Sir. I want to covert some money. Yes, what currency is that “It is Dollar “. The man pointed to a door that was locked, knock before you open. He will attend to you. He went straight to the door. He knocked, waited for a little time belore he opened the door. “Young man can I help you? “I was directed to meet you”. Do you have a foreign currency Yes he replied.
He brought out the Dollar and gave it to the man. He placed it under a security light to check if it was genuine. He nodded his head and smiled at Okorie. Your exchange is One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Kudos. Young man you are rich, I will like you to Bank with us. and you will never regret it. “He brought out a piece of paper. wrote down some words handed the paper to him. Go to the cashier for your money”. He left the room with doubt and handed the note to the cashier. He counted the money brought out a black nylon bag and put the money and handed it over to Okorie. He held it strongly because it was heavy.
Is all these for me or for the community He did not know whether to go to his house or Alice’s house or remain in the Bank. Many thoughts rushed into his memory and he began to sweat profusely. He managed to stop a ..Bike”、”Where you dey go..? Igbouku village, Okay, Oya, enter. The man sped off.
He got home, paid the Bike man and went into his house. He kept the money behind the bag that Alice gave him and sat on the cushion. He had concluded in his mind that he will explain to Mercy the situation and promise that after the marriage Alice will travel back and they will continue to live their normal life. He had driven a vehicle for more than ten years and he had nothing to show for it.
His children were always sent home because of school fees. He had been living under stress. “I think God wants to raise me up. He remarked”. He had decided to give the family members twenty thousand out of the money before presenting his case. He will settle mercy with petty trading at the front of their house to take care of their children.
Alice had told him that he should settle every problem before she comes back from the city. She was going to return the Mercedes Benz that she bought. She had asked Okorie to come on Saturday morning.
Mercy came back and saw the bag and the black nylon. “Who brought those things in the house? I brought them, it is for a purpose. I will tell you everything tomorrow. Don’t ask any
further questions about it. But your countenance has changed. I hope nothing is wrong I will answer all your questions tomorrow morning Okay’ She went to the Kitchen, prepared food as usual and served the husband. Early in the morning. Okorie woke his wife and sat down. Please, I want to tell you something that has been bothering me since all these days. I hope you will see the reasons with me.
Darling, I am all ears. I can no longer hold it to myself. So, let me tell you, I told you before we married, ten years ago about Alice who had travelled and forgotten me. That same Alice is back and is requesting my hand in Marriage “Ma what?” she asked, wait a minute; I want us to reason together and see how we can use her wealth to better our conditions. After all, nobody will like to swim in abject poverty till death. Okay, tell me more.
If we get married, I will not leave you. I will remain with you, while she will go back to America. We will be riding the car and be spending the money on ourselves. Life will go on like that. “Lizard says that no matter how ugly he looks like, he does not eat a night. I am not interested in anybody’s wealth, I can struggle for myself and make a living I am not in support of any decision you may wish to take. But mind you that “those who ride on the Tigers Back will one day end their life in the Tiger’s Belly”.
I have opened my eyes to watch and pray. Have you forgotten what our father said on our wedding day? That what God had joined together let no man put asunder”. Okorie was looking at the wife like a hallucinated person. He could not open his mouth. He placed his left hand under his jaw: Okorie had made up his mind to go on with the proposed marriage.
He had seen a bright opportunity in life and he will never miss it Posterity will not forgive him if he fails to utilize this opportunity I know you will not understand” he said. I want to run away from poverty. Look at the money she gave to me Throughout my life as a driver I had never seen such an amount. You cannot even see much money in the whole village. So let’s reason together. I will not be a party to it.
Mercy remarked She left the sitting room and started weeping. Okorie went to his uncle’s house where he had summoned a meeting. They were all seated waiting for him. He greeted everybody and sat on a bench close to the door. Amechi cleared his throat and said. you ask me to summon this meeting. What have you to tell us? Before you begin, give them some money so that they can bring a bottle of local gin. “He brought out money handed it over and sat down Now, you can talk, the youngest among them was busy serving the kola nuts.
My elders’ brothers and everybody here present. I summoned this meeting because of what I want to do. I want to marry a second wife. You all know Alice. Okonji’s daughter. The one that came from the white man’s land? Yes he replied, we know her they echoed. she had brought everything for the marriage. I want to inform everybody so that you will not be surprised at my action·”You have spoken well”. Iweka said Presently I am married to three wives and all of us are living together in peace and harmony Only I will advise you not to abandon the old hole or cover it because you have seen a new one. I have to stop there.
Amechi, the eldest among them asked – are you not a Christian? Daddy, I am a Christian. How many times does a
Christian marry? Well am supposed to marry once but if palm wine tree changes its course of producing wine the drinkers will still change their mood of drinking it”. Okay is it a traditional marriage or you will carry us to the church again. Papa only time will tell Before he finished Iweka stood up and sand. Nnayin Amechi your question is too much. “It is the cloths that they bring to the River that the River has to wash”; it does not ask if there are other clothes at home. Our brother is not a boy: so let him do whatever that pleases him. Do you know why I was asking those questions, Ameachi continued Our people say that any person that asks questions does not miss his way, we have heard you.
Okoye was raising up his hand, let us hear Mazi Okoye, “he finished the local Gin in his hand and began.” Before our brother Okorie came here to give us this information, he knew fully well that he was a Christian so “if a man roasts a yam with deceit you will peel the yam with a deceitful knife”, I will not like to soil the mind of any person. We have heard from you.
“If any person that owns a cry begins to cry others will join him or her. I have personally supported the idea, Okorie brought out 5 bundles of money placed it on the table. This is for you people Share it among everybody that is present here; don’t give me”, Iweka stretched out his hand and shook Okorie, vehemently”. You are a man, “if a man excretes, he sharpens its edge”, I did not know you were as prepared as his. We have accepted your kola, even before you left your home, it will be well with you, and the ground on which we have eaten will not get spoilt. “One person did not talk throughout the meeting. His name was Okwurinka, he cleared his throat greeted everybody and said”. I was once a mass servant at our church here, I know that what my brother is about to do is wrong.
