Opana enters his bedroom whistling to a melodious tune and he picks his shorts from the laundry basket and puts his hand in the left pocket where he knew he placed the lotto coupon but the coupon is not there so he moves to the right pocket and that place is also empty. Immediately he stops whistling and rapidly looks at the back pockets, as he sees that, that place is also empty, he started sweating on his forehead and walks back to the living room with his shorts in his hand.
Akua Yankey
My children, I can’t wait for me to also own a shop at the market square, now I can also talk and rub shoulders with the other women when we meet at the women’s fellowship meeting. They won’t be able to look down upon me again and when I talk, it must also be taken seriously and a series of deliberations will be made on it.
I am happy this family for once is living in peace and harmony. This lotto thing is also a blessing in disguise, sometimes it is your patience that will determine the end of your struggle.
Bernice Ansah
I can’t wait to further my education in the Whiteman’s land, my ascent is going to change and I will slang when talking with people. I just can’t wait oooo
Michael Ansah
Then, you have to be serious with your books, my baby sister, the ball has been played into your court so make use of the opportunity blown to you.
Bernice Ansah
Am not a baby anymore, am…
Opana
(walks in with a serious face and his shorts in his hands) Who amongst you took the lotto coupon in my pocket? The person should own out now and give me back the lotto coupon because some jokes are very expensive.
Akua Yankey
What do you mean, my dear? No one has had the chance to see the acclaimed lotto coupon and I don’t even know where you kept the coupon in the bedroom.
Opana
I kept the coupon in the pocket of the shorts I was wearing until I went to bath and changed myself.
Michael Ansah
But I and Bernice were not here when you went to bath so we should be out of this interrogation.
Bernice Ansah
Oh yes, you are right big bro, we are totally out of this.
Akua Yankey
If you two say you were out of this house then it means am the only person you are pointing fingers at huh? Indirectly you children want to put me in the spotlight that am the one who took the lotto coupon from your father’s pocket.
Meanwhile, Eno Bruwaa is back from where she went to and as she got back she complained of hunger to her daughter.
Eno Bruwaa
Hmmmm, this man has ruined our lives and day, my daughter. I’m really hungry and starving like I haven’t eaten anything for the past week.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Why won’t you be hungry when all you do with the money I give you is spend on staking lotto. You know how much I hate that game with a passion that words can’t describe, it was the same thing my ex-husband was engaging himself in and when I complained bitterly about it, you know what happened.
Eno Bruwaa
What are you talking about? For some time now I haven’t engaged myself in that game ever since you threatened to stop giving me money if you catch or see me with a lotto coupon or paper again. I swear with this breast that I breastfed you with that I am innocent of this serious allegation you are levelling against me.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
So, where from the coupon I threw away earlier on with today’s date on it? Where did I even throw that lotto coupon? You are still lying and denying, you took an amount of twenty-five cedis to stake it and you are here telling me you are hungry. The truth is that I don’t have any money or food for you tonight.
Eno Bruwaa
Ah, so you are still accusing me falsely for something that I know nothing about.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
So you are also saying am lying, erh? Oh yes, I have remembered where I threw the lotto coupon, we shall see who is lying and who is telling the truth. The little money I get, when I share it with you then you go about lavishing it on unnecessary things, I don’t even know if you have ever even won any of the numbers you stake. (she rushes to the dustbin where she dropped the lotto coupon but she saw some of the children in the house conveying the dustbin to the refuse dump and immediately she ordered them to stop. When she got closer to them she opened the dustbin but they had dumped more rubbish into the dustbin so she started searching through the dustbin and the children were surprised with her conduct. They started throwing questions at her.
Child 1
Aunty, why are you searching through the dustbin?
Child 2
Aunty, my mother said it is only the vulture, witch and mad person who goes through rubbish and refuse dump to get something to eat.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
(angry with the second child but keeps her composure so she doesn’t say something bad) Children am searching for a very important paper for something serious this evening.
Child 1
Oh, then let us help you to search for it, you can give us something small for a biscuit when we help you find it.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
So, what is wrong with you children of these days, can’t you do things for free?
Child 2
Aunty don’t be stingy, we are not asking for too much, just something small for the boys.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Enough of this nonsense you boys, did I tell any of you that I need your help? One more word from you boys and I will beat the hell out you boys, what is all this?
After several minutes of going through the dustbin the lotto coupon was seen and Eno Bruwaa’s daughter rushed back to the place she left her mum.
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Back at Opana’s Living Room:
Akua Yankey
You said the lotto coupon was in the pocket of your shorts, you and I know very well that anytime you are wearing your shorts you go to the bathroom with it. Am I wrong or right?
Opana
Yes, you are right.
Akua Yankey
I was in the living room when you came out of the bathroom and I haven’t entered the bedroom so how do I become a suspect?
Opana
Hmmmm, you people can’t steal my wealth from me oooo, if I don’t see my lotto coupon heads will roll in this house. I will eliminate anyone who has a hand in this and I mean every single word that is coming out from my mouth. This hard-earned fortune cannot pass me by just like that, am going to bed and anyone who has that lotto coupon should just drop it quietly on the centre table before daybreak.
Also, Eno Bruwaa’s daughter rushed to her mum with the lotto coupon in her hand.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
You were denying the fact that you didn’t go and stake lotto so where from this coupon with today’s date on it?
Eno Bruwaa
I don’t know so stop asking me that unnecessary question and let me be in peace if you say you won’t give me money for food this evening. Am glad the children are not even here to experience this cruelty from that wicked man.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Since you claim you know nothing about this lotto coupon it will be prudent for me to tear it into pieces.
Eno Bruwaa
Hey hold on, before you tear it into pieces let me first see the numbers on the lotto paper.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
What difference does it make since you claim you don’t know anything about the lotto coupon.
Eno Bruwaa
Will you for once listen to me and stop this exchange of words? Ah what is wrong with you children of today, you like to exchange words with your elders at any opportunity you get. Please check the numbers for me now.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
(frowns but opens the paper to check the numbers on it) The numbers on it are single 1 – 90.
Eno Bruwaa
Did you say single 1 – 90?
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Yes, you heard me right with the numbers I mentioned.
Eno Bruwaa
(snatches the lotto coupon from her daughter’s hand) Give me that paper so I verify with my own eyes if truly the numbers you mentioned are indeed the real numbers.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
Why are you so much interested in the numbers if you claim you haven’t stake any lotto recently?
Eno Bruwaa
I’m interested in the numbers because those numbers are the winning numbers for today and I don’t know how this lotto paper located its way here but all I know is we are rich and it is the doing of God. I knew my God will never forsake me and am overjoyed that I don’t know what to say or do, when we go for this money we will rent a new and better place, I will even start my cloth business again.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
So, how much money are we talking about here?
Eno Bruwaa
How much did the person stake it in the first place, let me check and then make my calculations. Am I seeing wrongly or what? Is this twenty-five cedis or two hundred and fifty cedis?
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
(takes the coupon from her mother) Eeeeiiiii it is two hundred and fifty cedis ooo, mama we are rich ooo. So tell me how much the winning fee is going to be, am very interested in the amount.
Eno Bruwaa
Mmmm, if you stake five cedis and you win with two numbers it is one thousand cedis so divide two hundred and fifty cedis by five then multiply your answer by one thousand cedis.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
If you divide two hundred and fifty cedis by five you will get fifty and when you multiply it by one thousand then it is going to be fifty thousand Ghana cedis, mama.
Eno Bruwaa
(in tears) Oh God do I have to shout or jump for you to see how grateful I am or do I have to lie down flat on the ground. Indeed you are the father to the fatherless and husband to the widows, ah when one door closes another door opens. My landlord thought he was throwing me out like an outcast but rather he took me from grass to grace, from shame to fame, from worry to glory, from nobody to somebody, from who are you to how are you. You are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the omnipotent and omnipresent God, I don’t know how to thank you enough.
Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter
It is okay mama, let’s go and find something to eat and after we go to the guest house down the street and pass the night there. Tomorrow is going to be a great day.
The battle line has just been drawn, what is going to be Opana’s fate now?
Tbc
