THE GIFT AND THE GIVER PART 3

Thomas Paine is Femi Buju’s friend. They have the same behaviours and they look alike.  Both have the masculine built and a sleek look like a child groomed in the Buckingham palace. They speak only Queen’s English but they are both from Ilesa in Osun state Nigeria. Femi was a year my junior in the university thus when I met him at Transcorp I knew I’ve seen this face before. I really came to buy ticket for my boss that day for a flight to Lagos the next day. I saw Femi wearing a short in a hotel lobby like he lodged in a Hilton hotel. After the salutations we proceeded to the tenth floor and there I met Thomas Paine. 

I’m Thomas; Thomas Paine he said. I’m Fred…… nice he said and we continued at the balcony as we exchanged cards and greetings. I heard a voice call Thomas from the room but the noise we were making didn’t allow him answer on time. This made the woman come out all wrapped up in her duvet obviously with nothing underneath. Thomas wanted to use me as an excuse thus he introduced me to her. This is my childhood friend; his name is Fred. We schooled in U.K together then, but while he was in Manchester, I was in Newcastle and this is my baby Madame Aminat Danjuma. The skill was perfect and I had to play along. Suddenly I became someone else and everything was going on as he wanted.  He continued the introduction till a point he walked back to the balcony and jumped at me like I needed the play as he said…..  Fred you know what, my sweetheart has gotten someone for you and they both would be expecting you later tonight. Go get that your shit done with the chairman and be back bro. he gave a tap on my shoulder and with a $1000 handshake I was on my way downstairs. 

Femi continued to explain how they have to live this kind of life based on the hardship in Nigeria. They have deluded themselves into someone else. Fred make I tell you “I don’t even know who I am again”. I can be the child of a king tomorrow and next I’m the heir to the throne of the great Mali dynasty. Now to these women I’m chief Igginnedio’s son. I know it will be over soon. I tried to advice him but it won’t come out. How can you advice someone that paid you your two months’ salary for a ten minutes visit. With $1000 in my pocket I forgot what my boss sent me. I needed to close on time and resume at Hilton.  It was when the security man opened the gate at my office yard that I remembered I forgot to buy the ticket my boss sent me. But to lie wasn’t a problem anymore.

That same woman is now my supposed girlfriend’s mother. Good morning ma. Good morning dear how are you? She said and the greetings followed suit. She asked if I have ever met her before and I answered I can’t place it too but it seems the face is familiar. She tried to remember until she asked me if I knew Thomas Paine and with a feeling of trying to remember I said yeah. I don’t forget faces she said and she was happier knowing me before. She walked close to me and gave me a hug. The daughter asked her: mummy who is Thomas again. Hmmmm, my dear that was my former boyfriend but no longer. He was cheating with Alhaja and I’m not ready for all those troubles. She stood up and her daughter followed as they laughed inside the room after a Hausa joke.  This moment I knew I was about getting into some troubles.  

I had to wait another forty minutes for Marian to get ready and off to work we both went. Should I tell her the truth about her mum? Does she know her mum sleeps with young boys? The thought roamed my mind a while until I decided I was going to tell her the truth. 

Marian see: your mum was having an affair or so with a friend of mine and I didn’t know you then. I bumped into them when I went to Trancorp Hilton to book a flight for my boss one day, but she thought I was also into those kinds of things. I don’t sleep with married women for money and I promise I wouldn’t try it at any time. Although I was told to come back later in the evening but I didn’t go.

She got angry and told me to stop the car. I did and looked at her in surprise as she stepped out. I came down and she crossed the road. She stopped a car and off she went. I’m late for work; I’m with the office’s official vehicle, I’ve lost Marian based on what I just said and now I’m in hot soup.

I picked up my phone and called Rachel again, and this time the number was not reachable