SUSAN, COME BACK TO ME
Part 2: THE POOR BARTER
Stanley looks here and there like somebody who wants to steal into a premises. Then he briskly enters the bar. He slips into a chair beside Bolu.
“I’m Stanley, a friend,” he gives a warm handshake.
“What can I do for you?” Bolu said searchingly with the accent of a drunkard.
“I’m here to make you rich if you’ll do me a favour.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Let me explain myself: I have Ten Million offer for you. Right here I’ll give you Two Million cheque today. Once the deal is successful I’ll give you the balance of Eight Million.”
“Now tell me what to do. I’m ready to do anything.” Bolu is eager to hear him out.
“I believe you should know me. I am Stanley Kay, the fiancé of Susan many years ago.”
“Yes I know, I am only pretending not to know when you came in.” Bolu smiles, then he calls out: “Barman, five bottles of beer more.” The barman brought them but Stanley declins his offer for a drink.
“I don’t drink Sir.”
“What do you want?” Bolu asks.
“Bolu, I know you love Betty but Susan was your mistake. Susan is your mismatched partner. I know if you could get Betty you’ll be ready to trade off Susan.”
“Who told you all these?”
“When there’s money, you can get any information,” Stanley smiles.
Betty is the key girlfriend of Bolu. He has so strong affinity for her that he can give his life for her. She is the prime parasite in his life. She knows how to tickle the baby in Bolu to release his best for her. She is the chief culprit why Bolu rarely have any money on him. He is a civil servant with limited fund and Betty’s demand is unending.
Bolu has Susan as wife but he is always looking outward. Betty is his nemesis.
“I’ll help you to sponsor everything you’ll need to get Betty. Betty has taste and expensive to maintain. If you promise me of helping me out I’ll give you generous offer that you’ll never be poor the rest of your life.” Stanley says proudly.
“Do you want Susan?” Bolu said impatiently. “I’m ready to trade her away for the Ten Million.”
“That’s what I came for.”
“It’s done.”
“You made it sound easy to achieve.”
“Very easy, very easy,” he belched alcoholic odour.
“Deal,” Stanley said as he hands him the cheque for Two Million.
Bolu collects it and smiles sheepishly. The two of them further draw out their strategy of turning over Susan to Stanley.
“Bolu, you can sell your mother for money.” Stanley laughs.
In his drunk state he answers back: “Not just my mother, I can, I can… sell the entire country for money.” They both giggle out loud.
The two men part. Stanley gets into a waiting vehicle out there. Susan’s husband takes three more bottles before staggering out of the clubhouse.
Bolu gets home unusually drunk to the teeth. Susan is deeply asleep. He wakes her up roughly.
“Stand up, stand up.”
“Welcome my dear.”
“Don’t dare me again. From today don’t call me your dear. Not on your life.”
“What’s my offence?” Susan rubbed her hands over her face to clear the sleep away.
“Your secret is in the open. I thought as much Susan.”
“What again?”
“Keep quiet you pretending devil. I have been to seven different places prophets and witch doctors, I was told you’re a witch that live in the deepest coven.
“Since I married you I’ve not made a single progress in life.” Bolu adds arrogantly.
Susan shakes her head: “Bolu, I’ll answer you today. Calculate your expenses and check your lifestyle; how will you make progress with your wasteful lifestyle? For the past five years, you have not dropped a dime in this house for upkeep or for the children.
“The last time, you were demoted at the office for being drunk on duty. You were to be sacked but for much entreaty. Am I responsible for your awkward lifestyle? Don’t heap the cause of your failure on me.
“When weak people fail they heap it on others. Strong men take responsibility for their failure and make necessary correction.”
“Are you talking to me?” Bolu charges at her as if he wants to beat her up. “Tomorrow pack everything you’ve and move out of here.”
“Pack where Bolu? Do you remember that I have been paying for the rents these last six years? If you want the truth, as a wife I am moving nowhere but as my husband you can decide to leave. I cannot force myself on you. If you want a change, change your lifestyle not your wife.”
“Susan, I don’t love you anymore and I’m not ready to live with you if possible for another one day.”
“What have I done Bolu?”
“One. Only one offence. You make me feel like a sinner man all the time. You make me guilty and nasty. I want to be free. I want you to be bad and bad but you keep being good.”
Susan remembered a teaching while she was a spinster during a marriage seminar.
The preacher talked about the pig in one of Jesus teaching. Don’t give the pig a golden ring, it may turn around and tear you up. Gold is too costly a gift to pig.
She also remembers in the sermon how you can make hell out of heaven and heaven out of hell. After all, it is not the environment that makes a man but what is in a man. It is not the water around a ship that sinks it but the water within it.
Susan knew there’s no amount of godly disposition from her that can help Bolu until he too is ready for a change. Until he has personal conviction for a change there’s no hope for him.
She remembered the early part of their marriage when she intended forcing a change. The more she was trying to force a change the more the fight and heated argument. An adult cannot change by mere words of advice, he changes when he knows he should. These days, Susan rarely argue with Bolu.
He who puts on a coloured glass will see everything coloured.
Susan was mute. She didn’t want to say anything again to avoid offending him.
“You won’t say anything?’
“Nothing my dear Bolu.”
“Okay Susan, I have one request to make.”
“What’s it?”
“I may be drunk but my words are to be taken seriously; I know what I’m saying. Listen carefully, I know you’re not happy with me in this relationship. I want you to be free and I also want to be free.
“I think I’ll do better with Betty; the lady I told you about sometime ago. I have a crush for her. We speak the same language.” He smiled.
“Where will you put me and the children; Eniola, Samuel and Lucy?”
“You have always been there for them. You’ll cope wherever you go.”
“You’re selfish.”
“No, I’m considerate.”
“You?” She laughed hysterically. “A leopard cannot change its skin. You always think of yourself first in everything.”
“Everything I am doing is for your good.” Bolu said. “I met with Stanley, he said he will like to have you as his wife not minding the children.”
“Stanley?”
“Yes. He loves you. He said he will pay your dowry over and above. He’s paying me for releasing you to him.”
“Bolu.”
“What’s it?”
“I’m already married to you. So you thought I’ll jump at the offer because of the way you’re treating me?” She is visibly angry. “What do you take me for? A lazy prostitute who will run at having Stanley the wealthy son of Boudaha for a husband?”
Everywhere is quiet for a while. Then she continues: “I have gone beyond chasing after vanity and lies that somebody somewhere can give me joy but now I know better.
“See, not you and not Stanley can give me the joy I needed.
“All the pains especially from you and Stanley have made me strong as steel. I live my life, find my own peace and relish in the joy that I do the right thing. I live in eternal gratitude and refusing to mind the affliction you poised at me. You have made me strong in every way; this is the wisdom of God.”
Bolu is perplexed and utterly confused at what kind of lady Susan is.
“Do you think I’m living in a self made fantasy or delusion? No, I’m the one living in reality. Look out there, ladies who hop from one man to another rarely find the joy they desire. The same thing with men who thought more women will lead them to a world of bliss. They often end up with more hurt. My life is set.
“Go tell Stanley, I’m set, I’m settled. I have seen the glory of the Lord. Nothing matters anymore, I have found peace and I have joy.”
“Susan, you’re mad.”
“Bolu!” Susan heaved. “You amazed me greatly my man.” She stepped away from him and went back to her room without saying goodnight.
She gets in and begins reminiscing on the past. She smiles at how much she has grown. Some years ago, she weeps over every assault of Bolu. Now it’s different: the peace that passes all understanding engulfs her.
Now she understands living in dominion in spite of the tempest out there. She’s married to Jesus, she thought; why seek for another man. Not Stanley of all men.
No doubt, Stanley is her taste for a husband. But now she has grown pass the needy state of her. She learns to be satisfied with whatever comes her way.
Bolu stands there dazed and confused. He is like a boy beaten pants down – ashamed of himself. He shrugs his shoulder carelessly and walks into his room.
He sleeps in a different room. They are like cohabiting couple.
