Stranger in his Homeland

Chapter Twenty-Nine

225 Chapter Twenty-Nine Antony’s Canadian friends did not lead him to the residence of his principal, but they took him to the park and waited until somebody was found who could show him the way. It was just beginning to get dark. He knocked at the door once, but there was no answer. He knocked a second and a third time. He could hear movements within, but no one answered. He was just about to knock again when the door suddenly swung open. A large bald head appeared before him which made Antony tremble. He was heavily built, with a massive bare skull that rose sharply from the back and then descended gradually into a valley before rising slowly and then tumbling over his roundish he-goatlike fore-head. His facial features were extremely harsh, even in the semi-darkness. The lines above his wide-expressive eyes seemed carved into a permanent frown. His head was clean shaven but it was obvious that he simply wanted to disguise an obvious baldness by shaving all the hair. Nevertheless, he had not completely succeeded because a contour of hairs of a few days ran above his ear and round the back of his head. His nose was short and stunted with nostrils that almost turned upwards. His mouth was rather small for his bulk and flanked by two thick lips with the lower lip protruding in an almost comical manner. There was no such thing as a neck because it was simply a thick lump of flesh that rose from inside the shoulders to a good distance up into the back. He lisped in speech, partly because of a missing tooth or the thickness of his lips. He breathed heavily and each time the breath left his mouth the air stank foully. He looked Antony straight in the eye and seemed to pierce through him with the gaze. “C’est quoi?” a voice inquired through serious-parted lips. The way he twitched his lips and nose when he talked gave off the odd impression that he was in the presence of some offensive odour. Antony was silent, staring fixedly at the aggression in his face. “Good evening, sir,” he stammered. 226 Linus T. Asong “Evening,” the man snarled back. He seemed to reflect for a moment. Then looking at Antony again, his severe expression relaxed into a momentary grin. “Come into the insight,” he said. Antony stepped in, his puppy in his left hand and his suitcase in the other. As soon as the door was shut behind him the man growled: “Ei teck it that you eur Enteny Nk…Nk…” “I am, sir,” Antony came to his aid. “Antony Nkoaleck is my name.” He was glad his boss spoke some English. “Sit don prease,” he pointed to a chair by the dining table. Then he rang a small bell on the table in front of his own seat in the centre of the floor. Moments later two big girls came in from behind the house. At the same time two boys too came in from outside. He gave others for the stranger’s valise and puppy to be taken into the visitor’s room. “Do you speak zhe Frensh?” the man inquired unsmiling. “Not at all, sir. I have just returned from overseas. But I expect to be able to speak it within the next few months.” The man was imperceptibly offended by the answer. He had expected Antony to say no, and to say he could not because it was a very difficult language. He was not interested in knowing how far he had travelled. It was an unnecessary piece of arrogance. After all French was spoken overseas too! “You will be zhe professeur d’anglais,” the man seemed to announce. “Yes, sir,” Antony had been careful to notice the omission of MR. when the man called his name. But he found himself, without knowing why, stressing the SIR when he answered the man. Professor! Antony thought with inward amusement. The French will always remain ridiculous with their love for inflated titles. Of course he could as easily have become a professor of the university had employed him. “Ei em Zaché Azangma,” the man introduced himself rather belatedly. “Ei em zhe directeur ef zhe college.” “I am pleased to meet you, sir,” Antony too said, trying to rise as ceremony usually required, so that they shake hands. But the man did not stir a muscle. He turned away...