What a Next of Kin!

Chapter Thirteen

63 Chapter Thirteen N di had a throbbing headache as he got into his room. What he had thought would be a relaxing pastime, turned out to be very strenuous. He had over-tasked his brains in analyzing the intervention of Mr. Esoka and that had given him a headache. He took two aspirin tablets and tried to wait for them to calm his nerves before lying down to sleep. That deliberate interference with the forces of sleep did him some good as he realized that he could not resist. He lay down and very soon snored away. In the morning, the matron stopped by during her rounds to chat with him. She found him rather tense and withdrawn. “Mr. Ndi, you seem not to be yourself today. Any problem? Any more pains?” she asked. “Good morning matron. I feel fine though clouded with problems. I am, should I say, a cursed man. I have too many problems, matron. I have decided to divorce my third wife. She caused me this accident. She has contributed to my problems.” “Mr. Ndi, can you tell me a person who has no problems? I know, as a rich man you have problems. All rich people have problems. It may be your long stay in the hospital is costing you your businesses. But that is human nature. So long as you are here, try to forget your problems. Focus on your recovery. And once you are well you will regain your businesses. I have told you to reconcile with your family rather than divorcing.” “My businesses are well managed. I have very competent white managers. Everything is going on well. But there is one thing I lack, and that is my worry. I lack a next of kin. I 64 Charles Alobwed’Epie have not got a son to inherit my property when I die. I have seven daughters. The eldest is married. The others are there dragging big breasts all over the place.” “What scorn! What vile talk! What rotten inside! They are girls, and therefore they must have breasts. What did you want them to have? You disdain and deride your daughters because they are not boys?” the matron snapped. Ndi shrank in shame and apologized. “Matron, you see, our culture looks low on any rich man who has no sons. That is what is making me bitter. We consider a man with viable sons richer than a man with material wealth. I have material wealth, I believe you can’t count five people in this country without me, but I have no son. So, traditionally, I am no good. If I die, who will lead the dignitaries of our community to the celebrations of my death? I am sorry, but. I don’t mean harm to my daughters.” “You definitely do. You mean harm to your daughters and that is why I don’t see them here. They hardly come to visit you. But see, the patient who was opposite you has only one daughter. You have seven. His daughter makes him proud. Your daughters make you depressed. It means your value scales are not functioning well. If a person with one daughter is happy, and a person with seven is not, then of course, if the person with seven were given one daughter, his sorrows would be double because he would be aspiring for more. Of course I know you are basing your argument on the philosophy of some primitive tribes in Cameroon that say a woman is worth nothing. But don’t forget, it is the woman who begets the boys who are worth the world.” “Matron, please, I don’t think we have to say it with drawn brows. We both know where the shoe pinches. If I could swallow the bitter pill I would readily do so. But there is no way I can bury the truth.” 65 What a Next of Kin! “Mr. Ndi, you are a dormant volcano. Your inside is black, worse than sin because you are working on fixed orders. There are no fixed orders in the world. You believe boys propagate fixed orders better than girls. That is false. Inasmuch as there are no fixed orders, there are situations in which girls have performed better in managing the transient orders that are our potions on earth.” “Matron, what do you mean by transient order? Is one’s homestead – a sanctuary...