Salvation Colony

Chapter Four

19 Salvation Colony: Sequel to No Way to Die Chapter Four Dennis Nunqam Ndendemajem A bout two kilometres down the road I noticed that the man kept sniffing as if something was smelling him. It was then that I came to myself and became aware that there was a bundle of excrement under the pants I was wearing, a result of the impact of the attempt to hang myself. “I beg, sir, when you see a small stream,” I implored him, “please stop let me go to the latrine.” “But you can fit just go for here,” the man said. “Why wait to go only in a stream?” From the readiness with which he responded, I had the feeling that he had already suspected that the foul odour he smelt was certainly coming from my bowels. Perhaps he thought I had farted or something of the sort. “I also want to throw some water on my wounds and on my back,” I said. It did not take us long before we reached a stream. Pa Matty rode to the edge of the road and stood, placing his right foot on a stone. I descended and walked tediously down the path that led into the stream. Down the stream I did not go to stool. I took off my clothes, threw away my inner pant, washed the lower part of my body, washed my pair of trousers as best I could, squeezed it and wore it again. I noticed from the corner of my eye that Pa Matty was watching with infinite patience and curiosity from the road. Although I had been looking for an excuse to clean myself, the water soothed my pains so well that I had no more problem remounting the bicycle. To my conscious self, 20 Linus T. Asong however, the smell persisted, but grew milder and milder. To completely eradicate the smell I needed to throw away everything I had on and have a hot bath with plenty of soap! That was impossible under the circumstances. As we rode away the thought of the journey I made a long time ago to Dr. Essemo’s house unexpectedly came to my mind. I was in serious pain, but somehow, I thought I felt much more comfortable hanging delicately between two calabashes on the bumping back of the bicycle than I felt in Dr. Essemo’s air-conditioned Mercedes! The tapper rode on, whistling to himself until I asked whether there were other churches around. “Must be,” the man said. “I am not church man,” he added. “I only helep myself.” “If you are not a church man, and then you do something wrong, how will God forgive you?” I asked. I was anxious that God should know that I was already thinking seriously of Him. “Why I should I do something wrong?” the man asked. “As I see you and carry you like this, that is wrong?” I was silent. “Anyway I was just asking,” I said, and inquired where the man was going to when we met. “I am going to Diakka, market. I get my palm trees in Bonkumba. I collect the palm wine and carry to Diakka market. Then after market I buy afofo in this calabash them and return to sell in my place, Komkombunasa. Buy’am sell’am,” the man ended up, smiling. “How many calabashes can you carry on this your Mercedes?” I asked. “Ten.” “What?” “Ten,” the man said. “You alone, you heavy like six calabash, you no know that?” I smiled. 21 Salvation Colony: Sequel to No Way to Die “Is morning now,” Pa Matty said, pointing to a taxi that had just driven past us. I did not answer. I had no money on me, so taxi or no taxi, that would make no difference to my fate. At a junction where the man was to branch off we stopped. “From here you pay 500 francs, they go take you to Azilut Esso. Thas where the AKA church be.” My problems seemed endless. “I have no money, brother,” I said. “If you can take me there, I will never forget you. When I see my brother I shall come back to thank you.” “I cannot fit take you there,” the man said. “I told you say I am travelling. I have not even tried?” Coming to look for God, I mused, and yet I was having...