Must Read: Thorns In My Boot

Episode 6 years ago

Must Read: Thorns In My Boot

Amaka happened to be the only daughter of her parents; she lost her mum to Cancer when she was just fifteen. She has two elder brothers both married to white women and based abroad, the eldest is with the United States marines Corp while the other is an Architect. She studied law at the University of Liverpool and came home for her national youth service Corps and upon completion a friend of her father’s helped her secured employment into Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, she was posted to the eastern region with head office at Ziks Avenue Enugu, now she has been posted to Abuja. She is twenty three years old while I am twenty five now.

Her father is not a millionaire but he could afford the basic necessities of life, he was a Civil servant that grew through the ranks to become a magistrate Court Judge before retirement, he invested his money in educating his Children and he had no favourites amongst the Children.

I asked her how her father would react if he got to know about us, she said her father does not care, he is only interested in his work and his books, if the mother were to be alive, then we would have cause to worry.

Amaka had been spending her savings and salaries in pursuance of my freedom. I asked her what made her to help me and went through the hardship with me, she said it was because of the passion with which I begged her to help my mother, she said she watched as death gradually ate her mother up yet they could not help her, all her father’s connections and monies could not stop cancer from killing her mother whom she had loved so much. She said it is hard to see a man that would forget his own problems and take risks to save another like I did for mama.

I told her that most women of our time would have run away from me once they see how attached I am to my mother; they prefer a man who has no mother at all. She said she believes strongly in the law of Karma that what goes around, comes around. She is a woman, if she dislikes my mother, her son’s spouse would dislike her too in future, she said.

Finally we agreed that I rent a two- room self contained apartment outside the Barracks and wait till I am recalled into the force. I had some money on me..


That night, she gave herself to me without reservation. Making love to Amaka was different, I was not paying for it so I was not selfish and brutal, we had the whole night to ourselves so I was not in a hurry, and we made every minute count. I had to increase the volume of the television so as to douse her mourns and my grunts.

Three months after my release from Prison, I was yet to hear from the Army. I realized that the C.O was avoiding me, whenever I went to see him, his secretary always gave one reason or the other to prevent me from seeing him, however I was patient, these big men are always busy and I did not want to choke him. Such things take time I thought.

By March 1998, it was six months out of Prison; I travelled to Abakaliki to see mama and Baba Miko, I went to their house but it was locked and no one was at home, then I took a Bike to the Hospital to see Baba Miko.
He was so happy to see me after six months, he was all over me with questions which I answered as much as I could, he was looking very healthy and happy in his work uniform, and he took me round and introduced me to People as his Son in the Army.

I asked after mama and he said she went to her Shop, he had opened a hairdressing Shop for her very close to the a private Girls Hostel for university students, he said mama makes more money than him now, he said she was waiting for me to come so she could give me money if I have not resumed work yet.

He said there was something he would have loved to tell me now but would rather wait till I see it myself because he does not know how I would react. I asked him if he beat my Mother and he said no he would never do that.

He was on day shift so we were together until he closed at 6.PM and we took a bike home together.

I could not help laughing when I saw mama, I reeled with laughter as I entered their house and she turned around from the refrigerator to welcome Baba Miko home, she was shocked to see me and the drugs in her hands fell to the floor. I saw her bulging stomach shooting out from her small frame, it was strange to me because I never saw her pregnant before, I laughed and fell on the Couch in the Parlor while mama ran into the other room ,she was shy.

Baba Miko just stood there grinning while I hailed him; Baba O! Baba o! eku ise sir! Well done sir!