LOST

Transition

"Okay mum. I am down. You are overworking me though."

"You are developing horns? You know I can cut them off in a minute. Don't exchange words with me."

(Murmuring)

"Jane, I need to bath." Mr Ntua diverts to the kitchen and speaks to his wife.

"May is warming the water for you."

"Really Jane? I don't like how you overwork my daughter. When will she ever rest? May this, May that. I think this should change. Even when Mike is here, you always tell her to do everything."

"I'm sorry Ntua. May is a grown girl. She just completed her O level last month. I do not know why we are having this conversation."

"Don't argue with me. My mind can take more."

"Whatever! Your bathing water will be ready in a few minutes."

"Okay. And by the way, did I send Mike the pocket money. That boy keeps on calling me. Do you have any money with you Jane?"

"Oh yes. I have some few hundreds in my purse."

"Okay. Please send the class teacher 30 dollars. If you fail, I mean, you know Mike. He will keep on calling."

"Okay. Bring me the flask Ntua."

"Do your work Jane. I am not coming back there."

"I know you will."

"I won't. Trust me." Mr Ntua replies.

He takes the flask from the utensil cabinet. Mr Ntua walks past the main door and returns to the kitchen.

"I know you lover. You can't disagree to hurt me."

"Come on Jane. It does not cost me to be nice. Please hurry up. I'm waiting for you in there."

(Fast steps)

Mr Ntua turns.

"Dad, your water is warm."

"Thank you May. Join your mum here. Oh sorry! Jane, please go and iron my silver blue shirt."

"Ntua? Which colour is that?"

Everybody loves.

"Something close to that. (Walks as he speaks) Please do it now Jane. I need to wear it after bathing."

"May, prepare the tea. I'm done with the cakes."

May nods in admittance.

Church services at this side begin 9am. Mr Ntua's family attends church at St. Andrew's Church in Mpeo. Mpeo is between the hills, and in most cases, this place is very cold, calling for heavy clothing. Everything about Mpeo is business, except the church. All businesses are carried out in Mpeo town, and the most common of all is the coffee milling business. The people around this area are passionate about coffee farming, and in most cases, people from all over the country travel to Mpeo to get the knowledge. However, farmers are always complaining about the returns they get. Mr Ntua being the chief of the area, is faced with challenges in bringing everybody on board, so as to have a common solution.

As he stands at the entrance of St. Andrew's Church in Mpeo, Mr Ntua looks around the compound. He hovers around before coming into a conclusion that, "I will solve this. I will help my people." St Andrew's Church is a centre of joy to many.

"Today is a big day," the pastor speaks, "we have members from the higher government, who are willing to interact with us. They have some information that they want to give us. Please, bear with us since we are breaking the protocol. Stay peaceful."

"Thank you pastor Bernard. My name is Dr. Sylvester. I work with the public service. I stand here to represent the chief of staff and the general Secretary of the ministry. I want to be very brief. Mpeo is the biggest centre of worship in this area. As I can see, the congregation constitutes of not less than two thousand people. I know I'm good in mathematics. Hehe. Anyway, the ministry has been following closely, and the issues that the people of Mpeo are facing need to be solved with immediate effect. We have so many issues to solve. Anything starts with leadership. The first step that we shall take is very sensitive. The public service has resolved to relieve the current administration their duties, and with the permission from the ministry, this area will have a new chief.

"What? Are you firing me?" Mr Ntua stands and shouts at the speaker.

"Peace! Who are you?"

"I am the current chief of this are."

"Sit down. You a just an ordinary Mpeo citizen. Just cool down sir. Just follow other legal systems to prove your point. I did not fire you."

"What did I do?"