Michael Ansah
Papa, is what I’m hearing from people true that your shop got burnt to ashes and even a nail was not taken from the place?
Opana
Who told you that?
Michael Ansah
Mmmm, I overheard that gossip of a woman telling the other tenants when I was drying my things at the back of the house.
Opana
Which woman are you talking about and how did that person get to know since nobody in this house was at the shop when I got there?
Michael Ansah
Then, this Eno Bruwaa can talk paa ooo. Papa, you need to see how this woman was talking like she was standing there as the shop was on fire. It was later that the Hausa woman came to mummy to ask if what she heard was true and that was what got mummy running.
Opana
So, where is your mother now?
Michael Ansah
She is in your bedroom. I have sent Bernice to go and buy medicine for her so that it will stabilise her condition. But papa how true is the news the woman is speculating around?
Opana
Hmmmm, women and gossip, well the shop didn’t burn totally. It’s part of it which got burnt but well done my son for sending your sister to get medicine for your mother. Let me go inside and see how she is doing now but follow me so I give you something.
Mike follows his father into his bedroom and there he gave him the necklace with the cross locket which was given to him the previous day by the beggar and instructed him to always put it around his neck.
Opana
My son always put this necklace around your neck. Even when you are bathing put it on. It will serve as a protective gear for you from all attacks. Be it robbery, car accidents, assassination or anything evil. It was a gift someone gave me for a good deed I did for that person and today I’m handing it over to you. Learn to listen to your instincts anytime you have this necklace on, take very good care of it and keep it safe and I promise good luck will always be your portion.
Michael Ansah
Wow, what a beautiful necklace, papa! I am very grateful for this masterpiece and I promise to keep it safe and always have it around my neck. Papa my friend from the city called me this morning to ask when I was coming.
Opana
Mmmm, so what did you tell him?
Michael Ansah
I told him I had spoken to you and you have given me your full support and equally promised to assist me to acquire the needed gadgets for the upcoming project. He was really happy when I told him that.
Opana
He should be my son. Because I know you are a genius and anything you do, your impact is always above performance. I know you will excel in no time. I will like you to give me a little time so I can solve some pressing issues then I will sort you out nicely. Hope you are okay with that.
Michael Ansah
I’m very okay with your decision papa. I know you have to solve the shop issue first so anytime you are ready to sort me out, I will be patiently waiting for you but for now I’m going to continue with my laundry and sorry about your shop.
Opana
Okay, my boy.
Later, Opana goes to his fridge and pours himself some juice to cool his temper down and comes to stand by his window to watch his compound and shortly after he did that he gets angry with what he sees and hears.
Collins Twumasi
Charlie Dennis, this morning I’m really sad for our landlord paa ooo. In this hard time, if you lose something which brings money to your pocket, it is going to be something else ooo.
Dennis Asomani
Azay, I’m even sadder than you, my guy. I passed by the shop last night when I was coming home and everything was okay there, only to hear later this morning that the place was gutted by fire. I don’t know the extent of the damage but I feel for that man paaa, on this note if you are owing him rent then I guess you should start making his money ready because he won’t listen to any excuses for now.
Eno Bruwaa
(from nowhere joins the conversation without being invited) What was he expecting when he went to take money from the offering bowl at church yesterday? Was he thinking God was blind or daft? Me, I’m not judging him but what I know is that the stubborn fly must end up in the grave with the corpse.
Collins Twumasi
Enough madam, who invited you into our conversation? Don’t come and spoil our reggae with your funk, see our buttocks are covered with cotton so we have vowed not to jump any fire. Please go away with your troubles. You are always full of negative surprises. How did you know he went to take money from the offering bowl since you don’t attend the same church with him? I haven’t even seen you preparing for church before so where did you get this information from?
Dennis Asomani
Eno Bruwaa, I know before any problem passes by, it stops by your end to greet you so I beg you in the name of God to please go far from us. We didn’t see you nor talked to you, in fact, both of us were not here at all. For you things that will take someone a year to say, it takes less than a minute for you to say it.
Eno Bruwaa
(in a low tone) Did I say anything wrong to you guys?
Before anyone could utter a word they saw Opana standing in front of his door with a glass of juice in his hands. He quietly turned and entered his house without saying a word to anyone.
Collins Twumasi
You see what you have caused now? Dennis, I’m out of here.
Dennis Asomani
I believe you are happy now with your achievement. If you don’t stop gossiping, you will get into trouble whiles the court is on strike. Change your life for you are an elderly person.
Eno Bruwaa
Eeeeiiii, did this man hear the things that came out of my mouth? This my okra mouth will lead me into serious trouble oooo. Even if I say I won’t talk, then my mouth is doing me logoligilogoligi. My head is not a bank that keeps things you know but I hope this man didn’t hear me or else I’m doomed.
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As Opana went inside, he dropped the glass of juice and made a call to an unknown person.
Opana
Where are you?
Unknown Person
Please the boys and I are still at the place trying to put the remaining pieces together.
Opana
Stop whatever you are doing and come to the house together with the boys right now, come along with your tools as well.
Unknown Person
Okay sir, we will be there in the shortest possible time.
In less than 30minutes Opana’s boys were at his door and he led them to Eno Bruwaa’s end. He ordered them to climb to the roof and start pulling off the roofing sheets of the room.
Eno Bruwaa
My landlord, please is there any problem?
Opana
Yes madam, there is a big problem. You know there is a problem with the roofing sheets of your room so I’m pulling it down so that when I get money, I will replace it with new ones.
Eno Bruwaa
But you could have given me prior notice so I can put my things in place and I am the one in the room and I’m not complaining.
Opana
Well you are not complaining because it is not your house and you know you owe me a lot of money. Instead of you to find ways and means to get me my money, you go about gossiping as if the government pays you to do that. Hey boys, what are you waiting for? Climb to the roof and start pulling off the roofing sheets and I don’t have to tell you to be careful up there, the sheets are very old and weak.
After sometime Eno Bruwaa’s daughter came to meet the destruction exercise that was going on at their end and she got angry.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Mama what is going on here? You didn’t tell me there was going to be a renovation exercise here this afternoon.
Eno Bruwaa
My dear, I don’t think it is a renovation exercise ooo, I think we are been ejected indirectly by our landlord.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
But that is not how to eject someone from your house? First, you give the person 3months to get a room somewhere and after the 3months if the person hasn’t got anywhere yet, you top up again with another 3months making it 6months in total. This is not done anywhere in this country.
Opana
Nonsense!!! You want to read your rights to me huh? When that foolish husband of yours threw you out of his house, did he give you any prior notice before driving you away from his house? Why didn’t you ask him to give you time to pack out of his house? Don’t make me any angrier than I am now because you wouldn’t like the other side of me.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
I left that man’s place because I was very fed up with the way things were going in that house. But for this, I won’t allow you to have your way just like that. I will go every length to put you in your right position. We are not animals to be treated this way. Mama, I will be back very soon. Wait for me here.
Eno Bruwaa
Where are you going, my daughter? Please take it easy and be careful what you do out there.
Opana
As if I care about the nonsense your daughter is spewing from her mouth. Hey, can’t you pull that roof over there down?
6th Apprentice
Master, the nail is hard for me to pull off, you know you haven’t taught us how to do this kind of thing. We are only specialized in coffin making.
Opana
Nonsense!!! Can’t you use your common sense? Get down for me to go up there. I will do it myself.
Opana climbed to the top and started pulling the roof down without mercy. He ordered one of the boys to go and find some of the scrap boys to buy the roofing sheets that were been pulled down. Because it was sunny and hot Opana was sweating badly so he took his handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his face and something fell without his notice…
Did Opana say he was angry?
Do you guys remember the rules and regulations of the beggar?
What will Eno Bruwaa’s daughter do at the end of the day?
I need not tell you that, the roof is on fire!!!!
Tbc
