Living In The Ghetto - Episode 8

 

It was Papa Chimaobim, with smiles plastered all over his face. His face glowed in happiness as he watched his wife stared unaware till she responded to stimuli and turned toward him.

"This is unusual. What are you doing out here at this time?" Papa Chimaobim asked.

Her body wobbled before she regained her balance and held her husband on her shoulder. Her face glowed in smile . "Oh, my dear, how are you?" she asked flippantly.

"What are you doing out here? It's late. Seems you are having fun watching them go on with their various activities," Papa Chimaobim said. He turned and looked around, while his smile was muffled.

He placed his hand on his wife shoulder and they made to walk home. Their hands gripped together, while they swung and chattered as they kept walking. They walked few steps and were stopped by two men who held bottles in their hands. They staggered back slowly, while trying to adjust their trousers. One would guess they just finished urinating.

"Egbon, good evening," one greeted, while his hand stuck in the air.

"Same to you," Papa Chimaobim said and gestured with a wave. 

Mama Chimaobim smiled lightly, and pushed back her hair that had moved back slowly.

"Chairman, anything for dem boys?" the other asked.

Papa Chimaobim shook his head and wanted to place his hand into his pocket but noticed he wasn't with anything less than five hundred naira. I don't have enough money to give these guys

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. Just five hundred naira and I can't spare that. It's not like they will stop disturbing me when they see me other time, he thought. He signalled his wife. He watched them closely and noticed how their eyes were fixated at him while their mouth moved slowly in succession. He guessed they were imagining the amount he will bring out from his pocket.

Mama Chimaobim handed two hundred naira she had gripped into her hands to her husband.

"Have it," Papa Chimaobim said, stretching his hand. They both made for it, but one grabbed it first.

They raised their hands up, hailing him in Yoruba while Mama Chimaobim and her husband gestured at them. "Ah! Egbon, your government is loyal. You sabi. You and your wife go dey enjoy good things."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you..." Papa Chimaobim kept muttering with his hands in air. Mama Chimaobim smiled all through.

Walking into the house, Papa Chimaobim sat tirelessly on the bed while his wife arranged his briefcase by the side of the room. She stood at the side while waiting to pick up the attires her husband would loosen. He flung the shoes first, then loosened the tie before he pulled it off. Mama Chimaobim picked them after one another till he had finally freed up and she served him his food.

She sat beside her husband and watched him eat the food slowly. While he ate, she turned and stared at their children. Chimaobim snored lowly, while Adanne moved slightly at every intervals.

Mama Chimaobim smiled as she watched them happily. They were her source of happiness. When she thought her hopes were lost, they remind her of the hopes and she grins her, flaunting her gap tooth. Her husband has been her support system as they always hold hands to brood together when their thoughts are conflicting.

***
The cock crowed. It was morning. Mama Chimaobim opened her eyes and stretched all her body while lying on the bed. The window was wide open. Papa Chimaobim was gone to work. He did side jobs on Saturdays.

Read " Resuscitated Hope " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. The light blue curtain was folded and hung by the side of the window.

She looked out from the window and the day had brightened baring its full beauty. The sun sprouted in its glory and shone in its fullest. Her neighbor yelled at her children as they ran to meet her and she stretched the ear of the elder one.

"I said don't do that again. Don't go there again but you don't want to hear word, zainobu," she barked. She stretched the islamic name "Zainab" and pronounced it in her own intonation, allowing her local tongue to interfere.

The little boy gawked at his mother, as she warned his sister and pointed him occasionally. Mama Chimaobim shook her head. She tapped Adanne and Chimaobim one after the other. "Ngwanu, wake up. It's morning already," she said. 

They grumbled before they woke up. Adanne sprouted out from the bed quickly while Chimaobim stretched himself but made to lie down again, but their mother tapped him. He shook his body before he finally stood up and delayed for minutes before he walked out of the room.