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Continued

As I entered the house, He said to me Go into the kitchen and touch nothing, so abruptly that my whole body system shut down for a full second. When I recovered, I entered the kitchen. It was lit by candle light, Oh my Lord! I thought, No power, How the heck am I to survive here. I looked about the kitchen, it was the barest room I’d ever seen, with a couple of plates and tins in one corner, a big wash bowl and a stove, there was also a big blue barrel at another corner. I held my backpack in one arm and a great wave of regret washed over me. I don’t know what he went to do, but he rejoined me in the kitchen after a few minutes.

Are you strong? He asked, glancing at about the level of my knee as he sat down at a very rickety make-shift dining table. You can eat that food right there. I felt a ripple of disgust allover me, I told him I thought it was his own supper.
Oh he said, I can do fine without it. I will just take my gin. It helps my cough. I looked at the “food” which I figured was rice and some sort of reddish brown sauce. I shook my head, I would rather drink water and sleep, given that he even has a clean glass of water. I saw him down a full cup of “gin” then he said, Lets see the letter. I told him the letter was for Chief Obidike, not him.

And who do you think I am? He said, his eyes threatening to pop out. Give me Ikenna’s Letter!

You know my father’s name?!! I said,

It would be strange if I didn’t, he retorted, he is my brother, the same mother, the same father. And whether you don’t like me or my house, I am your blood uncle, Chima, my man and you are my nephew. So give us the letter and fill your stomach.

Aah my stomach was completely filled, almost bursting at the seams, I had, had enough of this man and everything, now only for him to be my Uncle! If I had been some years younger, what with shame, weariness and disappointment, I believe I had burst into tears. Since I could find no words, neither black nor white, I handed him the letter and sat down, my eyes eyeing the rice meal and decided on it, with so little appetite, my taste buds could as well have been malfunctioning.

Meanwhile my uncle stooping over his drink, turned the letter over and over in his hands.
Do you know what is inside he asked?
You have seen it for yourself sir, I replied, the seal wasn’t broken.
Yes, he said, but what brought you here
To give the letter, I said
No he said cunningly, you must have had some hopes, no doubt?
I guess sir, I was told my relatives were very wealth, and I had the hope that they might help me in life, but im not a beggar and im not looking for favors and I want none that isn’t given freely. I have some money of my own; I have friends who are ready to help me because I still need to go to the university.

He looked at me and gave a small nod, the cap on his head bobbing left-right. If you are thirsty he said, you will find water in that barrel behind the door.

To this I said nothing, standing stiffly on my two feet and looking down upon my uncle with a very heavy angry heart, while he on his part continued to nurse his “gin” like a man under some pressure of time, and to throw out little glances at my sneakers and now at my jeans and watch. Only once, when he ventured to look higher, our eyes met and no thief taken with a hand in a man’s pocket could have shown a better sign of distress. This really got me thinking, whether his timidity came from the fact of being so alone and whether perhaps , he may change into any person altogether, a Hyde and Jkyll type behavior. Weird man! From this muse I was awakened by his sharp grating voice.

Your Father has been dead, how long?
Three weeks, sir, I replied

He was so secretive, Ikenna, such a tight mouthed man. He continued, He never said much when we were kids and im sure he never spoke about me?

I never knew sir, until you told me, that my dad had a brother.

Chineke! Sam exclaimed nor of the Chukwudis?
Not so much sir, I said

To think of this! He exclaimed a strange man that Ikenna.

For all this, he seemed singularly satisfied, but whether with himself or me or with my fathers behavior was more than I could tell. He surely seemed to be outgrowing that distaste that he had conceived when he first saw me, because he jumped up, came across the kitchen and hit me with a smack on the shoulder, We will agree well! He cried im glad I let you in! Now come to your bed.

To my surprise, he did not light any candle or carry the one in the kitchen, but went through the dark passage, groping his way, breathing deeply up a flight of stairs and paused before a door which he unlocked , I was close behind him, having stumbled after him as best as I could hurling my backpack along, he told me that was my room, I begged him for a candle

No he said, the moon is full and bright.

Whether there’s a moon or star,Sir, I complained, its pitch black and I cannot see the bed.

I don’t agree with lights in the house, I don’t want any fires. Goodnight Chima, my man.

And before i had time to add a further protest, he pulled the door and I heard him lock me from the outside.
I did not know whether to laugh or cry. The room felt colder than Alaska in winter and the bed when I had found my way to it, was as damp as a sponge in the atlantic, but I was happy I had in my backpack some light blanket, I rolled my self in that, lay down on the floor near the bed, with my backpack as a pillow. i fell asleep quickly.


Jas, i hope you wont cut my head off now