Meanwhile, Opana goes to bed in anger and locks the door to prevent his wife from entering the bedroom. He falls asleep after tossing on the bed for some time. In his sleep, he dreams and sees the beggar who gave him the necklace and the beggar was mad at him.
Beggar
Hey so why are you like that, simple instructions too you couldn’t follow and you expect to get the consolation price huh?
Opana
But I followed your instructions so what are you saying right now.
Beggar
Oh shut up, you liar, are you trying to challenge me or what?
Opana
I’m not trying to challenge you but I know I followed the rules you gave me so what you are saying is strange to me.
Beggar
See you, you even have a short memory but I will refresh your memory for you. I told you that getting angry on the day you take steps to the rules I gave you will simply spoil everything good that will come out from the move you make. Why did you have to go and pull down the roof of your tenant without any prior notice?
Opana
Oh for that action I wasn’t angry ooo, I did that with a clear mind and I tried my best not to be angry even for a second.
Beggar
Okay so as she went to report you to the police and you were arrested, weren’t you angry with the police officer who came to arrest you?
Opana
I swear by my back that I haven’t seen before that I was again not angry but just wanted the police officer to know that I know my rights very well as a good citizen of this wonderful country.
Beggar
I see so when you met the lady who got you arrested at the entrance of your house when you were released what happened there?
Opana
Oh me, I didn’t say much and I controlled my temper even though she wanted to call for my anger but I told her that I and my family won’t fall for her cheap trap and that she should go and tell those who sent her to me that she has failed and failed woefully with distinction.
Beggar
Interesting, my friend so what happened when you got to your house and you realised that your winning lotto coupon was not in your pocket?
Opana
I nearly got angry with my wife but having what you told me in mind kept me from going angry.
Beggar
Mmmm and you made her sleep in your daughter’s room, erh? Well let me give you a breakdown of what happened to your lotto coupon, do you remember you climbed the roof of your tenant and when pulling the roofing sheet down you were sweating badly so you took your handkerchief out of your pocket to wipe your sweating face, that was when your lotto coupon fell from your pocket. You lost your lotto coupon and the chance to be a rich man and for been stubborn and going against my rules, things are going to be rough and tough for you in the days and years ahead. For the necklace tell your son to always put it on and listen to it when it gives him a signal by strangling him, anytime he feels that pain then he should know and act smart because it is either he is in danger or something bad is about to happen wherever he finds himself. If he listens and obeys his instincts through the necklace he will see the good side of life and will enjoy the better part of life, mind you that the road is not swift for the wise alone.
After this statement, the beggar vanished into thin air which got Opana screaming and waking up from his sleep. He was sweating badly as he woke up from his sleep but ignored the dream and went back to sleep again some minutes later.
Next Day:
Opana
It’s daybreak and the winning lotto coupon is still missing from the house. You people should pray that the lotto agent gives me my money in peace, if not then this house will be too small to contain us.
Akua Yankey
I don’t want to say anything for you to say am disrespectful, go and search for your lotto coupon and leave us alone. I have had enough of you.
Opana
Hmmmm, if you know how to pray, you and your children should pray hard and make sure you speak in tongues for God to have mercy on you people.
Akua Yankey
Unless you kill us because there is nothing I and my children can do to get you your lotto coupon. If you have thrown it away mistakenly too please go and look for it because you are the only person who knows where you went and where you placed the lotto coupon.
Opana leaves the house with anger to go and meet his insurance providers, on his way he walks past the lotto kiosk where he came to stake the lotto and boldly the winning numbers were written on a board which was in front of the kiosk. He got to his workplace and in no time his insurance people came and together he and his insurance service providers signed some documents after they took pictures of the place and got some information down.
As the insurance people left he sat in a small corner to reflect on the dream he had in the early hours of the day. He was so confused and so lost in his thoughts that when his boys at his workplace called him, he didn’t hear until they touched him before he came back from wonderland to the land of the living.
After spending some time at the shop and putting things in place, he left the shop to the house but had plans to pass by the lotto agent and redeem his lottery money and as he got there he met the agent waiting for him.
Lotto Agent
Ah good morning master, you are five minutes early because I was expecting you here by 12noon or even after that.
Opana
Good morning massa, I couldn’t wait any longer so I had to stop everything I was doing and come over for my money. I just can’t wait to have it and start allocating it to the plans I drew last night.
Lotto Agent
Oh that is good, they say preparations precedes performance so if you prepare well enough you always come out with the best results and decisions.
Opana
So, is the money ready?
Lotto Agent
Oh yes, your money is very ready as I told you, it was fifty thousand cedis that you won but the lotteries people took a little amount out as a form of tax and gave me a printed copy of the deduction they made so if there is any doubts or problems you can contact them for clarification so on this note I will hand you the envelope which contains your money but I must confess that you are the very first person who has won this huge sum of money from me ever since I started this business 30years ago. Now here you are but hope you came along with the lotto coupon?
Opana
(face changes from bright to dim) Oh, I forgot to come along with it but you already know I am the one who came to stake the lotto which I won so there is no cause for alarm.
Lotto Agent
I know and have everything that took place the previous day in mind like it was just a minute ago but in my job, there are strict rules and regulations which states that “ignorance is no excuse”, anyone who has to come for his winning money must come with the lotto coupon before I release the money out to the person. The little mistake I do can ruin my life for good so am only been professional with my job. It is money matter we are talking about here master Opana.
Opana
Ah, what are you trying to insinuate Mr lotto agent? If this is one of your jokes I will entreat you to stop because my time has no walking problem, it keeps walking forward without waiting for any man so let me have my money so I start working on the plans I have in mind.
Lotto Agent
Master, please what am saying is not a joke or any prank am playing on you. I have to return the lotto coupon to the lotteries to avoid any repercussions, I have encountered a serious problem before when I started this work with this same problem and later I had to face the problem myself. The luck I had was the money involved was not that big and I had also won lotto that day, please you go home and get the lotto coupon, I am here and am not closing anytime soon. Here in this envelope is the money you have won, please let us simply play by the rules of the game and everything will be fine. You are an honourable man so don’t let this simple matter start an unpleasant scene here.
Opana
Don’t try to patronise me, my friend, you are aware that I am the one who won the lotteries so why are you impeding me from taking my consolation price. When it comes to money matters am not gentle or friendly at all ooo, am warning you to quietly and peacefully give me my money so that no one hears from us.
Meanwhile, in the guest house that Eno Bruwaa and her daughter were, they have been signalled that their time is up and that if they stay for another minute they will be charged for another day so hurriedly they pack out of the room and make a move to the lotto agent to retrieve the price at stake……
What will happen when they get to the lotto agent?
Who is going to get the consolation price, is going to be Opana or Eno Bruwaa and her Daughter?
