I HAVE DRUNK STRANGE WATERS

EPISODE 1

The sun was slowly giving way for the moon to shine when he parked his rickety NAPEP known as (Maruwa) at the front of my umbrella where I sell recharge cards and call services by the road. It was not a weekend and business was slow that day so it was with an appreciative smile that I greeted him.

“How can I help you, Sir?”

“I want to make a call, how much do you charge per minute?”

“20 Naira Sir,” I said as I handed over the phone to him.

I watched him dial the number and plastered the phone to his ears. Because the spot was close to the main road I was always careful and on the lookout for petty thieves who delight in stealing phones from unsuspecting sales girls.

I couldn’t hear him because his voice was low, but it was obvious he was calling his lover; I was hearing “dear” “Sweetie” as the winds blow snatches of their conversation to my ears.

I was smiling inwardly as seconds rolled into minutes; the long calls meant I get to make more money. He rounded up his conversation a few minutes later and handed over the phone to me smiling.

“I am done, you can check the minutes now”

I looked through the phone and saw about 8 minutes. “Your money is #160 Sir, you spent 8 minutes”

He dipped his hands into his pocket to bring out the money. I noticed that was the first time he came around to make calls and I wanted customers like him to come again, so I tried to make a little conversation.

“You must be calling your girlfriend, men don’t talk to their wives that way; you were all sweetness,” I said with an innocent smile.

I expected him to just return the smile and hand over the money; I was surprised when he replied.

“Of course, I won't talk that way to my wife because she is a witch”

I was taken back at his response and I was curious at the same time.

“A witch? Don’t men refer to all women as witches? That is how men used to talk” I said jokingly.

Then he suddenly looked serious “She is a real witch. I went through hell, she almost killed me”

I began to take him seriously because he has a strange hunted look on his face now. I wanted to know more so I pressed on. I took a good look at him and discovered that he is a middle-aged man: probably in his late 40s. I suddenly started reading meaning into his tattered and unkempt look.

“Why did you say she is a witch?” I said slowly.

He sat down on the wooden bench I kept for my customers and the hunted look became more pronounced. He suddenly shoved back his shirt to reveal his arm.

“She burnt me with hot iron several times and even bite me when I am asleep, I had to escape for my life” he said trembling.

I sat on a separate white chair I kept for myself and a scene flashed to my mind. I remembered what happened when I attended a screening interview for the Head girl position in school, I was being interviewed by a panel consisting of mainly teachers when my economics teacher suddenly asked a question out of the blue.

“You said you want to become a lawyer, Why law out of all the professions on earth?”

“Because I want to defend the poor, weak, and helpless” I replied.

“What if someone has really committed murder, and she comes to you for help will you defend such a person? Will you be her lawyer knowing fully well that she is guilty?”

“Yes”

“Why?”

“Because there is always a reason behind every action, she won’t just wake up and decide to be a murderer. The reason is what I want the world to know” I whispered.

I was given the position of head girl but I didn’t end up studying law. Whatever happened between them I want to know why she was devious enough to harm her husband.

 “Why did she suddenly become a witch overnight?”

“What was she like when you married her?” I asked the man slowly.

“My wife? She was charming"

To be continued…

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