THE CLOCK

Episode4: TICKING TIME

While the two doctors were deliberating, Prophet Isaac came along and greeted them. They stopped their discussion and responded, shaking hands warmly. Prophet Isaac was so popular among the staff of the hospital that he needed no introduction.

He could enter anywhere without any objection. Besides, it was Dr.

Nkechi who was largely instrumental to the surgery that saved his life from a very deadly ailment. So when he told the two doctors of his intention to pray for the inmate of the private hospital room adjacent to them, they raised no objection. Moving in his characteristic majestic carriage, he knocked on the room door and pushed it open. The excitement his presence caused was tremendous.

"Prophet Isaac!" Mama's children chorused and ran forward to embrace him. On hearing the name of the Prophet, Mama opened her eyes and turning, called excitedly, "Isaac!"

"Mama Nwankwo!" Prophet Isaac called in turn.

Sitting by the edge of the bed, Prophet Isaac touched her arm, and she struggled to sit up. After they had gone through the usual pleasantries, the prophet asked to know the problems that brought her to the hospital. After Mama's explanations of her ailment, he called Dr. Nkechi Obinna and told her about his relationship with Mama. He had begged her to use all the skill in her disposal to see to Mama's recovery.

"I will pray for you to receive healing from our Lord Jesus

Christ," the prophet announced. "We will pray to God to inspire the doctors to give you proper treatment, but remember that healing comes from God," the prophet continued. "Would you permit God to come into your heart and take control of your life?" He asked.

"Yes!" Mama answered

"Father, in the name of Jesus Christ..." Prophet Isaac

prayed from the depth of his soul.

After the prayer session, Prophet Isaac announced his intention of visiting his relations in Akamu the following day. At that, Mama had implored him to spare a little time of his time in the village to inform Eze Nwagu, the community head, Mgbafor and her other friends of her illness and to explain to them the circumstances surrounding her conspicuous absence from her story-telling sessions.

"Time.. time, the ever ticking time," Mama mused. It was very obvious to her that she had missed out in life. "Time and tide" she recalled one of the adages she had learnt in school. "Time and tide wait for no man," she said regrettably. "See how time changes everything: Our hopes and dreams, our tastes and habits, even the things we thought were fun turn out phoney and laugh us to scorn, she went on with her woeful monologue.

"Mama please get up and eat before your food gets cold,"

Ego pleaded.

"Forget about that for now, let the food wait for a while, let it wait..," Mama said in sing-song, her mind clouded with misty memories.

She remembered the school anthem which their school principal composed in those days when the blood af youth burned with hopes of wonderful days ahead. She began to hum:

"This is the start of a new day

A day given by God For you and I to use at will

Waste it or use it for good Who cares? But know this:

What you do today, time shall tell It is a seed sown and watered

To grow, to flower, to yield fruit

What you reap maybe your gain

What you reap maybe your loss

So onward ever never looking back For gain, not loss, for good, not evil"

As mama sang that anthem, sad memories of unfulfiles ambitions welled up from the depth of her subconscious and tears flowed in ivulets, clouding her vision. It was not difficult for her to have a quick rundown of her life's experiences since she came of age. When it came to remembering things, events, persons, and their faces, her memory was super active. In fact, she was an unknown genius with considerable awakened talents. Her skill in story-telling and moral teaching was but a small fraction of her great potential that could move the world around. There she lay, restless, unable to be consoled.

"Habits die hard!" Mama exclaimed and cried. "So sad to realize that a momentary escape from reality with seeming inconsequential indulgence could bring a whole lifetime of ruin and regrets!" Mama cried and exclaimed again.

Mama Nwankwo's secret life style was as mysterious as her intimidating physique. Her appetite for alcoholic consumption was phenomenal. Her addiction started well back in her secondary school days. It started as just one of those means di passing time, but metamorphosed into a chronic hatit developing into hidden character and then a charted destiny.

*So I've been creating my destiny by what I thought was mere fun," Mama muttered to herself, tears still rolling down her magnificent cheeks.

"Many things I thought were right are today staring me in the face with their ugly countenance. Oh, how I wish the hand of the clock could be turned back," Mama kept rolling in untold anguish of regrets. "As we make our beds..." she shuddered to complete that epigram, but her conscience kept asking her to complete the saying. Though struck by guilty conscience, she resisted the inner voice that kept asking her to say it all; but overwhelmed by that still small voice she added, "so we lie on it." Feeling completely defeated, Mama cried with a loud voice that attracted the concern of some of her children who were relaxing outside on the veranda.

"Mama," they chorused concernedly. "What is the matter?"

they asked.

"Nothing serious, my dear, just that ….." she broke off,

unable to speak the truth.

"But what, mama?" Chioma asked.

"See mama, you've been crying again. I can notice that in

your eyes and voice," Ikechukwu remarked.

"Remember the doctor's warnings, or don't you want to leave here fully healed?" Nwankwo asked.

"I want to be well in body, mind and soul. I want to be a complete person. I want to repossess my lost glory. I want to ...

'she stopped short and passed out.

"Mama, mama, mama," her children called, crowding her.

But when they noticed the steady, even heaving of her

chest, they became reassured.

Mama's secret intake of alcohol took a new dimension after her husband's death. At first, it offered her some momentary escape from reality, and she enjoyed the courage it gave her to bear her loss. Later, she noticed that the habit was giving her some negative signals in her body; but her husband's sudden death coincided with the period she had planned to stop the habit of drinking alcohol, Beaten and battered by the excruciating pain of loss, she had increased her alcoholic intake in quantity and frequency. With the assistance of one of her best friends, Mama procured illicit gin and consumed it even when she had not eaten for the day. She took it first thing in the morning, and from afternoon through night. Even her children had no inkling of her growing habit even though they had very close contact with one another.

She was very clever to hoodwink critical observers. Her watchword was secrecy to such an extent that her left hand never knew what her right hand was doing. Even her closest friends could not boast of knowing the innermost recesses of Mama's mind.

Mama Nwankwo had a bosom friend called Mgbafor, who

was also in the same foodstuff business as Mama.

Mgbafor was not only a co-member of Mama's community, she was also Mama's former classmate and best friend with whom she shared common hopes and aspirations. Both of them had nursed the ambition of studying Medicine in order to become medical doctors, a profession they enviously cherished, Besides, Mama and Mgbafor had been in business partnership. buying and stocking agricultural produce and retailing to end users. Both were also major suppliers of agro-processed foodsto dealers from neighbouring villages. Even at the village square Mama Nwankwo and Mgbafor were always together, sitting side by side, sharing and complementing each other's ideas. They were like a pair that never parted.

In the whole of Akamu, Mgbafor ranked second to none in strength and comeliness. Her radiance and amiable nature were attributes worthy of emulation. Even though she too, like Mama Nwankwo, had lost her spouse after she had bore three children for him, she had never encouraged any close amoral intimacy with any man. Even when her husband's brothers wanted her to remarry by choosing from among them, she had bluntly refused, saying that her children would be her husbands.

Unlike Mama Nwankwo, Mgbafor was not dark and huge..

She was fair, slim-built and of average height. Her face was oval Ike the carved mask of a masquerade. When she smiled, her gap teeth set centrally on her upper teeth set a mysterious glow of radiant glamour that set men's blood on fire.

Nevertheless, her self-control was strong and

consummate, and that won her love and admiration of all.

Itwas another Eke, two market weeks since the disappearance of Mama from Akamu village, All Akamu was extremely surprised that in spite of the closeness Mgbafor shared with Mama Nwankwo, the former was still at a loss as to the whereabouts of her bosom friend.

By eight O'clock in the morning of that Eke day, the market was already full to capacity as it used to be before the disappearance of Mama Nwankwo. The market was thick with people followed by the usual hustle and bustle as people went about their various concerns. Along the major road that passed through the market making it have northern and southern sides, some groups of entertainers could be seen dancing to promote their trades. Some were selling medicinal herbs and concoctions, which they claimed could cure all diseases;

some were advertising new cosmetics and other products that were making their debut in the market; while some others in various sections were displaying dangerous creatures like snakes, scorpions and other harmful animals of which they claimed to have preventive anti-dotes to their poison. There were also magicians demonstrating their skill in voodoo and conjuring, making things appear and disappear. It was quite an exciting moment when the leader of the magical group reeled out burning cigarettes from his mouth. Immediately after, he commanded birds of various kinds and sizes to fly out from his nostrils. At that, the spectators yelled loudly.

Mgbafor wriggled through the thick crowd to cross to the other side of the market. Another trader called Nneamaka was seated before her wares, beckoning prospective buyers to patronize her. As she haggled with a young lady who showed interest in one of her items of sale, Mgbafor came and greeted.

"Nne," she called. "How is business today?" She asked.

"So far so good," she replied, adding, "As you can see, there's a little left. I'll soon rush to the store for a fresh supply."

"That's good and I thank God for you," Mgbafor

encouraged.

"Your money is ready, would you like to take it now?" Nneamaka, who also bought things on credit from her, asked.

"Yes," Mgbafor replied. "I've been going round collecting from my customers, who bought food items from me on credit to resell'’ Mgbafor said.

Nneamaka counted out some money and handed it to Mgbafor. As Mgbafor made to leave, a woman sitting next to Nneamaka called.

"Mgbafor, how's the day?" The woman asked. "Very good,

my sister," Mgbafor replied.

"I trust you money magnates," the woman hailed.

"Thank you for your compliment," Mgbafor responded.

"By the way, is there any news yet about Mama Nwankwo?" The wornan asked.

"Not at all," Mgbafor replied

"I've leamt that the search team had returned without any

success," the woman said.

“So l heard, my sister, but Eze Nwagu has charged the team to embark on a fresh search. We pray to the gods of our land to assist them" Mgbafor said.