his relatives.

He couldn't believe his eyes too when tall and pretty Ekaite agreed to court him. The shortest of his family. He couldn't believe his ears when she said 'yes' to his marriage proposal.

When his father passed away and he went home for the burial. He couldn't believe the level of affection meted out to him by his stepmothers and step siblings who had hitherto made his life miserable. After paying for the entire burial rituals. He further couldn't believe it when he was ordained a chief with the title of; Wantana Aiyezayo 2, a title his father previously held before he died.

He definitely, couldn't believe his eyes.

When the roller machine at the company gripped his coverall and crushed his left hand he couldn't believe the unbearable pain before passing out. He couldn't believe the lump that was left in the place where five skinny fingers used to be.

He couldn't believe his ears when the doctors told him they had to amputate his fingers and when the company accountant awarded him a compensation of five million naira he couldn't believe that so many zeros could be found on a check.

And after he retired into the security job at the bank. He was surprised by how much most of the bank staff and customers ignored him. They walked past him without so much as a look from most despite his greetings. Only Mr Dayo and Mr Bamidele ever seemed to notice him and were nice to him. When it gets hot Mr Dayo often brought him cool bottled water and take away food packs. The rest not so much. Overtime he realised that it was because to them he was a crippled nobody, who wasn't even worth their attention. He often wondered how they would treat him if they knew that he was a chief in his hometown, or that his wife lived like a queen or that his children went to the best schools there and his family was considered rich as he had single handedly built a clinic there. They constantly begged him to come home but he always said;

"Lagos has been good to me. It gave me everything I have. I will remain here until I die."

But of all the days he couldn't believe his eyes today was even more incredible. First there was an applause at the bank, which there never was before. And then shortly after, soldiers burst in as if the bank was their war front. He was lucky to have gotten out of their way on time. And then the two young men that came looking for Mr Dayo snuck past them and when outside rushed into a taxi. Then someone from the bank came out shouting;

"He's with them! He's in that taxi. Stop it!"

and all the soldiers rushed out again into their vans with sirens blowing after the taxi cab that had sped off. And afterwards everything was quiet again. Moses was pondering over this events when he saw the cleaner in full uniform and a face cap come out through the back door carrying a full water dispenser bottle on his shoulder hiding his face as he left the bank.

That entire scene, Moses couldn't believe it, as cleaners never take out water dispenser bottles out to refill. Especially, not when the bottle was full. The water dispenser company were the only ones that did that. He meant to stop the cleaner but when he noticed his shoes. White sneakers with the Nike logo. Only one person ever wore those at the bank and instinctively, Moses let him go.

He couldn't believe his eyes throughout that day.

Across from him, laughing while sitting on the grass, Michael saw the greatest sight of his life.

Her teeth bright and beautiful as she laughed, her face even more radiant than the afternoon sun behind her, and her body propped up elegantly, by her left hand, was a sight any artist would die to capture. Angela; the greatest sight he ever saw.

The wind picked up and flapped her uniform about her hair, flailing daisies glorified her every inch; Angela, she was always his dream.

She turned away from the boys to look at him, her mouth closed as the corners lifted up in smile and her eyes gazed upon him with intense longing, Angela; he always knew she loved him.

He got up, dusted away the dirt and got down on one knee. He reached into his pocket for the little round metal he had wanted to give her for all eternity.

“Angela; will you marry me?”

(Culled from Infinite Love 90)

Infinite Love 81

The Rescue

Mr Bamidele had seen his all manners of people come to work at his branch for more than a decade.

The good hardworking ones, the bad eye-service ones and the ugly backstabbing ones that serve as informants to superiors headquarters in a bid to get his job. But whichever category a staff member fell into; they all meant to suck up to him. He couldn't count how many times a day someone would ask to get the door for him, help him with his bag as if being in a higher position or having money meant that one become decrepit.

So many times in a day we face one manner of ass-kissing or the other. Some would often bring gossip to him hoping he would appreciate their backstabbing. In a country like Nigeria where money and position is worshipped it was expected. They didn't particularly like him. Some did but not all. It was simply their own way of buttering him up for a favour; a promotion, a higher salary, a leave or a loan reduction. They never would be doing all of that if they had nothing to gain in return. That's why he never welcomed any of it. He really couldn't help them most of the time. He answered to other people and took orders too. He wished he could be he couldn't. The last time a robbery happened at the bank a staff member lost his life. He called upon his superiors numerous time to please pay some form of compensation to his family. The sent an official letter and he called them individually, he even went up to them personally to beg for it. All to no avail. The most he could garner was half the following month's salary for him from them for his wife and two children. Their reason for so low a compensation was that the said staff was a contractual staff member and so his contract company was the one obligated to compensate his family. Of which, of course they knew, would not happen. That's what he got for literally dying at his job after seven years working there. That was the main reason he stood up to the general's men when they came to harass his workers. Even if there was low pay and little job security he had to at least protect them.

They all sucked up to him a lot more after that. What else would could they do? There was no job anywhere and for any staff member in the bank there were at least thirty people outside waiting to tak their place. Except of course, Dayo.

Never has there been any staff like him at the bank in all his fifteen years there. He did his work diligently. He just didn't care much for sucking up or socialising. In fact, he had little respect for anyone. He held the record number for most queries by anyone at the bank and everyone from customers to fellow workers even Mr Bamidele's superiors had requested that he be fired but for some reason; he never wanted to do. And after the applause at the bank today, he was right not to.

Ever since politicians began interfering in banking operations sharp practices became rampant. They began using the banks to launder all sorts; from pension money to relooting the already looted Abacha loot. When Dayo finally got around the unfair protocol set in place to get the client her money; he was proud. And as the old lady and her family left, he noticed some suspicious movement by some members of staff and knew that the general would have been informed and he would be sending his men there soon.

So he made his move and went to see him. He found him among some friends of his and Emeka, who shared the office with him. He excused Emeka with an errand before he went up to Dayo and said;

"YOU HAVE TO GO. YOU HAVE TO GO NOW!"

Infinite Love 80
Worthless But Priceless

She saw him as soon as he was in sight. She had some people around her and ran to him and the rest followed. They were her family.


“Ókó mì. My husband. Osé gan. Thank you very much. You will not lack. You will be well. You will prosperous in wealth and children. You have saved me and my family and you don’t even know me. You don’t know us. Oh, but God knows you very well. And he will bless you.”

She praised and thanked him until she became overwhelmed with emotion and collapsed against his chest still sobbing and thanking him. She grabbed him a hugged him as tightly with as much energy as her old bones could muster. Some of her children and grandchildren hugged them too until Dayo was at the centre of a big family bear hug. He didn’t know how the applause started. He never saw who clappled first. It was just an echo from behind and then it was in front of him until suddenly it was everywhere in the banking hall. An applause. Almost everyone was clapping. Applauding him. Michael could only watch in awe from above. Even the branch manager came out to find the strange spectacle. He had been working in that branch for more than fifteen years and never was there anything such as this before, a staff member honoured in such a big way by customers. Even fellow staff members hardly gave a standing ovation to another staff member, and this was happening to his most unpopular staff member; Dayo off all people. He thought he was dreaming.

She eventually let him go and put a hand into her bosom to retrieve an envelope. It was obviously cash but Dayo politely refused it, holding up his hand.

“I’m sorry ma, but I cannot accept it.”

She was surprised and then saddened. She thought it might be due to the size of the envelope that he was refusing it. She felt ashamed. She had wanted to bring more money but her grandchildren had told her that four hundred thousand was already too much money to give to a stranger. She hated to think that he was displeased with her offer. He already meant more to her than a son. He had done what none of her sons and grandsons had failed to do and he wasn’t even related to her.

“Please my son, do not think that it is too small. Please accept it. If you want, I could bring more for you later.” she said and Dayo heard Omolara the closest cashier to them open her mouth in shock. But he still couldn’t accept it. She had already honoured him more than he deserved and nothing could ever take away the pride he felt in that moment, nothing. Accepting money would only diminish the sheer joy he felt and probably give his colleagues a reason to hate him more. Probably convict him too. So he still refused it. For a few minutes there was a back and forth between them until he finally said.

“Mama, I can’t accept it because the bank may fire me if I do.”

“Ah, no o!” she said clasping the envelope to her bosom in fear “I don’t want that at all. You must continue to work here so that you can help other people you need you like I did.”

“Yes, ma and that means, I cannot accept your gift.” even as he said it he feel all the eyes of his colleagues upon him. He could feel the envy in their eyes boring into him.

“Oh, I see.” she said hesistantly and looked side to side thinking for a bit until finally she called.

“Moria? Jor mu purse mi wa. Please hand me my purse.”

“Yes, Mama.” and the young girl seeming her granddaughter gave her the purse and she rumaged for a second before bringing out something that looked like an old rusted chain, and at the end of it was a large pendent with more rusts. She held it out for him to see.

“Mama…erm, I er…” he was uncertain what it was.

“This was the last thing of value that my husband owned before he died. It was the only thing he left me. Until, you showed me that he had kept much more for me and my family.”

“Oh, then I definitely cannot take something so valuable.”

"No o. It has no value at all. It used to be gold by it was covered in iron dusts for many years and it became brown. And look!" she clicked a device at the top, it opened up to reveal the it was a pocket watch. It was not functioning though. The minute and the secon hands were motionless against its white watch panel.

"This was given to my late husband by the Oyinbo White Man at their railway company. He said that my husband was the best man he heard ever met. He was more punctual, honest and hardworking than any other person that he had ever worked with both in Nigeria and abroad. But do you know that my husband was the only illiterate amongst his peers? Everything he knew he learnt it through hardwork and diligence and this was one of his rewards from that."

"Oh, Mama, then I definitely cannot accept something so precious to you." he said overwhelmed.

"Please accept it. It would mean more to me if it is with you."

"Ah..."he hesistated "...but why?"

"Because you remind me of my late husband." She said plainly and in that moment nothing could ever keep Dayo from that worthless but priceless pocket watch. So he accepted it. He put the chain around his neck and tucked the watch into his shirt feeling at ease even with the cold metallic heavy object against his skin.

She smiled finally and after many more prayers and praises, she left. He watched her go through the metal detector door and watched her silhouette vanish into a bus along with her family. He stood there awhile until the stairs of his colleagues began to grate upon his skin. Some seemed to admire him, others angry and the rest harboured blank hatred. He cared so little about that and returned to Michael and Johnny upstairs.

Michael was brimming with pride as he entered the room he shared with three other staff members. Johnny came up to him and clapped him on the back.

"Boss man. Wow. You try o! Make I see that chain she give you now. "

And Dayo revealed it to them.

"Wow." Michael said impressed and Johnny looked disappointed.

"Is it worth anything?"

Dayo took it from him. "No, its worthless."

"Yeah but priceless too." Michael added.

"Exactly."

In that moment Mr Bamidele entered the room. He paused for a moment on seeing the three and finally looked at Emeka the only other staff member in the room at the time.

"Yes, Mr Emeka. There's a meeting at headquarters in an hour and I must leave soon can you please get me my bag in my office?"

"Of course, sir." And Emeka left the room which Dayo thought it was odd because Santa Claus never did such things. He never allowed staff members carry his bag or do simple tasks for him that he himself could easily do, no matter how many times they asked. As soon as Emeka was well gone he skipped over to them and whispered;

"YOU HAVE TO GO! YOU HAVE TO GO NOW!"

Startling all three of them.

Thanks boss

Ololade1999:
Nice story

Infinite Love 79

Fear & Pride

Dayo along with Johnny and Michael looked down in despair at the old lady on ground floor seated in the reception area and looking round for someone that must obviously be Dayo.

She was looking better. Much better. For that he was glad, despite the circumstances. All his intentions were initially to make her feel better and she did from a distant observation. She still sat up as straight as she could with dignity despite the slight bent that comes with age. She had on new clothes, not so much new but less faded like the one she had one when last she came but most of all. She had the radiant look of someone refreshed. It was no surprising considering that she had inherited N8 million naira worth of assets as well qs a house accumulated by her late husband. That kind of money was sure to rid anyone of whatever financial problems they had. And in that moment seeing Mrs Aiyedade looking well and full of life, he had no regrets, his back straightened up and his heart filled with pride. He would do it again, if he had the chance.

"So that's Mrs Aiyedade, right?" Michael pointed out.

"Yes." He said simply.

"Wow. So that old lady is worth eight million?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Do you think she would adopt me if I begged her?"

"Johnny! This is serious." Michael said and turned to Dayo.

"So, what are you...going to do?"

After a brief pause he finally said. "I'm going down there to greet her."

"What...really?"

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged and said "Yeah."

"Okay." And they watched him calmly walk downstairs. Michael couldn't help but feel proud of his bestfriend while Johnny couldn't believe a common banker could also be as tough as an agbero.

"Wow. Brother I have mad respect for your friend o."

Michael sighed feeling proud and scared at the same time for his bestfriend: "I just hope he comes out of this in one piece."

Thanks guys glad to have you here.

Infinite Love 78

Lion Heart

Honestly, they were starting to get freaked out. Dayo was acting totally weird and they didn't understand why.

"Dee...Dee? Dayo, what is the matter with you?" Michael asked.

"Yes, you are making us very nervous right now. Is the place safe? Should we go?" Johnny chipped in.

"Um...guys, I think...I'm in big trouble." he said before looking above their heads towards the staff room door for the umpteeth time. He had managed to rearrange his desk to face the door from afar and back the glass window overlooking the banking hall below. He checked both the door and the banking hall below from above.

He reminded Johnny of the hens in their area. Nervously clucking and constantly checking their front and their rear as they tread carefully because of the Taiwo twins who were notorious chicken-napers but were quite useless at everything else.

"Spill it man, you're driving me nuts here!" Johnny snapped at him.

"I erm...I may have done something I shouldn't have." he said.

"What?" Johnny said "Talk now." He snapped at Dayo. He was starting to talk in his ghetto mafia voice again. A trait that Michael was noticing he did whenever he was now nervous or tense. He had been spenging too much time with the garage boys.

"Calm down, Johnny. Dayo, what...did...you...do?" he said calmly.

"I..er...I.."

"Yes, go on."

"Please don't blame me for this. I don't like it when you blame me for things. I did it not to cause trouble but to actually help someone. You see? I meant well. I wasn't being disconnected like you always accuse me of."

"I don't always accuse of that."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I said you act like a robot with no human feelings."

"That's even worse!"

"Well, you do! You have always been a little disconnected. Acting like you don't understand basic humans feelings but ever since high school ended and Onos travelled it got worse."

"Why'd have to bring him, into this?"

"What are you two talking about?"

That shut them up for a bit before Michael finally said;

"Dayo, just start at the begining please."

He took a deep breath and started.

"A few weeks ago this old lady came into the bank because her granddaughter told her that her husband's money might be at this bank. But being illiterate and all she didn't know how to prove it, she only had an old reciept with no proof."

"She was turned away because she didn't have the full information to access the money such as next-of-kin and such. But get this, she was turned away not because there was any doubt that about her identity, it was merely because of what she didn't know. Her husband was an illiterate too but he had the investment IQ of a genius because as of now. He had left her with shares, stocks as well as cash that was well over eight million naira. She is living in penury only because she didn't know she was a rich woman and the bank didn't feel obligated to help with this information in any way even though she was about to be evicted from the house she is living by her inlaws. The house which basically belongs to her."

Both Michael and Johnny were stunned at this information with only Johnny saying;

"Okay, so what happened."

"So, I sort of...maybe...snuck into the banks data vault and got the information for her."

"WHAT!?" Michael gasped.

"That's good, right? The lazy bankers didn't want to help her so he did."

"No, Johnny banks do n't work that way. Any opportunity they get to withold your money they take it. Especially, if it is a large sum of wealth like eight million!"

"SHHH!" Dayo shushed him because Michael was almost shouting at this point.

"Sorry, sorry. So you gave her the details but you did it discreetly, right? No one else knows about it, right?"

"No, but some guys here already suspect me."

"Of course, they do. Why wouldn't they? With your I-don't-care-attitude all the time." Michael chastised.

"Now, you're just blaming me. You're supposed to be supportive."

"I am supportive. I'm just saying that if you had been a regular team player instead of going carefree about everything and everybody, maybe they wouldn't suspect you."

"But hold on, brother. It's just suspicion, right? It's not like they have proof and it's not they can arrest him for help a customer right?"

"Yeah, they can Johnny. He hacked into a secure data vault without permission and provided unauthorized information to a third party. And that's just two of the offences that I can come up with. They have lawyers that can balloon it up to twenty offences."

Dayo saw how Michael was getting worked up and reluctantly told them the worst part.

"Um...there's actually something else."

"What do you mean, there's something else?"

"Well, that money along with others were being witheld and monitored by people in...let's say high places."

"Ehn?" Johnny gasped and Dayo struggled to continue.

"Yes, and about three weeks back some soldiers were sent to this branch to find out how the information about the money got out."

"Oh my God." Michael sighed.

"I'm sorry." Dayo whimpered.

"OH MY GOD!" Michael screamed

"SOLDIERS!?" Johnny screamed. He had been thinking worst case scenario the police would be involved and Dayo mady be arrested. He would then beg Capo to intercede which he was confident would solve the whole situation. But with soldiers, he knew that even Capo hated to face them. Nigerian soldiers were like crazy zombies when it comes to following orders. They hated to be bribed by civilians and they especially hated mafias. Capo used to warn his boys to steer clear of buses that had soldiers as escorts inside them. Policemen escorts were nothing though.

"WELL? Did anybody say anything to the soldiers when they came?" Michael asked fearing for his bestfriend.

"No, Santa Claus...I mean our manager risked his neck and sent them away."

"Really?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was so afraid I peed my pants. If the soldiers had stayed to interrogate anyone, someone was bound to drop my name and I would have be arrested by the soldiers."

"Yeah, if you were lucky. My guess is that you would be dead by now." Johnny said.

"JOHNNY!?" Michael yelled surprised.

"What? It's true!"

"Your friend doesn't look like he can survive a kick to the nuts and those soldiers just love to kick people in sensitive places."

"Oh, I'm dead." Dayo reaching to grab his tender balls.

"Johnny, be quiet. You're not helping. And Dayo calm down. You said that your manager stopped the workers from saying anything so maybe nobody knows anything for sure. Maybe this will all just blow over in time."

Dayo looked Michael straight in the eyes, nervously.

"What?"

"My manager knows."

"What? How?"

"He figured it out I guess. I almost ran out, never to return to this bank again but he warned me to keep calm and not to say anything to anybody, act normal and pretend that everything is okay."

"That's good, right? It means that he's on your side too."

"I guess so." Dayo said still not sure why his manager would be protecting him like this. He was disrespectful to the man so many times already that he had lost count.

"Yeah, but I don't think that you're acting normal though. You were acting downright very suspicious when we got here and you still are." Johnny said.

"Sorry, it's just that when the cleaner said that two guys were looking for me, I thought it was the soldiers back again."

"Well, relax. Nobody is coming back for you because they only two people in this bank who know about this are keeping it a secret and as long as it stays a secret, you will be fine." said Michael.

"You really think so?"

"Yes! Of course!"

Dayo started to cheer and relax a bit until the cleaner came in through the staff door.

"Excuse me, sir. Mr Dayo. One old woman is downstairs looking for you. "

As the cleaner left Dayo, very slowly turned around to look downstairs into the banking hall and prayed that it wasn't her.

When he turned back to face Michael and Johnny, he face had sunken.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"She's waiting for me downstairs."

"Who?"

"Mrs Aiyedade. The old lady that I got into this mess by helping."

"Adam, I have been calling you for a long time but you're not responding, are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, it is just that I am very tired since I couldn't sleep properly last night because of my father's nama."

"Oh, too bad, sorry." he said kindly and I smiled in appreciation before Abdurahman blurted out childishly;

"How can such a ram like that disturb your sleep, when he is no bigger than a mosquito!" He said and the majority of the class roared in laughter. I was thoroughly embarrassed but I remembered how his father had talked to my father and I promised myself never to back down from him.

"It is not small...like a mosquito. It is big enough!" I yelled at the top of my voice.

"No, I saw it. It is very small, smaller than even the small rams that my father used to buy." he added.

"Our ram is just a little bit short but it is not small, and after I feed him he will soon become very big. So big that all of you will get very big slices of meat in the upcoming Salah from me!" i yelled again.

"Really, Adam? Very big slices? For me as well?" Hakeem asked excitedly.

"Yes, especially for you, Hakeem." I said and he smiled broadly.

"And me too!"

"Yes, don't forget me!"

"Yes, for all of you. You are all welcome to my house for a big feast of meat." I announced and the rest of the class roared in applause, all except Abdurahman who asked again.

"But how are you going to give us all a big feast with such a small ram?"

"I have told you it is not that small, it is just short and let me tell you something, China White is very strong! He can defeat even bigger animals like the ones your father used to buy. Your two rams and even your cow, my father's China White will defeat them all."

"Yay!!! CHINA WHITE! CHINA WHITE! CHINA WHITE!" The class cheered and Abdurahman couldn't raise anymore objections and in that moment, my perception towards China White changed from one of an annoyance to one of a pride.

Ever since then I was the best farmer any animal could want. I swept it's floors in the morning, fetched a big bucket of water for it and gave it some grass. After I return home from school i collected several plantain, banana and yam peels from the neighbours and I would cut them into slices to make it a proper peel salad dressing before giving it to eat. I also took our left overs and gave it to him and even some of my school lunch as well.

"Why didn't you eating your lunch, Adam? Your lunch box is still full."

My mother asked when she saw me my full lunch box.

"It's alright I wasn't hungry, Ummi." I said. Though I was very hungry that day. I knew I had to fatten up China White in preparation for Salah. I couldn't disappoint my friends and give Abdurahman the satisfaction. My family's honour depended on it.

She sighed; "First, the father and now the son. What is the matter with these men and their ram?"

So I cared and nurtured it even more than my father ever did. Ahmad and I would leave our friends to play with him until he was our very best friend. We would feed him until he was a genuinely thick ram for its stature, as it never get more than an inch or so taller.

And by the time Salah arrived and all the rest of our street had lined up with our neighbours' different sacrificial animals I began to dread the forthcoming slaughter of China White.

"Surely, Abi wouldn't kill our ram? He has to buy another one to slaughter and not end our dear China White?"

Somehow I had faith that my father had become too attached to him to slaughter him just like the rest of us were, except for my mother. And on Eid day, after the prayers I was relieved to see my father was once again busy with helping out our neighbours to slaughter their animals.

But, alas, eventually he came home and tied up its feet and when he took out his sheathed dagger Ahmad screamed in alarm and I held his leg.

"No!"

"What's this, Ahmad? Adam what are you doing?" he asked perplexed.

"No, Abi no!" I cried "He's my friend."

"Oh my Lord, these boys!" My mother said smiling.

"I'm sorry, Adam but it's time to say goodbye to China White. Indeed, you and Ahmad have cared for it very much but now it is time to show Allah how much we are grateful for everything that He has given us."

Still, I held on to my father's leg. "Come on, Adam. This is why you asked me to buy you a ram, remember?"

Still I held on to him until my mother said; "If you don't let go of your father, what are you going to feed your friends when they come over? You promised them big meats remember?"

And with that I let go of my father and he slit our ram's throat like I had seen him do a thousand times.

Ahmad and I cried at the loss of our dear friend, whom we cleaned, fed, played with and sang to so many times before. My father bought it just a few months earlier in the year in order so he could afford it but it felt more like he had been with us forever.

My sadness was indeed short lived as I tasted the sweet kebabed meat of the ram that i had fatten up. And when my friends came over, I was greatful to Allah that I could keep my word and host them all with thick slices of meat, Alhamdulillah, even Abdurahman.

That year, nobody else brought meat for my father except Abu Abdurahman whom my father turned away politely saying;

"In keeping with Islamic injunctions, the one who slaughters should not be given meat, rather he should give others who have not been able to slaughter."

"Oh, I know that. I just thought you could use some more meat yourself since your ram was quite small." he said.

"Well, size does not matter to us or to Allah our cherished Creator. He only cares about our intentions. So I will implore you to please give this meat to others who have not slaughtered and the needy as we shall also do."

"Humphf, suit yourself." he said turning away.

"Thank you very much, sir."

I looked at my father and he winked at me and we both smiled. I was grateful to Allah, for restoring my family's honour even if it meant sacrificing my dear friend China White.

My chest was further swollen with pride later that day after I beat Abdurahman at hornsticks. I beat him fairly with China White's little horn even though he had brought the biggest horn on the biggest ram his father slaughtered. It was the happiest day of my life.

Afterwards, after everyone else had gone home and only the four of us were left, we all gazed at the pole that used to hold our precious ram.

"You know, I'm really going to miss that ram!"

"YOU ARE??" my father gasped in surprise and my mother laughed at him. We all joined her. When we were all quiet once again I said;

"Abi?"

"Hmm, Adam?"

"Will you be able to buy another ram for us next year?" I asked and my father smiled.

"Insha Allah, Adam. Insha Allah!"

THE END

"Abi, is it a camel??"

"Calm down, my little sheikh. You will find out soon enough when I bring it home next week."

I could barely sleep a wink that night. My head was full of the amazing animals that I had seen on our street.

"Maybe Abi, would bring home a golden camel from Saudi Arabia. In sha Allah."

I gave my mother no peace that morning with all my questions about our upcoming animal. She had no room to breathe, up until she dropped me off at school.

"Ay, Adam. Give me peace! You will see it when your father brings it home today. Now off you go to your class!"

When I got home that day, my father was not home yet and I had to keep a lookout by the window until I saw him bring it in.

To my disappointment. It wasn't a camel. It wasn't a cow. It was a little ram and it wasn't even as big as the ones Abu Abdurahman used to buy. It was just a little bigger than a goat. It was indeed a fine animal. Its just that it was small, with small blond horns, black eyes and pure white fur.

"Oh, Adam come out and see it. I have brought the ram. Come look, quickly!"

But I didn't want to go out. I had already seen it and I didn't like it but I didn't want to hurt my father's feelings again with my brutal honesty and so I hid behind a curtain until my mother came out to get me.

"Do you not hear your father? Go and see the ram!"

I made a face that looked something like, "Please, don't make me go outside." but my mother was not having it. She gave me a face that said "You asked for a ram. Now go to your father."

I held my brother Ahmad's hand for emotional support and we both went out together.

The look on my father's face was that of pure joy. He was a man absolutely happy and proud of himself.

"Hey, Adam were you asleep? Come, come closer. You can touch it if you like, this is a very gentle animal."

I quickly carried my brother.

"No, Abi. Ahmad is afraid to go any closer.

"Okay, but do you like it?" he asked me again and I looked at my mom who glared at me as if to say.

"You had better say something nice."

So, I said; "It's very...gentle."

"Yes, it is." my father beamed once again in childish delight and I became slightly irritated with his happiness.

"Doesn't he realise that this was a small animal?" One look from Abu Abdurahman and the rest and they would make fun of it, of us. The honour of our family was dependent on the animal and the best way to shut them up was to buy preferably a camel or at least a cow but not a midget of a ram, just barely bigger than a goat. I thought of a delicate way to ask as I said;

"Erm, Abi?"

"Yes, my darling little Zheikh?"

"Don't the Mallams who sell rams have a erm....bigger one?"

Immediately the words came out I could feel mother's glare on my skull but I dared not look at her.

"What...?" my father asked.

"I mean... it just doesn't... look very big."

"Well... when you come closer you'll see that it's big, enough." he said holding the ram tenderly as if it was something really precious like a brand new car.

"Yes, exactly!" my mom added "And after feeding it a few times, it'll surely become much bigger. Right, Adam?"

"Erm...of course, Ummee. Much bigger." I said finally looking at her as we both stared at my father happily patting his miniature ram.

Soon enough the neighbours came nosing around for a look. One by one they came, full of pleasantries but with eyes always fixed on "China White". That was the name Ahmad gave our family ram because of his near spotless white fur and blond horns. Ahmad, I couldn't blame for giving the name because he was only three and a half, but my dad I did blame entirely for going along with it and acting like the ram was a new member of our family. He acted as one whose wife had delivered a brand new baby always smiling and constantly hovering over China White, when it was clearly an unimpressive nama (ram). And the neighbours knew that too, because after snooping around a few minutes they would comment;

"Is that your ram for Salah?"

"Is it old enough for the slaughter?"

"It is on the short side, I see."

"Your nama is certainly down to earth."

One by one they sneered but my father never seemed to notice nor cared, he merely responded politely. Abu Abdurahman himself came over one Friday afternoon. In fact, I had expected him sooner.

"Salam aleikum warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu. How are you and your family this wonderful Jumuah, Abu Adam?"

"Waleikum salam warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu. We're fine, alhamdulillah Abu Abdurahman. Thank you very much."

"I see that you have a nama in your compound, are you helping someone to raise it?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. It is ours. This is our qurbani."

"Masha Allah! Alhamdulillah. I had to ask since this is new for you and strange even as you have never slaughtered for the Eid festival before now."

"Oh that is true but hopefully, this year would be different. Insha Allah."

'Is that so? Do you mind if I take a closer look?"

"Not at all, please do." and my father led him to China White.

"By Allah, this is one small creature, Mallam. Are you sure it is even a ram? It looks more like an overgrown baby goat."

"Oh no, akhi. I can assure you that this is a ram, and it is old enough for the slaughter."

"Indeed." he sneered "At least you were smart enough to buy it much earlier to save against the price hike of the festival. Hopefully, it will become bigger and of decent size by Eid day."

"Oh, yes. We plan on feeding him very well." my father said patting his ram tenderly again and Abu Abdurahman laughed heartily.

"Oh, Abu Adam! The affection you're showing your animal one would think it was a brand new virgin bride and not the midget of a creature that it is."

My father smiled nervously and I hated to see him embarrassed in such a way.

"Allah has blessed my family again this year and my brother-in-law is already scouting for sizeable animals of top grade qualities for me in the North."

"That's good. Alhamdulillah." my father said simply.

"Well, I shall take my leave now, Abu Adam. Take care to feed your little ram, it won't turn into an impressive cow, but at least it won't grow shorter before your very eyes."

"I will, thank you very much sir."

After that I knew I would never again be fond of Abu Abdurahman. I was irked by my father too because he only ever smiled and was polite. He should have told him off properly.

But that was the least of my problems, because my father's devotion to the ram became an annoyance.

He made a special place for China White in our compound. He kept it in a comfortable shade and tied a loose rope around its neck as opposed to the leg because that would end up tightening and eventually cause it a huge discomfort. My father prepared a big bucket of fresh water for it every morning and cut a batch of fresh grass for it every three days. Then he increased my chores by making me clean out the cage every morning and dispose it of its dung in the evening.

He would also spend time with the animal. He would take a seat in the compound as opposed to sitting with the rest of us inside the house just to be closer to his nama. And when it was bedtime, he would stay out longer than usual before coming in. Forcing my mother to comment:

"I'm surprised that you're coming in already, I thought that you might also want to take the bed outside and sleep beside your ram."

She said evidently a littlupsetps about the whole attention my dad was giving his nama. Every Friday morning, he washed his animal lovingly like it was a Ferrari taking us to the Jumuah prayers. When my friends and I had a football game in the compound he stopped us and ordered us outside saying we were scaring and disturbing it. While, he used to enjoy seeing us play in the compound. On one night during a power outage, my mother asked him to turn on the generator but he refused, fearing the fumes from the generator set might choke and kill China White.

"Subhanallah! Abu Adam! You'd rather the mosquitoes eat us alive than disturb your nama?" My mother complained. That night, I realised that China White was a very important member of our family.

The next morning as I woke up to go to school I noticed that China White was not at his normal pole but I couldn't care less about that. I reached our gate to open it and suddenly, I felt a force from behind push me forwards and onto the floor. It was China White, it had hit me a little but missed due its inexperience and hit the gate mostly and also collapsed onto the floor as well.

"SUBHANALLAH!! Are you alright?!" I heard my father shout as he came running out of the house. It was not hurt at in anyway just startled but I fake injury and laid on the floor for dramatic effect but instead of my father reaching out to me, to help me get up; he went straight to his ram.

"Oh dear Lord! I hope his alright!" He gasped checking China White for any signs of injury while almost ignoring me.

"Sorry Adam, please get up and be more careful next time."

"Be more careful next time?" I said indignant "Your ram hit me and why wasn't he tied up?"

"Oh, I decided to let him roam freely about the compound. He was feeling sad just being tied up all day." He said and took his ram to clean leaving me standing there in anger until my mother came and took me to school.

"Allah help me, my husband is in love with a ram." She said.

"Ummee, that ram has GOT TO GO!" I replied angrily as she held my brother and I on our way to school, I was in a half daze from poor sleep. I regretted my father buying the ram, I regretted ever asking him to buy it in the first place and I couldn't wait for Salah to come so we could be free from having China White in our lives again. Then a thought occurred to me.

"What if Salah comes and Abi refuses to slaughter it because he has become attached to it?" I asked my mother desperately.

"No way! Either he slaughters it on Salah day or I kill them both myself! Now off you go to class. See you soon."

I was trying to concentrate on my work when Hakeem my best friend nudged me in class.

Few moments would endure in my childhood like the time my father first sacrificed a whole ram on eid-al adha.

My father was the local imam of our neighbourhood, he was not wealthy but he was friendly with all and fought with none. Always smiling and with easy temperament.

My father performed many duties on our street as the imam, leading prayers at the mosque and coordinating visitations whenever a community member had any occasion such as a wedding, child naming or a burial. All of which he did gladly in service to Allah and his community but one of such duties was different for my father the slaughtering of the sacrificial rams, cows or camel on salah was a little difficult for my father as my childhood eyes noticed in the ways that children often do but adults sometims miss. Therewas a wistful look in his eyes whenever he was called to sacrifice an animal for his neighbours. That yearning, the unmistaken longing for the chance to finally slaughter a ram for Allah on Eid just like his fellow Muslim brethren.

Eid-il adha is a beloved Islamic festival dating back as far as the time of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, may peace be upon him and his family) which involves slaughtering selected animals such as rams, cows or camels to Allah on the tenth day of Dhul-hijjah of the lunar calendar. All muslims love this festival even non-muslims as well due to the abundance of meat to go around. We children then love it too due to the many fun activities it involves. We would all dress up in our nice clothes mostly new ones. Every passing adult would gift us in presents cash mostly, so that by the end of the day I had a couple thousands. I was rich i tell you. We would go pray on the official Eid prayer grounds and after the prayers we the children would group together running and playing around and we would ask every adult we knew to buy us icecream of any kind that we wanted. When we got home we would watch the older kids sneak out their father's rams and rustle them into a battle. It was always awe inspiring to watch the huge reverse and slam together in a fierce collison. The ram that retreat finally, was the loser. It became a matter of personal pride to be the son of the man with the toughest and unbeatable ram on the street. The illegal ram battles would go on until the adults came back and prepared them for slaughter. Which was usually carried out by a few hired butchers who would carve up the meat while the women cleaned them, by washing the intestines off of dung and cooked the meals of the day.

Salah meals were always the most delicious of the year with the various spices adorning the different soups and stews with all kinds of flavours. For that reason alone Salah was my favorite festival. The favorite game for we the children was the horn-stick battles. After all the rams had been sacrificed, we would ask the butchers to get us their horns of which we would mount on wooden handles and roll on the floor until we them clashed together. The person whose horn flew off its handle was the loser. I loved this game and I won quite a number of such them too. Although, that was usually because I would secretly nail my horns to their wooden handles which made them virtually impossible to beat. It was during one of such victories while I was over celebrating that Abdurahman pointed to me and said;

"Why are you so happy? Your father didn't kill any ram this year and that horn that you use to win is not even yours. It was gifted to you."

I immediately calmed and began thinking about this. Yes, Abdurrahman spoke the truth, my father hadn't slaughtered any ram this year. He hadn't slaughtered any ram last year either or the year before. I usually asked him about this whenever Salah was approaching and our street was steadily filling up with all kinds of sacrificial animal from the neighbours. But all he usually said was;

"Very soon, insha Allah!"

Goats and rams were the common sight but the impressive ones were the cows. Huge gigantic beasts with humps so thick and horns so huge they made them impressive and terrifying at the same time. Abdurahman's father usually bought a cow and two rams each year. One year, he even bought a whole camel. And the entire neighourhood was overimpressed at the sight of the magnificent animal. People came from miles around just to see it and when it was slaughtered that year. Everyone stood in awe and watched before going off to slaughter theirs.

Technically, my father slaughters animals during Salah every year because he was generally loved by all was usually the popular choice for performing the initial slaughter. He was happy to do it and he never charged a fee whether in price or meat. He accepted whatever he was given or not given with a smile. He was a Imam and people loved to have him slaughter for them as opposed to a stranger or a butcher. But he had never really slaughtered an animal that belonged to him or us, to our family.

Immediately, I dropped the horned stick in my hand and marched off to talk to Abi (my father) as I usually did whenever I was upset. I found him about to perform the slaughter for yet another neighbour and I knew exactly how he would do it. He had the butchers tie the ram's four legs and lay the animal as comfortable as possible on his left side facing the Kaaba (in Mecca), he hid his sheathed dagger out of the animal's sight in order not to upset it and with his left hand he tilted the animals long neck upwards and backwards propopping up its jugular and grabbed it's neck firmly. And in three swift movements he slit the neck veins and blood begab gushing out fiercely. He ordered the release of one the ram's legs from the knot to allow the animal jerk and bleed out as painlessly as possible. I waited as he cleaned the dagger by wiping it on the animal's fur and then with water and then I went to sit pouting on our front yard waiting for him.

"What's the matter with you, Adam? Why aren't you playing with your friends?" He asked on seeing me.

"I was playing with them earlier, Abi until Abdurahman said something that really upset me."

"Oh, and what was that?"

"He said that my father did not slaughter any animal this year."

My father's face sunk slightly and he became quiet for a bit.

"Don't you worry my little Sheikh, next year's Eid we would surely slaughter one for ourselves, insha Allah." he said a minute later.

"Really, Abi? Do you mean it?"

"Yes, insha Allah!"

There was a way in which he said the "insha Allah" that made me doubtful he would ever do it in the first place. So I said;

"Abi, I want us to have a ram next year for ourselves or preferably a cow and two camels or I will not take part in Salah next year!"

I said it matter-of-factly and stomped inside leaving him agasped standing there.

Later that day my mother scolded my father first.

"Why do you let him become so outspoken? You will spoil this boy!"

And then she scolded me.

"Why did you talk to your father in such a way? Don't you know that you have hurt his feelings. The others always made fun of your father and now you too."

As usual, it took my mother to bring me back to my senses but also one other thing that happened later that day. We always had more than enough meat to spare because my father was the one who was usually selected to perform the initial slaughter for our neighbours. And as was customary whoever slaughters the animals gets the neck of the animal no matter the size or type of animal. So, later that day the women from the different households brought the raw necks of their various animals as a gift for my father. The women usually did this, but for some reason Abu Abdurahman personally, always brought the necks of his two rams and cow. He greeted my mother warmly but asked for my father instead.

"Salam aleikum, Abu Adam."

"Waleikum salam, Abu Abdurahman. How is your Eid going, blessed I hope?"

"Oh, very well. We have been most blessed by our Creator to have slaughtered another cow and two rams this year, despite the harsh economy."

I noticed the leer in his tone as Abu Abdurahman said this and I knew he wasn't being kind inspite of his wide smile but my father simply responded with a warm smile.

"Allah is the greatest!"

"Yes, indeed and oh, didn't you slaughter an animal for yourself, Abu Adam?" he asked though knowing perfectly well that we didn't.

"Oh no, not this year, Next Eid, insha Allah." my father said calmly and with a straight face.

"Oh, well. That's fine, I brought your gift as the one who slaughtered my own animals."

"You really didn't have to, O Abu Abdurahman."

"Well, it was nothing. And I must confess I admire you O, Abu Adam. You don't slaughter animals and yet your pot is full of other people's meat."

On this my father had no reply. And I watched as his face froze with a tinge of pain.

"Anyways, I shall be leaving you now. I still have a lot of meat carving to do. Asalam aleikum warahmotullahi wabarakatuhu."

"Waleikum salam warahmotullahi wabarakatu, Abu Abdurahman."

My mother emerged from the room to collect the big bowl laden with meat and she went into her monologue of complaints. But this time, I finally understood and even supported my mother when she was cross.

"Every year! Every single year. He comes and asksthese squestions that he already knows the answer to. Why does he ask? You didn't kill slaughter an animal for yourself this year?" she said in mock imitation of Abu Abdurahman. "How does it concern him? He is just being unkind. I have the mind to toss all of his meat down the trash right now."

She went on and on while my father quietly listened. I knew he was hurting because he was quiet the rest of the day. My father's definition of a bad mood was to be quiet while my mother's, was to go on and on. I was ashamed about what I had said to him. I had indeed joined the likes of Abdurahman and his father who mocked my father and I promised myself not to do so again or be impressed by them ever again even if they brought horses and camels for Eid next year. And If Abdurahman dared to mention my father again I would box his ears instead of getting upset.

Still as I went to bed that night I hoped that my father would buy an animal for next year's Eid as he had promised, and I dreamed of my little brother Ahmad and I riding on the back of agreatt black and white ram parading the street for everyone to see. A ram that would defeat all the other rams in battle and make an unbeatable horn stick that I would defeat Abdurahman with and all the other boys in hornstick battle.

"Insha Allah." I murmured as I fell asleep.

Later on, in the following year, my father was distinctively happier and I later asked him;

"Oh, Abi! You are smiling so much, why are you so happy.?"

"O Adam, I am happy because I have finally bought our animal for Eid this year."

I was confused; "But isn't Salah still very far away?"

"Yes but I bought this animal early so that I will not forget to buy it later as I had promised you."

"Really? Thank you, Abi." I was overjoyed just like my father was, finally we were going to have an animal of our own to sacrifice on Salah. But I wanted to know more.

"Is it a big one?"

"Well....its um..."

I was so excited. "Oh oh, is it a cow?"

"Wha...?"

They say it is better to have loved and lost.

But losing you left me without a cause.

With no will to live and no recourse.

Still, they say it is better to have loved and lost.

Even though the very moment I lost you.

I lost it all.


Amor y pérdida

Dicen que es mejor haber amado y perdido
Pero perdiendote me dejas sin una causa.
Sin un vivirás y sin un recurso
Aún, ellos dicen que es mejor haber amado y perdido
Incluso pensé que en el gran momento que te perdí.
Perdí todo.

adeabdulsblog.

Lolz. So glad you enjoyed that bit sir.

Sorry for going AWOL on you. Life happens you know? Even I felt bad for not writing for so long.

More updates coming up soon.

Infinite Love 77

"Oh, he said." trying to mask his distaste.

Johnny was studying him carefully "Brother, he's really not that bad."

"I...I well...I didn't say he was, I just...um..."He tried to bring up all the reasons that his brother should stay away from someone like Capo because well, responsible folks don't hang around mafia bosses but that would only push his brother further away and so he decided to trust Johnny and simply asked "Do we like Capo?"

"YES!" he said bursting with the energy of his old self again and Michael was glad to see him smile. "We do. Because even he is the boss, he doesn't push me around like he does some people. He just hires me to do some jobs for him, sensitive jobs."

An alarm bell went up in Michael's brain here.

"What do you mean...sensitive?"

"You know?"

"No, I don't know. I think know that you were hanging out with ghetto mafiosos, I didn't know that you could talk ghetto and I certainly didn't know that you were hanging around someone named Capo./I think we've already established that I don't know anything anymore."

"Okay, calm down, brother." he said giggling that boyish smile of his. "When I say sensitive I don't mean anything dangerous. I mean things like...family stuff. He has three wives who don't like each other and about four girlfriends that are vying to be his fourth wife, since he's Muslim. So whenever he wants to send provisions or some change to either of them he sends me because his wives and girlfriends are related to some of his boys and they always leak that kind of stuff to the other women if he ever does it to one."

"Okay, so you just help him with his women troubles?

"Yes. Well, that and when it comes to things he doesn't know how to do like write a letter, send an email or search the internet for a car that he likes and so on."

Michael was somewhat relieved to hear this.

"PHew!"

"It's nothing dangerous I promise and he is really nice. He gave me this phone and usually some cash to help with you know...mom and house things."

"Really? You mean I don't provide enough for all of us?"

His brother smiled his boyish smile once more "Brother you really don't know what is going on in this country of ours. You need to get to the market and see the robbery prices of goods. If I wasn't supplementing with the change I get from Capo and sometimes from his girlfriends and wives, I don't think we would have enough at home."

"I see." Michael said downheartedly, unknowingly his brother had given him more reason to leave. Now his mind was more determined than ever before to go. Johnny took his silence for sadness and added;

"It's alright brother, we all that you're trying your best. We don't blame you for anything."

"No, but I should do more. I can do more."

"Oh, brother. Just leave it. Me? I like things the way they are, honestly."

Michael believe he did

"Since the work I am doing is not dangerous, we can both take care of Mama." he said proudly.

"Well, it's not dangerous by the job per say...but it still dangerous by virtue of association. Wasn't the last mafia boss shot and killed?"

"Er...yes but...I am not doing any of their risky jobs brother."

"Yes but you can still get caught in the crosshairs of the rival gangs or whatever."

"Well, yes...but that's one of the reasons I keep telling him I can't work for him full time. He keeps asking me but I always tell him that my brother would not allow me."

Michael was pleased to hear that.

"Listen, I am not okay with you working, even on a part time basis for that guy...Capo. I understand why you do it. But I don't like it and I will never like it, it's too risky..."

"...oh, brother I can take care of myself now."

"...but. But I won't stop you from doing it."

"Really?"

"Really. We have to do what we have to do, you know?"

"I know. Exactly! Oh, brother. I have so many things to tell you. So many stories that I couldn't tell you before because I was afraid you wouldn't allow me. You need to see how Capo was shaking the day his second wife caught one of his girlfriends in his office. Ha ha. Imagine the man many people fear, shaking. Shaking and stammering for his second wife. Ha ha!"

They both shared a laugh until Michael remembered.

"Wait! Mama doesn't know about this, does she?"

"Ah, no brother. I can't ever tell her that."

"Good."

"I didn't like keeping all of this from you. Now I can tell you everything."

"I didn't like not talking to you either. You're one of my best friends you know? I really missed you."

"Me too. But...brother?"

"Yes?"

"Can't I go work for Capo full time?"

"No, absolutely not!"

"But don't you think it will help us? Because then we would be able to afford a better place, maybe a proper apartment or even a whole hous?"

"No, Johnny. I don't want that for you."

"Chimezie, joined him nearly two years ago and now he has finished his house in the village o!"

Michael saw the appeal and remained silent for a bit, thinking.

"Anything that might risk your life, I don't want it.
What's the use a house if you're not there with us?"

"Okay o. I'm just saying that it is not such a bad idea as long as I keep safe."

"You know what? Let's have a deal."

"Okay?"

"Give me two years. If I don't change our situation at the end of that time then you can go join Capo fulltime."

JOhnny thought for a bit "Two years is a long time, brother." he said finally.

"Okay, then; one year. If things don't look good for me or us by then. You can do whatever you want."

"Twelve months right? One year!"

"Twelve months starting now."

"DEAL!" johnny said.

"You're really confident of this plan of yours?"

"I am. As long as I can get Dayo and Onos to support me. I can do it."

"Why Dayo and Onos? Can't you do it yourself because is busy working at the bank and I haven't seen your friend Onos in a very long time?"

"I know that but I still need to ask them because I...need their support."

"Hey, Mama and I will definetely support you."

"I know, that goes without saying, it's just...there's only been three people who have helped me achieve my goals; Papa, Dayo and Onos. Those three pushed me constantly and never let me give up even when I wanted to or I was doubting myself. I used to find it annoying, so annoying but support like that is invaluable. With them by my side I can achieve anything."

"Okay. So that's why we are going to see Dayo at the bank today, right? To tell him about your plan?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and what about Angela? Isn't she a good support system? Or won't you tell her at all?"

Michael froze for a mid second. He hadn't thought of what to do with Angela at all. He had always avoided thinking about it. How was he going to tell her? Would she understand? Would she be mad? He pushed it from his mind again.

"I'll tell her soon." he said simply and Johnny shrugged.
They got to the bank and informed the security whom they were looking for and begged him to go get him.

They security went inside briefly and came out saying;

"I have asked the cleaner to go get him for you. We will come out soon please wait."

But Dayo didn't come out soon, infact he took a long time and they had to beg the security to go get him again. After many pleas he finally did but came out without Dayo still.

"I saw him hiding somewhere but he says that he is coming so please wait."

"Hiding?"

"What do you mean hiding?" they asked but the security onl shrugged indifferently.

After about three minutes they saw the shape of Dayo peeping out to them first before coming to see them.

"Guys, come in!" was all he said as he rushed them in. He rushed them to his small cubicle in a last corner of the second floor in a very strange manner. Almost ducking behind his desk, hiding like the security man said.

"Dayo, what is going on? You're starting to scare me." Michael said.

"Guys, I think I'm in big trouble!"

Thanks boss
Its great to be back

Infinite Love 76

Breaking Barriers

The recent silence between them for the past few weeks was nothing but torture. The two of them have been brothers all their lives but only now has Michael realised that they had also been friends, very good friends; best friends.

And after the occurence at the police with Officer Martin a distance had grown between. A wall of silence growing higher and higher that Michael hadn't been able to surmount. He was deathly afraid of leaving without patching things between them. He was afraid if he didn't do it now and left, things might never be the same between them again. So he insisted Johnny came with him to see Dayo at the bank, even though there wasn't any real need for him to be there.

So he tried again for the umpteenth time.

"So...how are things between you and Loveth?"

"Fine." Johnny shrugged, for the umpteenth time.

"How is her admission to Unilag going?"

"Fine...she's hoping her name will come out in the next list."

Another round of silence followed. Michael sucked in air and exhaled. This back and forth was getting them nowhere. Best to just address the elephant in the room and be done with it. Only honesty, could save their relationship now.

"Hey, Johnny?"

"Yep." he said focusing on the Xenzia snake game on his Nokia 3310 phone one of the many things that Michael doesn't know how he got it or whose it really is.

"Can we talk? Put that away please."

He did so very slowly.

"Hey, I just...want to say that...I'm sorry."

Johnny looked at him, directly, intensely as if seeing him for the first time.

"I slapped you at the station and I really regret doing that. But I didn't do it because I was supporting Martins, no. I did it because...well, because..."

"Because you didn't like the way I was acting at the station."

"YES! That's true."

"You were talking like one of those ghetto touts and ..."

"You had been talking to them like a gentlemen and how was that working for you?" He cut in.

"...well, not very well but..."

"And what is wrong with talking ghetto? Ghetto guys are people too!"

"...I know...it's just...it just freaked me out and I guess...I overreacted because that's not the way dad raised us to be."

He sighed. "Broda. I know you don't want to hear it and please don't slap me again but...dad's not here right now. He's gone...and we're living in a ghetto not on the Island anymore. If he were here. We wouldn't be in the ghetto but he's not. And we have to live as best as we can according to our situation. That's just the facts broda. I'm just being honest." he said tentatively afraid he might have upset Michael again because he really hadn't to either times.

But Michael just smiled and asked;

"When did my little brother become so wise?" and he dig his hand into his bushy hair and wrinkled it the more.

"Ahh! Stop! Stop!" he protested smiling "I'm just giving my own point of view."

"Yes I get it now. So, how long have you been hanging out with the ghetto boys?"

"Not long. But it's not all of them though. Just Capo."

Michael looked puzzled because he really didn't know who or what a capo was.

"Capo is the chairman of the motorist association in the garage."

Guess who's back?

Infinite Love 75

"YES!"

"Ah, welcome my daughter. Sorry I didn't recognise you sooner but my eyes are old and they are full of water."

"Oh, that's alright ma. It's no problem at all. I'm sorry ma I came to check Michael at home. I was at his shop but he wasn't there and his phone is off."

"Oh, no. He's not home. He went out with Johnny. "

"I see."

"But he is has closed down the shop. He cleaned it out last week. So he is no longer working there."

"Really? Ma, he didn't tell me that." she said suddenly distraught.

"What?" Mama said confused then she added quickly "Oh, it must be that he forgot due to the stress of cleaning out the shop."

Angela just stood there for a moment. Not knowing what to make of Michael's sudden distancing from her. She knew that he wasn't entirely alright but know she suspected that he was upset with her. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have told her anything all week?

"Don't worry too much about it my dear." Grandma said smakin You know how all these boys are. Here, " and she shifted in her seat on the bench " come sit beside me. I can see that your shoes are already muddy, come here so we can help you clean it up."

"Yes, come sit." added Mama.

"Oh, its alright ma. It'll just get dirty on my way home again. I better get going now. Please tell Micheal to call me."

"Oh, sure, sure. I will make sure he calls you before he leaves!" she promised.

"Leaves? Where is he going? When is he leaving?" she asked even more perplexed surprising Adam's mom.

"Erm...well. I will just make sure that he calls you when he gets back so you two can talk."

"Okay, ma." she said simply knowing that Michael's mum wouldn't say anymore. "I'll be going now."

"Okay dear."

"Thank you for coming."

She paused for a bit hoping that either one of the women would tell her what was going on. But looking at them she knew that wouldn't happen. She could sense the closeness them. A mother and daughter that came with unspoken synchronisation and understanding. A strong connection. Like the one she used to have with her mother but lost after her father left. So she just turned and left.

"Are you sure that Michael likes that girl?"

"Yes, I'm very sure."

"She looks to me like she's the one in love." Grandma going back to peeling watermelon seeds.

Infinite Love 74

Three Little Women

She wasn't disturbed by the smell of the place. It was a mixture of wet soil and refuse and clogged drainage.

She wasn't even bothered by the children running around almost hitting her with their tyres propelled along by a wooden handle others by an iron handle crafted from a clothes hanger. She navigated their environment quickly and with ease. It used to live in a place like this, back when life was young and their situations were reversed. Her family was poor and almost in pieces, while his rock solid and they had everything she could hope for.

She needed to see him. He wasn't even aware that she was coming and she wondered what his reaction would be like. She couldn't tell. Things between them had changed so much in such a short time that she was still doubting her visit. But she needed to see him still. His number was not getting through and she had already tried the laundromat a few times to no avail. Things between her and her mom was still tense. It felt like coming home to a stranger and now that her series shoot was drawing to a close Princewill was more difficult than usual and being lazy giving her more stress. But still, her career was going her way and she was finally getting what she wanted but all she felt was....alone.

With a little direction and assistance from others she found the place; Michael's home. She recognized it immediately on seeing his mom and another woman at the front.

"Adanna! Why don't you wait for Johnny to come back and wash your clothes for you?"

"Mama, I have already told you that I want to do it to exercise my body. I am fine. No need to treat me like a baby anymore."

"You say that now but then you will complain about aching joints later. Just remember that we can't afford hospital bills right now."

"Mama, nobody is going to the hospital. It's only a little exercise, biko nu hen?"

"Okay o."

Angela walked towards them hating to interrupt their friendly banter. It reminded her of how she used to be with her mom, way back when, before her father left.

"Good afternoon, ma. Good afternoon, ma." She curtsied slightly.

"Ahh ah ah, Angela?"

"Yes ma. It's me."

"Welcome, good afternoon my dear. Mama, look! It's Angela."

And the older woman looked up at her quizzically before shrugging her head and said

"Good afternoon my dear." and she went back to peeling watermelon seeds in her tray.

"Ay, Mama. Leave that one first now. Don't you remember Angela? Michael's friend? From television?"

A glimpse of recognition came on her face.

"Oh, the one we watch every evening?"

"YES!"

"Ah, welcome my daughter. Sorry I didn't recognise you sooner but my eyes are old and they are full of water."

"It's alright, ma."

"Angela, how are you and how is your mom?"

"I'm fine ma. My mom is fine too. Thank you."

"Oh, that's good my dear. It's so good to see you. And...oh where are my manners? Please come and sit down."

"Oh, not to worry ma. I'm fine but is Michael home? I have beentrying his number but it isn't getting through and I noticed that he has closed the shop."

Infinite Love 73

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

He never thought there would be this much commotion. Sure, he knew there would some sort of alarm maybe a little warning or a talking to but when he saw the soldiers go into Black Santa's office, he was very alarmed.

"No! Leave my workers out of it! You cannot harrass them. They knew nothing about this. It was merely a coincidence!" Mr Bamidele was saying, practically yelling to the colonel or maybe lieutenant he was never good with telling ranks, stripes or stars never really meant anything to him.

"Mistar Menegar. You ad beta be quiet eef you no wat ees goot for you." said the obviously northern colonel with the bad English and an attitude worthy of Hitler's gestapo.

"Mtchew! Leave them alone!" Mr Bamidele said again bravely and undaunted in front of a semi battalion of asskicking soldiers.

Dayo couldn't believe it all. Especially, black Santa.He always judged him by his big tummy and good natured attitude. Dayo never liked him. Good natured people were always so boring to him. Many times he was tempted to throw a show at Santa just to see anything else on his face besides a smile to everyone. The man was so nice, it was downright annoying! He always thought that in front of tough guys Santa would cower like a fat coward but seeing him now with his back straightened and his chest puffed out he looked twice as big and downright scary like a grizzly bear. He never knew Santa was such a badass.

Now, he felt bad for giving him attitude and for ever wanting to hit him with his shoe.

The two face held their ground. One practically, had an army behind him and the other had scared chickens behind him, one of which was Dayo, the culprit.

"Should i turn myself in and save Santa the trouble and spare this guys the fear?" he wondered.

Nope! He could barely keep from wetting his pants there's no way he could muster the courage to face those soldiers.

"We have heard you and we will get to the bottom of it and let you know whatever we find."

Mr Bamidele insisted and the Gestapo seemed to consider it and say.

"One week!" he said never once blinking "And after, I come back." and with that he left and the soldiers followed him finally giving everyone room to breathe. Dayo ran to the men's room to take a leak.

Shortly after that incident, all the workers were questioned individually and collectively. There were funds missing from a very sensitive client's account. Whoever or whomever had information about the theft, misappropriation or had accessed an unathorized account had to come clean or pointed out. The bank was a lot of pressure. But alas, nobody knew anything, nobody saw nothing. Fortunately, all the workers were all too scared to even mentioned that they had given him more access to their files than necessary because that alone was against banking policy. And everybody knew that coming forward in this country is in itself a dangerous action so everybody just kept mute and buried their heads hoping for the entire episode to die down.

Dayo had initially felt relieved at not being ratted out upon but then found that the suspense was getting to him. He could barely function at work or sleep at home. He considered quitting the job but that was tantamont to admission of guilt and who knows who sent those soldiers. They could hunt him down.

So he ended up going to work as a nervous wreck daily. Constantly, looking over his shoulders and watching people for any signs of suspicion. He never knew this kind of heat would be generated from his actions. He only wanted to help out an old lady in distress and now his mental health was threatened and possibly his safety too.

After a few weeks the heat dissipated and normalcy was begining to return to the bank and amongst the bankers and some of them even joked about it; accusing each other of being scared of mere soldiers and some admitted that they peed their pants a little while others like Emeka claimed to be capable of fending off soldiers singlehandedly.

Yes, normalcy was begining to get back to work as nobody was questioned anymore since nobody came out with any information whatsoever so the whole thing was about being shelved under the rug. In fact, the soldier incident was almost forgotten never mentioned again at all only the bravery of Mr Bamidele was praised with all workers greeting him with renewed gusto and hails of Oga Strongman reverberating aroung the halls whenever he walked by.

It was on one of such quiet days that Santa, now Strongman called Dayo to his office to help with computer glitch again. Dayo went upstairs immediately, as opposed to his usual delaying to the last moment because he himself was also newly enamored by his boss Strongman.

"Sir?" he said poking his head in to find Strongma at his table alone with his face glued to the computer screen, probably playing Solitaire again.

"Oh, yes, Dayo. Please...come in." he said offhandedly.

"Yes, sir. Thank you. So, how may I help you with your computer this time, sir"

"Oh, my computer is fine, Dayo." he said not once taking his eyes off the screen "I just wanted to let you know that I know...it was you."

"Sorry, sir? I don't get you."

"Somebody, had accessed the Tafa Files and moved money to a lady that was here a few weeks ago." he said not once blinking nor looking at Dayo as Dayo heart beat suddenly became loud and his blood pressure erratic.

"That person.." then he looked Dayo squarely in the face, pinning him down with the truth "...was you, Dayo." he said.

Infinite Love 72

The Tafa Files

Dayo sat there staring at the ceiling after about two hours of perusing an unauthorized copy of a section of the Tafa Files on his laptop and his brain was still spinning.

There are many that banks and bankers cheat the common man out of their money and he had the past three years at the bank discovered a few of them.

There was the numero zero error tactic where a bank would deliberately input or delete an erroneaus number usually number 0 either in the account number or the amount of the account holder. You would think that mistakenly add a number 0 in someone's account number preventing the account owner access to their hard earned funds would raise a red flag from that person and blow the whole thing up, but you would be surprised; more often than not, it doesn't. The numero cero usually works best in public funds where fictitious or ghost workers are so numerous that some accounts are just another avenue for leaking funds. And some genuine account holders just don't bother going to claim their money.

Another tactic is to delay payment as long as possible to allow interest acrue on the funds to later pay the money and keep the interest. Some bankers are bold enough to get involved with criminals and internet crooks to sell inside information to them. But the worst of them all is the Tafa Files.

Around the time the country became a second republic many funds were invested into the rehabilitation of the police force. One Tafa Ridwan who was then Commissioner for Police who was tasked with this job but soon after another coup occured and Nigeria became a third republic and in the ensuing chaos, the police commissioner quietly embezzled all the money that was meant for armament, vehicles, radios, salaries, houses and renovation of police station and barracks, salaries and widows conpensation of his fellow policemen, hoping that a succession of coups would cover up his misappropriation. But no other coup happened and the country was once again on road to a successful independent country. Later on, eye brows were raised and investigations were launched and a panel found the former Commissioner of Police guilty of embezzlement. But instead of confessing to his crime, the former commission stuck to his story of due diligence and blamed the poor state of the Nigerian Police on the everything else to coups, to attacks from criminals to misuse on the part of the policemen theirselves. So outraged were the policemen in the vicinity that shortly before Tafa was lead out of the court, he was and in less than twenty minutes, Tafa was lynched by his fellow policemen. The outcome of the investigations to discover that fund was never disclosed to the public. But after the panel had retrieved the funds in an offshore swiss bank account connected to Tafa that the leadind members of the panel reembezzled it and split it amongst themselves into many parts and overtime; grew their own embezzled and misappropriated funds likewise, from pensioners gratuities to teachers salaries to funds from uncompleted self awarded government projects.

All safely stored away into personal or business accounts in local banks as a rainy day or retirement funds. The files Dayo had on his computer contained money embezzled from teachers, pensioners and some national agricultural campaign from twelve years ago. Dayo knew all this now but he didn't know the answer to the question.

"What do I do now?" he said for the umpteeth time.
"Do look away as so many others have done before?" which would be the sensible and safest thing to do.

"Or do I give Mrs Oguntokun her husband's funds?"

He thought about it over and over and spun around in his swivel chair hoping for an answer to descend upon him from the heavens. Deep down, he knew what he wanted to do but he questioned himself.

"Can I even do that?" he asked.

"Am I the kind of person to touch stolen money in order to give it to an old lady who is the lawful owner just because she really needs it and I promised her?

He spun around in his swivel chair once again hoping to stop on an answer sent down from heaven.

I'll try.

You're welcome boss.

Infinite Love 71

Employee Of The Month

He brought out his crested handkerchief, the nice one that he never used and offered it to her half expecting her to refuse it but she graciously accepted it saying.

"O se oko mi. Thank you my son." and wiped her tears with it.

"Mama, I am very sorry about all that you are going through it is really tough but I can promise you that I will try my possible best to see that you get all that is yours."

And with that she looked him in the eye, evaluating him for any sign of conviction or insanity.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Dayo."

"...and you work at the bank?"

"Yes, ma."

"Thank you very much, my son. You will not lack in your life." and she held out his handkerchief but he declined it.

"Thank you very much, my son. You will surely grow old."

"Amen, ma. Thank you." and he proceeded to help her with her bag but she declined his help.

"No, my son. I can manage it." and she lifted her bag, straightened her back as much as she can and went her way towards the bus stop.

He watched her for a few minutes, wondering if she believed hm or thought he was just making empty promises to console her. But she had little faith in him, he could tell. He didn't blame her. Something in her expression should someone who had grown to disbelieve people. And guessing from her small history, it was wiser for her to expect little from people. But he hoped to prove her wrong. She was already very wrong to think that he, Dayo would grow old. From his relationship with most people somebody was probably going to murder him before he turns forty five. However, he didn't exactly know why, maybe it was because she reminded him of his late grandmother who would sneak extra sweets into his pocket without letting his other siblings know, or maybe he was a sucker for sad cases. Whatever it was, he was going to do everything he could to get her, her money. And so he became the employee of the month.

He showed up to work bright and early the next day with a different man. A new banker. The type of banker other bankers want to be around. He saluted the security guard.

He greeted his colleagues warmly and he even stamped his right foot on the ground to a military stance of "Attention!" the moment he saw his supervisor who eyed his suspiciously initially then smiled warmly and said.

"At ease, soldier but you were supposed to stamp your left foot to attention."

And they both laughed at his military ineptitude. He also hailed his bank manager with a "Shun sir" Mr Bankole whom he calls Black Santa Claus behind his back and offered to help him carry his briefcase. But he declined and gently patted Dayo on th back and gave him a thumbs up as he climbed up the stairs into his office. Bringing a coffee flask and sharing it with the rest of the workers. He never refused a request or an assistance no matter how benign or idiotic he thought it was of anyone like when Emeka couldn't restart his system by himself. In fact he asked for more work from them. He even put down the toilet seats. He was an absolute delight. Sola mentioned it too.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, i'm fine, my dear."

"Did you get a new girlfriend?"

"But how could ever think of such a thing when I already have you in my life, darling?"

"Oh boy. Shey you don dey smoke?" asked Emeka and he tapped Dayo on the head to make sure that it was properly screwed on tight.

"Bros Emeka, please. Don't do that. I said I'm fine."

"I don't think you are okay o." Emeka said shaking his bald heading which reflected the halls flourescent lighting everywhere like disco dance hall light globe.

Both Dayo and Sola laughed to watch him go.

"Seriously, it's like you're a new person all around. You are just so different."

"Why? I'm just happy and why shouldn't I be, when I have you in my life?"

"Eh hen?" she gasped.

"Now please, let me get back to work so that I can finish helping Emeka and you with your records."

"Ah, alright. Please don't forget to email me as soon as you're done."

"Yes, ma'am." and he saluted making her laugh.

'You're so different." and she left.

He worked late that day, later than usually for a banker due to his workload.

"Oga, you tey tonight o!" said the security guard.

"Yes, Moses. Thank you. I was busy with other people's jobs."

"Eyyah. Hope they will pay you other people's salary sha?"

"For where? Goodnight jare."

But it was the same for the next night and the night after that. He was always helping and asking for more work. You would see him during the day on his colleagues system, helping them restart and install and inputing data to help carry their work or balance their books. He was so helpful that even some of the ended up going home earlier than expected. While he just kept on going home later and later in the night due to work swamps. And his colleagues became carefree with him with their system and Moses was never again surprised to see him go home late again. Until one particular night that he nearly slept in the bank. It was close to their monthly audits and it was expected of every to have their numbers looking good.

"Excuse me, sir. May I come?" he asked his manager.

"Sure! What can I do for you?" Mr Bankole asked getting off the phone makind Dayo suspect it wasn't his wife on the other line.

"I just need to check something on your system real quick. I need to make sure the new balance sheet HQ is not acting up. Some of the guys have complained about it to me."

"Oh really? By all means come and check." and he got off his desk for Dayo.

"No sir, that's not neces..."

"No, no go ahead. And... let me just say that you have been very helpful around here as of late. I want you to know that I appreciate it and keep it up."

"Thank you sir."

"So go ahead. I just need to use the mensroom for a bit." and he keyed in his password to activate his laptop and left the office for Dayo to continue his call. Dayo found that his computer had been idle for a long time with only a few tabs open. Dayo was not surprised. Bank managers operated majorly a supervisor role with little to do. He open the peachtree spreadsheet application, ran a few calcutions on it and found absolutely nothing wrong with it. So he connected his micro USB flash drive, the one that is shaped in the form of a car key slotted it in. He quickly opened a small file and activated it. He copied a few files after a quick search and disconnected the flashdrive.

Mr Bankole came back a few minutes later and asked if everything was fine. He said it was not and to demonstrate he opened a new spreadsheet and pressed Control + S. The spreadsheet page jumped a little bit instead of saving the file and DAyo told him they had to access some documents in the C drive that were under an administrative lock. So Mr Bankole, opened the files and Dayo ran an antivirus on them detecting three malwares. He tried Control + S again and this time the file saved. So, Mr Bankole thanked him before he left. He finally had access to the files he had been looking for all week; The Tafa Files.

Infinite Love 70

It happened in one of those days after his third year at bank.

He hated his job and of the two people he cared most about in the world, one had effectively cut him off from his life. And the other was having the hardest time in the world ever since the loss of his dad. And even though he wanted to help, all he had to offer was money when he had it and he wished he could do more. Michael deserved much more. They were all so happy and beautifully naive in high school and somehow, life had to happen to them individually and collectively. He was part reason he had remained at his slavering soul-sucking desk six days a week and sometimes seven. He was now dead inside. Flesh eating zombies had more sensations than him. All that changed one late afternoon when he saw her.

She was tearing up and he noticed her the minute he came over to Sola's desk. Sola the ebony tanned petite lady in reception was the only one for whom he did not mind her bothering him so much. When bankers realise that you're good at your job then they always seem to get cold feet at doing their own jobs. They all somehow felt that as the IT and Data guy who never attended to clients directly, he must have free time to waste on other workers' jobs. He always tried to help nevetheless, he didn't care about anything so much these days, even his own time, besides he liked to help. At least even if he couldn't Michael or find out where Dayo was at least he could help his colleagues.

Mrs Oguntokun was her name and she was constantly wiping her eyes on the edge of her wrapper as Sola tried to explain to her why she couldn't get her late husband's pension money.

"Mama, e ma ke. Kon se beyen." she said trying to console her "It's not like we don't want to pay you your husband's pension money, it's just that you have to be the 'Next of Kin' before you can collect it from us. Ehn? I am so sorry, ma. I understand your predicament as you have explained it all to well to me and my boss but there is nothing we can do. It is not my fault, ma. You know that I took you to my boss directly so that we could resolve it but like I told you before, things are not done that way, ma. I am so sorry."

Mrs Oguntokun, a septuagenarian, could only wipe her tears muttering under her breath about her woes. And seeing her like that, an old lady of about 78 down on her luck and beaten bravely trying to hide her pain tugged at Dayo's numb heart.

"Hey, Sola, what's going on here? Wh...why is she crying? he asked and she pulled him into corner beside the water dispenser to give him the low down out of everyone else's earshot.

"Dayo, it is really sad and it is days like this that I really hate my job. I swear!"

"Why do you say that? What's the matter?"

"That old lady is Mrs Oguntokun. Her late husband is Samson Oguntokun a retired worker of the Nigerian Railway Cooperation. Being an illeterate, she didn't even know that her late husband had a pension account with us that was opened for him by the government before they got married. It is a miracle that she even found out that the pension account is with us because the government has moved the account about three times already to different banks. Anyways, she has been having health problems because the house she is living in right now is a family house, owned by many members of her late husband's family who now wants to sell it.

It was her one of her grandchildren that found an old salary slip of her late husband that lead her to us. You see her husband's family had been battling her because they felt that she had already collected his pensions and other entitlements."

"Wow. that's terrible!"

"Yes! And the worst thing is crazy thing is...she is actually very wealthy she just doesn't know it yet."

"Wait, how come?"

"Her late husband's pension is over fifty million in cash...And, he had a mortage on a government house on the island that has now been completely paid for from his pension about ten years ago. So now, she has an estimated value of about ninety million naira!"

Whew!" he whistled.

"Then go on. Give it to her now!" he edged her on practically pushing her to the ignorant wealthy old lady.

"I can't, that's the problem. She's not the next of kin."

"Well...who is it then?" but Sola hesitated in revealing confidential information.

"Come on, Sola. You know I'm not like that. I don't care about the money, I'm just curious." she nodded convinced.

It's her three children!"

"Yeah! All she has to do now is bring them all here together with proof of identification and the money is their's!"

"Wow! Hey, you should tell her that!"

"You know I can't do that. It's against banking policy and I could get fired. But I took her took Mr Bankole, upstairs and showed him everything and we found that her late husband is one of the names in the Tafa Files. So he told her that there was nothing we could do since she hasn't any access to the money and dismissed us both."

"That's all?!"

"Can you believe it? I even thought he would make an exception or some due diligence, but yes, that's all he did."

"Wait, so now her money and wealth will remains under the bank's control until God knows when because she didn't come with her children?"

"Shush." and she quickly looked towards Mrs Oguntokun to make she didn't over hear them "Do you want to get me in trouble? You're not new here. You know how bankers guard anything that has to do with the Tafa files? The estimated unclaimed wealth in those files number in trillions!"

"Oh my God!" he gasped and she nodded at him.

"Well, I should go dismiss her. God, this is so unfair! I am not of one the clique reaping the benefits from those files but I am the one that is doing their dirty work." she sighed and Dayo watched her walk up to the old woman and even though he couldn't hear what was said, he knew what she said and stood transfixed as he watched the old lady calmly stand up, straighten her blouse and undid her wrapper to re-tie it around her waist. She re-did her head wrapper and watched as she calmly walked slightly bent at the back towards the door. Salisu, the bank's doorman/security helped her and collected her sole item which was her plastic handbag as she went through the metal detector glass door.

Whether it was his detest for cooperate malpractices or his heart suddenly coming to life in sympathy for the old lady or both. Suddenly, Dayo sprang back upstairs to his office to pick his phone, a pen and a paper and then he went out the back door after Mrs Oguntokun.

He found her quickly enough. She was bent over against a wall beside the bank. He couldn't tell if it was her bad knee hurting her or her grief over her predicament or both that had her in that position, he just approached her.

"Erm, Mama. E kaa san. E jo ema binu. My name is Dayo, I work in the bank. Please tell me what the problem is?"

She looked up gradually to his face and slowly stood up as straight as she could against the wall and began;
"Do you work in this bank?"

"Yes ma."

"O se, oko mi. Thank you my son. My late husband had told me everything and he used to make me keep everything he recieved from his work. Every single paper. Whether it is promotion o or salary slip. But you know I didn't know what most of them meant because I cannot read nor write..."

"I understand, ma."

"...so I just kept them and kept them even after he died. He told me he had a house that he was buying from the government and that they were keeping his pension for him after he retired. But after he died I just assumed that all those things were gone. And I couldn't get them again. But recently, he brothers and the rest of his family members are calling me a witch saying that I killed my husband and spent the money. They have even threatened to evict me from their family house. The one that I have lived with my husband for many years. It was some of my grandchildren that were playing in my cupboard and spilled all my late husband's documents for my daughter to find them again and after searching many places before here, she told me to come here and now they say that I can't have the money." and she began crying.

Thanks. I will.

Thanks guys.

Infinite Love 69

Robin Hood

The third time Dayo should have been fired was when he got caught.

It happened during his third year at the bank. It was his lowest point there and in his life. His life had taken wrong turn somewhere and suddenly, he was stuck at a job he never wanted and just plain hated. Truth be told he wasn't sure what he wanted to do in his life but he always knew that he would be in IT at a company he loved like Andela or Google. He only took the bank job as a part-time gig. It seemed like a good idea at the time, Micheal agreed. He didn't know his part-time gig would take all of his time and pin him down for over three years.

"Why am I still here?" he asked himself constantly.

He really couldn't say. He didn't like it but he was stuck in it. How did that happen? It certainly wasn't there because of the money. His salary was a paltry sum barely enough to covered basic amenities. So the bank encouraged them to take out loans to get everything the wanted; house, cars, clothes everthing was on loan. The bank basically shoved it down their throats, threatening them on promoting the bank's image. And to do that they must get loans.

"What the Bleep?" he hissed "if the bank was so goddamned concerned about my appearance they can damn well raise my salary not shove loans down my throat." he responed to supervisor one day after she had given him a hard over wearing a tshirt to work.

It was all a scam. The appearance bit and he was fortunate enough to see through it during his first year. He had already taken out loans for clothing before he realised it but he swiftly managed to pay it off within three months. He remembered the look on his colleague the senior account manager's face when he did so. The poor thought he had initially come to take up more loans but when he declined, his smiling face fell into a sad expression and he gave Dayo a half hour lecture about upholding the bank's public image through staffs appearance before he finally accepted Dayo's money. Others were not so lucky.

Most thought that the bank was being generous, leaving such huge amounts in their disposal. By their second year, it becomes clear. The loan was a scam to entrap workers into becoming knee deep indebted to the bank. The only way to pay back the bank is to work for the bank. Effectively entrapping theirselves whether they liked it or not. One guy, bought a big car. Big mistake. The mechanic bills alone, without the fuel money secured that he would be working for the bank until his kids twentieth birthday.
But, Dayo wasn't indebted to the bank so why was he still there.

It certainly couldn't be the salary, he usually gave it out. Michael always said that his one defining quality was that he never cared about money and he didn't. Most of his salary went to other people. His sisters for one. They can't stand his sharp wit and constant rebeliousness but they always took his money. They were mostly married and soon after he secured his job they suddenly became more tolerant of his disaggreable nature began calling him for all manner of assistances from help with rent money to help with school fees.

"Out of curiosity, Anty Shola, what about your husband? Is he never going to help with your...his own children's school fees" he usually asked.

"Oh, O tun ti bere! You have started again, abi Dayo? I told you the last time that he was fired from his last job and for now he is looking to start a business. When we start he will pay you back everything now. So, just help with this one, ehn? I will pay you back."

He never liked his sisters, not one of them. But, he always did whatever he could to help them and so, he always gave out money to them. Michael, too. When his mother was seriously ill, he was the one that Michael ran to at the time and he loved helping his friends and family. That was it really. He loved helping his friends and family and the bank allowed him to do that. So he stayed. So, he imagined he was stuck there.

Working with people he didn't like. Who played on people's trust and carried out sharp practices with their money.