Stranger in his Homeland

Chapter Eighteen

137 Chapter Eighteen Antony met Vicky one Sunday morning in church. So far, although he thought so frequently of women and brothels, Vicky was the only girl he had actually conversed with since telling Angela off. Often when his thoughts turned on women, hers was the only face and voice that gave substance to his fantasies. It was not that he had any very special infatuation for her, in spite of the fact that she was by far more beautiful than Angela. He only came to think seriously of her because of his relationship with her father. He was never to forget the comfort he got from the man’s words at that moment when the whole tribe had deserted him. Then the more he visited the old man, the more his interest grew in his daughter. Gradually, the idea of marriage began to enter his consciousness. And whenever it occurred to him, it was only Vicky that he could think of. Once again, it was with the idea of marriage that he was in love, not with Vicky. Vicky’s name only came in because there was no other girl he was familiar with. With time, it seemed to him that he was actually in love with her. Her father praised her often to him, and whenever he visited them, she was anxious to serve him. When they met in church that morning, he conversed with her for some time and then invited her to his place. He told her he would be at home at 8’o’clock that evening. At precisely 8 o’clock, she came. It was the very first invitation he had given to a girl and he was glad she came. He bought a few bottles of Coca-Cola and some biscuits. These he opened and set on the table in front of them and they began to eat and drink and talk. Then Antony told her why he had invited her and that he would like them to be life partners. An extremely long silence followed. Then she said: “Then you must have to ask papa, Tony. If he says yes, l will say yes.” Antony thought for a while and then inquired: “But if he says no?” 138 Linus T. Asong She did not answer. She had turned away after having answered. In the silence that followed, Antony’s question she turned again towards him with a smile which seemed to imply that her father could not refuse. When she rose to go, she took Antony in her arms and said: “Tony kiss me good night.” Antony was thrilled by his conquest. That whole night and the day before, he went to see her father, he ate, drank and slept only on thoughts about his future with her. He already saw himself as a married man. He saw himself putting Vicky through her G.E.C. Advanced levels, sending her to the university, getting children. It appeared to him that she had sucked out all his sorrows and past fears in the long fervent kiss she had given him. *** As he had expected, Vicky’s father had no objection whatsoever. Rather, he said: “My son, l even wonder why it should take so long for you to know a girl that loves you.” Then he asked him. “How many people have you discussed this with?” “I have discussed it with nobody. There is nobody l respect to the point where l could discuss such an important issue with. Why do you say so father?” “Oh no. Nothing. Only that when it comes to marrying like this, people say this and that. And you really need to be a strong man to make up your mind and….” “I have made up my mind. I listen to nobody outside this house. They have proved that they are not worth listening to.” *** He went to see Eru shortly after returning home. He was not going to ask his opinion. He merely wanted to tell him what he had decided. Eru was completely ignorant of the relationship that existed between Antony and Vicky. “Eru’s brows drew together into a knot of concentration for a whole minute before he asked: “Vicky Godsabi?” 139 Stranger in his Homeland Antony nodded. He was not surprised or even embarrassed that Eru knew her. After all, there was no girl he did not seem to know. But after...