Junkyard Blues

Chapter Forty-five

193 C Chapter Forty-five he room, which was actually the reception, was spotless. It was a sizeable room with polished walls and white polished tiles on the floor that were polished enough to reflect the light from the fluorescent lamps hanging from the ceiling almost like it was the sun. The reflected light was almost strong enough to hurt the eyes. An array of sofas covered the one side of the room where clients could sit. The sofas were covered with leather, black leather that was as polished as the tiles on the floor. And the sofas stood on a thick wool carpet that covered that section of the floor. It was impressive, Jude could see that. The air in the room was fresh and almost chilly cold, evidence that it was being passed through an air conditioner. Jude felt a little chill pass through him as he breathed that air, a chill that he wanted to attribute to the air, but that he knew was not totally because of the air. It was the room, the way it looked impressive and the sense that such a room could only belong to an organization that was completely genuine, not some quacks who only wanted money and who could not actually help anybody. It was also due to the fact that he knew he was taking a real step towards his future, and this time all alone without needing help from anybody. He looked around the room again telling himself time and time again that he was in the real place, that he was in a reliable place. He felt inferior to that room and its occupant as he walked into the room. He even wanted to take off his shoes before entering the room but the sophisticated looking girl sitting behind the receptionist desk asked him to enter before he could make any decision. She was a pretty looking woman in her early twenties, smartly dressed in a dark suit and wearing clear-lens spectacles that gave some more character to her look. She looked completely in place in the room as she sat behind the computer on the desk touching the keyboard smoothly with delicate looking fingers. He suddenly had an image of a cold and arrogant brat as he stood before her desk; an arrogant brat who was not even going to be welcoming. But she smiled up at him and said, “Good morning, sir.” T 194 “Good morning, I’m…” Jude felt himself fumbling. “Please have a seat,” she said standing up and indicating the sofas at the other corner of the room. “Thank you,” Jude breathed. He wanted to take off his shoes again before stepping on the wool carpet but she said smiling a warm understanding smile, “Don’t bother about that, it’s okay.” “My name’s Jude, Jude Maimo,” he said once he was seated, “I’m here to see the person who’s responsible…” “That’ll be James,” she said. “I just wanted to know how you people work,” Jude tried again. “James will explain everything to you,” she said, “He’s with someone now in his office but it won’t be long.” “There’s no problem, I can wait.” “Do you mind a cup of coffee while you wait?” “No,” he said actually meaning to say yes. Who on earth drank coffee when the sun was already up? Who even drank coffee in Cameroon? It was just one of those answers prompted by the nervousness he felt being in the room. He wanted to tell her not to worry about the coffee but before he could open his mouth to do that, she was already handing him a cup of steaming coffee. “Thank you,” Jude said and swallowed some of the coffee, trying at the same time to swallow the nervousness he was feeling with it. ...