A Legend of the Dead

Chapter Six

45 A Legend of the Dead: Sequel to The Crown of Thorns Chapter Six The bigger they come, the harder they fall. (James Corbett) T HE SUN continued to pour its unrelenting rays on Sowa when the blue Jeep carrying Beckongncho wheeled into the premises of the District Officer. A police officer jumped down first, asked Beckongncho to get down, and as soon as he jumped down the second officer dramatized the whole situation by jumping immediately after him, making it look like they were guarding him from escape. They all walked up to the door, knocked and without waiting for an answer from within entered. The DO, a man in his fifties had turned and was sitting with his right shoulder to the door, his left hand clasping the telephone receiver. In front of him was a blank sheet of paper on which he was scribbling meaningless letters and criss-crossing lines as he spoke. They all remained standing until he pushed the receiver aside and swung half to the right, facing the visitors. He then ran his hand over his well-polished forehead several times, looked straight at Beckongncho and in a tone that is customary in addressing condemned criminals, he said: “Mr. Kevin Beckongncho, you are wanted without no delay forthwith by the Provincial Governor in Tetseale.” The spittle dried from Beckongncho’s mouth instantly. Metropolitan Sowa had only three Government Primary Schools. By virtue of his position as co-head of one of these institutions he had always figured among the special guests invited to parties in the DO’s residence or the Cultural Centre on many important occasions. Besides, the DO had come to his office twice within the last school year to discuss the progress of his two children there with him. 46 Linus T. Asong This did not, however, imply that any particular bond of friendship existed between the two men. But Beckongncho was painfully convinced that the man was sufficiently acquainted with him and the position he held in that community to treat him with greater respect than he had shown. He did not, of course, expect the DO to greet him, or to smile to him. But he could even have sent a telephone message and he would come. It did not need a whole contingent to make him come. Again, he did not, of course, expect the DO to stop talking in the phone and welcome him. But it was no impossibility to use one’s hand to indicate a welcome or show somebody a set while at the same time conversing over the phone. He, Beckongncho, had done that on numerous occasions, had seen the DO do it before, and was confident he could still have done so. But the DO had chosen not to. He had chosen to leave him standing between the officers as though he were some much- wanted, some notorious criminal! The DO had even denied him the opportunity to greet him. What hurt Beckongncho like a physical pain was the sheer banality of the conversation which left him standing as though he had come to ask for some special favour from a god. The DO, probably was talking to a girl when they came in, for as soon as they entered the office he swung his easy chair first to the right and halfway to the left. He was saying: “Aaaha, you know the man wey you di joke with am? My own thing nodi hard. When I hold you I go nakam, nakam.” Later he was heard saying: “You craze tin, hole be hole. You no know so? all water de quench fire. Cow de old liver de old?” The note on which he ended the conversation was: “A promise is a debt. So before you promise, think thrice because, you know my engine saw how i de cut.” “Does the District Officer know by any chance why I am being wanted at Tetseale with such urgency?” he inquired with subdued anxiety, but with the politeness that was second nature to him. The DO eyed him malevolently, insolently, suspiciously. It only remained for him to say “you stupid idiot, you know exactly what you are. Why pretend?” He twisted his lips obscenely and asked: “You are from Small Monje right?” 47 A Legend of the Dead: Sequel to The Crown of Thorns Beckongncho cocked his ears as if straining to catch...