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Chapter Twenty-nine
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117 C Chapter Twenty-nine verybody has a plan for the future, and there is certainty in that. Even those poor people close to the grave and knowing their fate still draw plans for the future. Some plans can be really outrageous and hairy, while some can be serious and realistic, but they are all plans for the future. And still some edge towards the border of wishful thinking and sheer fantasizing, but even at this extreme, they still stand out as plans for the future. The only problem with all this planning is usually feasibility, and in most of the cases that feasibility is just plain financial. Jude did not know where he could locate himself in all these categories, but he wanted to believe that he had a serious plan, and a simple one at that. He wanted to go back to school, that was his simple and serious plan. The only problem was the feasibility, and that was financial as it was always the case. But that was settled in his mind, the part that there was a straight forward plan for the future which he did not know if he would one day realize. The thing he could not understand was why Eric wanted to know about his plan for his uncertain future. He wants to give you a job, idiot. And how do you know that? Then what do you think all this has been about? “You can’t be thinking of wasting all your life in that shop,” Eric was saying, now his eating tools back in his hand. Jude suddenly felt like punching the man sitting across from him and now cutting up another piece of chicken. Did he actually think he had gone to the shop because he had had a choice? “No,” Jude said instead. “That would be the craziest thing a man can want to do,” Eric laughed, “So, what do you want to do? You know in the future, what do you plan to do now?” Jude shrugged again, “I don’t know yet.” And even if I told you I don’t see what you can do about it. He did not want to do business like Eric and even if E 118 that idea had been plaguing his mind about what Eric might be capable of doing for him, his only real wish on this earth was to go back to school… “But if he can give you a serious job that pays, let’s say he allows you to control his business here, that’d make it easy for you to go back to your stupid school,” Niba had told him. “Who said he’ll want me to run anything?” he had asked seeing the merits of something like that happening. “Here we go again.” “You’re kidding me,” Eric said, “Everybody has a plan for the future, and I know you well enough don’t forget that.” Jude thought for a while and said slowly, “I want to go back to school, that’s all.” “That’s good,” Eric had to cross the table with his upper body to pat him on the shoulder, “That’s a plan there.” He filled Jude’s glass with wine and said, “You’ve always loved school.” Jude nodded. “What do you want to go back and do in school?” “Masters in chemistry,” Jude said. Eric took a sip of his wine and asked, “Where?” “Hmm?” “Where do you want to go and do it?” “Buea,” Jude said “The University of Buea,” Eric said quietly. Jude nodded, “That’s all I want to do.” “Go back to UB?” Jude nodded again. “That’s funny,” Eric laughed. “Why? What’s funny about wanting to go back to Buea?” The man was enjoying this, he could see it. “Nothing,” Eric said and tried not to laugh, he looked at Jude’s wine glass and said, “You don’t seem to like wine or even the food.” “No it’s okay.” “You know you can ask for something else, if you want a beer instead…” “No I’m fine, the food’s good.” They sat for a while in silence, Jude trying the food again. [3.81.79.135] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 16:34 GMT) 119 “You don’t think big,” Eric said suddenly. “What do you…?” “Buea?” Eric shook his head. “What’s wrong with Buea?” “Nothing,” Eric said and thought for a while, “It’s just that I...