NKEM 23
Two knocks at her door and it opened gingerly. A face emerged. It was a man's whom Gladys did not recognize. There was disdain written over his face. He was shirtless and wore only 'boxers' that showed the imprint of the length of his manhood. Gladys tore her eyes away from it and rested them back on the face of the stranger. He had a young face with a thin layer of beard and mustache that joined together and met at his temples. He had a pointed nose whose nostrils were so narrow making Gladys wonder how air got in and out of them. She knew he was one of Sarah's shags as she used to call them. Sarah is notorious for changing men like clothes. No matter how Gladys complained, Sarah would always say that she was using them to buy time until she was ready for marriage.
"Yes?", he said hastily. His voice was a deep baritone that seemed older than his age or coming from outside of him.
"Where is Sarah', Gladys asked casually, her temper slightly rising with irritation.
"Who are you and what do you want with her?"
His questions were getting on her nerves. The last thing she wanted was to stand outside and be questioned by a stranger on the room she paid its rent. Before she could answer him, a woman called her name. She turned to face the landlady who was all smiles as they hugged. The children stared, waiting impatiently for Gladys goodies. She told them with her eyes to be patient. They nodded and smiled at her.
"You're back", she asked holding her by the arm.
"Yes ma".
"How are our people in the village?", the landlady said. She is fond of asking about people in this way as though she were a member of that family. She is an Ijebu woman whose Yoruba is heavily lacerated with the Ijebu dialect. She is a large woman with a boisterous voice. When she is speaking, her voice could get outside of the compound. Many of her defaulting tenants usually avoid being caught with her before they could leave the house because the world would immediately know that they were behind in their rents.
The landlady was distracted by the cough coming from Gladys' room and so used that opportunity to draw Gladys away from the door. When they were out of earshot, she switched to Yoruba which Gladys understood perfectly well.
"That boy in your room has been staying with your friend for close to a month. I don't know what a young man of his kind is doing in a woman's room without going out to work. He stays indoors all day. He only comes out when he wants to use the toilet or have his bath. I can't talk about it to your friend so that she won't accuse me of poking my nose in her matter."
Gladys sighed. The woman paused awhile to see the effect of her statement on Gladys. Gladys became angry at her friend who had turned her room to some sort of brothel where a man can come and spend that length of time.
"Look at you now. You just arrived and you need to knock at your own door before you could enter. You shouldn't let this madness of your friend continue. It is a shameful thing for a woman to have a man not married to her to touch her, let alone spend that length of time. I just said I should let you know. A decent lady is not supposed to be doing that."
She noticed the children and gave a knowing smile.
"All your children are waiting for you", she announced pointing at them.
"Ah, yes o", I will answer them without delay.
When she got back to the door, the stranger was standing outside the door. He was now wearing a brown shirt and a baggy trouser that gave him a funny look.
"You are Gladys", he announced warming up to her with a smile. Gladys didn't answer but gave him a blank stare.
"I am sorry I didn't know you were the one. Sarah only told me there was a friend of hers whose name is Gladys. That is all I know. And in any case we weren't expecting you".
When Gladys still hadn't said anything, he became self consciously shy. He stepped away from the door while Gladys drew near and opened the door.
Everything in the room was looking as it should except for a few things that had been added. There was a new shoe rack hanging on the wall to the left of the door. A little cupboard had replaced the big one which stood below the shoe rack facing the neatly laid bed standing three inches from the carpeted floor. A single sofa is opposite the bed and a table stands between it and the bed. Before this is a wooden shelf with a new Sharp colour television standing on it. To the left and right of the shelf are books neatly stacked. Gladys reached into her bag and brought out two packs of cabin biscuit which she distributed equally to the delighted children. As soon as each got his share, he ran off eating it. She set the remaining biscuit on the table and buried her her head in her palm. She noticed the ceiling had reduced its velocity. She looked up and noticed that power had been interrupted and the heat was becoming unbearable.
She undressed, took a towel, tied it firmly above her breasts, took a bucket behind the door and proceeded out. She was surprised to still find him standing with his back on the wall.
"Where is Sarah?", she asked.
He looked up at her with a smile.
"She has gone to work but she would soon be here. The traffic must be delaying her return". He added quickly, "I am sorry for earlier".
"It is okay. I want to take a shower.
"Okay. By the way, my name is Benson but you can call me Ben."
He stretched his hand, Gladys took it. His grip was firm. He shook her hand and then released it.
