Thorns In My Boot

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 14

I was summoned by the D.P.O after three days

on return from the Military Barracks in Enugu, I

was wearing only Boxers. I stood before him

trembling out of cold and fear of the unknown; I

had slept on bare floor without any covering all

night.

Soldier man! Are you ready to confess now? He

bellowed

Sir! I have told you the whole truth! God is my

witness; I said

Hmm, my friend, if you know the gravity of your

offence, you would say the truth! Say the truth

now so that I can help you now that you are still

here, the earlier you did that, the better for all of

us! He said.

Oga! Do you want me to implicate myself? I

asked

Are you not implicated already! He shouted; look

at this mumu o! You claimed you bought a stolen

car! Is that not implicating already.

Okay sir! But what about the Man that sold the

Car to me? Have you gotten him? He is the best

place to help with your investigation! I am just a

victim of circumstance! Oga please help me I

beg you! I pleaded.

Look! Soldier boy; heaven help those who help

themselves, he said; the so called Mr. Chike has

run away! His Shop is closed down and empty

and none of the traders are willing to disclose

his where- about to the Police. We went to his

house and the Land lord said he had relocated to

an unknown destination! So do you want us to

do? To perform magic?

Jesu Christi o! I shouted; I am done for! Oga I

am dead! The only link to my freedom has run

away and the Police cannot do anything about it!

Ha! Oga what becomes of me sir?

You are the only Suspect available, and most

likely you will bear the consequence of your

crime! He said firmly.

My crime? What crime did I commit? I did not

steal the Car; I did not rob or kill anybody! Oga I

am not a criminal o! Please save me; I pleaded.

Buying a stolen Car is a crime in Nigeria, you are

as guilty as the thief himself, even if we

apprehend Chike now, you still have a case to

answer because you should have investigated the

source of the car you were buying, if it was a

Tokunbo car you would see the Papers, if it was

second hand, then you would request to see the

real owner and get a transfer of ownership letter

from him! You did not do either of these,

because you wear Army uniform you think you

are above the law! He explained.

But Oga I never knew it was a stolen Car! I

never knew! I pleaded.

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse Soldier

Boy! You should have investigated the source of

the Car! Perhaps if you had tried registering the

Car, you would have been told of the necessary

documents to get especially the transfer of

ownership letter, but you never did! You think you

are above the law! He repeated.

A green fly buzzed in and perched on rim of the

glass of water on his table, this irritated him and

he stared at the fly with obvious anger, then he

looked at me; did you poo on your body again?

He asked.

No sir! I replied.

Did you mess? He asked.

No sir! I did not fart sir!

He slapped the fly but it flew away, monster had

put his weight in the slap and the table was

pushed backwards spilling the contents on it to

the floor.

I hate flies! I hate flies! Especially these green

ones! Or has a Rat died here again? Constable!

He shouted.

A young Police Boy ran into the Office.

Get a long broom quickly! Monster commanded.

The Boy dashed out of the Office.

Monster took a newspaper from the documents

that fell on the floor, he folded it into half and he

began to chase the green fly about the Office.

I will kill you today! He swore under his breath as

he bounced after the terrified fly, his belly

drooping over his trouser as he moved, he

smashed at the fly but missed again and again.

The fly always moved before his thrusts get to if,

he was sloppy and sluggish and this infuriated

him the more.

The young Police lad came with a broom.

Kill it! Monster commanded; it must not escape

o! This is not an ordinary fly o! This fly was sent

from my Village! They sent it to come and

poison me! It was trying to poison my drink

again! Soldier boy! Did you not see that fly trying

to poo something inside my cup of water? He

asked.

I saw it sir! I saw it! I said.

The young Police killed the fly with one swift

swoop.

Pick it up! Go and burn it! Burn it o! He warned.

Enemies! They cannot get me! I will kill them all

one by one! If they like let them come at me in

the form of Tortoise! Or Cockroach! Old boy!

Come and clean up this Office he said to the

Police Lad as he went to cremate the fly. Also

call me the O.C of this Soldiers case!

Yes sir! The Police lad replied as he closed the

door.

Soldier Boy! He continued with me, as he dabbed

his face with a dirty hand towel, he was sweating

from the activity he just indulged in; he was

panting and trying to catch his breath.

The family you robbed has taken the case to the

Court already so you should be ready for a long

legal battle. The Konwea family is a very

powerful one in Asaba so you will need a very

good lawyer! He said.

Oga! Where do I get a lawyer from? Where is the

money? I asked

You no get family? He asked

I only have a Mother that is as poor as a Church

rat! Sir, I was on my way to the Village to rescue

my mother from the clutches of servitude that

has held her since I was born by bringing her to

stay with me in Enugu! I have even rented a

Shop for her. Oga I did not know my Father! In

fact my story is not a good one, all I have in this

world is my mother!

What of extended family members? He asked

I simply shook my head and heaved a sad sigh.

How do I explain to him that my extended family

is as good as not existing, do I call on my

Mother’s family? They had cut us off as lepers.

My Father’s family is more wretched than me

and my Mum, a family of drunks and loafers!

Indeed I am an unfortunate Child in an

unfortunate situation.

On the other hand, he said; the state can provide

you with a lawyer, but they will need money from

you so try to contact your people.

Another green fly flew into the Office and

perched at the same spot the first fly perched.

Another one! Monster shouted; his eyes shot out

as if to leave their sockets, he stepped

backwards from the table. Soldier boy! Can you

see it? That fly did not die o! It has come back!

Just then, the Constable entered the office with

a dirt packer, a mop stick and a broom.

Constable! Did you burn that fly you killed here

just now? Monster asked

No sir! I could not get matches so I simply threw

it away

You threw what away? Did I tell you to throw it

away? Did you think that was a common fly?

Simple instruction you cannot follow. Look! Look!

The fly is back to the same spot it came before!

Monster was visibly agitated and scared.

The Constable once again killed the fly with a

single swoop of the broom , as the dead fly fell

to the ground, monster stepped on it and crushed

it into shreds while swearing and cursing.

Oga I think a rat might have died in this office,

the young constable said; I can perceive the

smell of something decaying. He went to the

edge of the Office and shifted a Cabinet from

the wall, there; he saw a decaying rat filled with

maggots.

Here it is sir! Constable said: it is a dead rat!

Oh! So na common rat? Monster asked laughing

out loud.

The O.C of the case came in.

Sergeant Godwin, take your man back to his cell

and prepare him for Court next tomorrow, he

would need a state lawyer and he would need

new clothes, he cannot go to a civil court in his

Army uniform, get any of the condemned

criminals clothes for him to wear.

Sergeant Godwin ushered back to my cell. That

was the beginning of my long journey in

incarceration.