The Village Gardner

Episode 3

Uche my friend visited me the following day.

ME.uche how far na.

UCHE.odimma my brother.

ME.abeg come sit down.i have some palm wine and dry bush meat here.

UCHE.abeg abeg.bring them come.that is why i like coming here.you always have something for me.

ME.na so na.u no say u be my boy.

UCHE.come gbafue here.who be ur boy.u no dey fear o.

ME.lee kwanu dis boy o.u don forget say na me senior you.

UCHE.no be only one week.u take senior me.that one no mean anything na.

ME.atleast.i senior you na.one week no be moi moi o.you suppose to dey call me dee.(big brother).

UCHE.i don hear. dee.

ME.ehee.na now u come.so how tinz na.

UCHE.no bad o.

ME.guess what.sip palm wine.

UCHE.erm.let me guess.you done give uzoma belle abi.

ME.if i say devil punish u.you go say i don curse you.how u go dey guess that kind thing na.

UCHE.no be you say make i guess.laughs.

ME.you no serious.na this book wey u no no they affect you brain.

UCHE.abeg tobe.no insult me o.i take God beg you.beside me and you who sabi book pass.

ME.na me na.you stop at jss3.while me stop at ss1.so na me sabi book pass you.

UCHE.make i tell you.no be like that them they judge o.

ME.eeh.atleast.i pass you for class.

UCHE.mitchew.abeg make we talk another thing joor.wetin be that you want been tell me.

ME.ehee.Tochi done agree to be my girlfriend.(i said smiling).

UCHE.you mean na.chineke mee. Tobe your own done better o.so you done finally get girlfriends.

ME.not girlfriends.rather girlfriend.

UCHE.i done hear.nwa teacher.na i too know go kill you. So tell me how you take do am.

ME.i toast am na.with the big big grammer wey i know and she agree to be my babes abi baby.

UCHE.hmm.your own done better o.

ME.yes na.i even wan marry her very soon.

UCHE.why so soon.

ME.my grand mother.said she want to carry her grand children before she go die.that is why i want to marry her.ASAP.

UCHE.eayeah.no problem na.i dey ur back.no shaking.

ME.thank you joor.but the problem now is.i don’t have enough money to pay her bride prize.

UCHE.that one no go be problem na.we go hustle together.i go even support you any how.

ME.i dey find.were i fit get better work wey go give me money.

UCHE.i get one place for you.

ME.were na.abeg tell me.

UCHE.shebi you know high chief simon.

ME.yes na.who else in this community that doesn’t know chief simon.(chief simon is one of the richest men we have in our community.i don’t know much about him.all i know is that he is very rich.he always come home once or twice in a year.

UCHE.he came back from city yesterday.with that him fine daughter wey remember oyibo he is looking for who will help him clear some grases in his compound.and he will pay the person.are you interested?.

ME.of course yes na.me wey dey find money.i dey interested o.

UCHE.okay.tomorrow.me and you go go see the man.

ME.no problem.thank you for the information.

UCHE.no wahala.what are we friends for.

FAST FORWARD TO TOMORROW.

uche and i.started our journey to chief simon duplex.on our way i saw uzoma.

UZOMA.brother tobe weldone.

ME.uzoma.kedu otu imere.(how are you).

UZOMA.odimma.(fine)i dey look for you.

ME.you dey look for me?hope no problem.

UZOMA.no ploblem.(problem).

ME.then why are you looking for me?.

UZOMA.i want help you wash your clothes.and also cook for mama ukwuu.(she said smiling).

ME.is that so?.

UZOMA.yes.is the so.(english don suffer)

ME.okay.i have heard you.thanks for your offer.but i don’t need your help.if i want to wash my clothes.i will call my tochi to help me do that.

UZOMA.(she frown her face)so tochi is better than me.akwa ya.

ME.i did not say that.you just said it.

UZOMA.but your mama ukwuu.said that you will marry me.and i love your.i want to marry you.

ME.please uzoma.carry your love dey go.i want to marry tochi and not you.beside is not grand mother that will choose for me.whom to marry.

UZOMA.(she started shedding tears)i will go and tell mama ukwuu what you just said. She ran away.

UCHE.clear throato boy.i no fit laugh.

ME.weting happen?.

UCHE.u no hear wetin she talk.she said she want marry you.chai!see love.

ME.abeg make we dey go.no mind that girl.no be me she go marry.

AT CHIEF SIMON’S RESIDENCE.