The First Time

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

   Everyone quite knew too well that Mekus was good at backbiting. He was more disliked for being a betrayer. To them, he hardly sees matters clearly especially when he had a hidden intention. So whenever he exhibits that character he was bound to receive a collective lashing.

     “Or what!” came the second unanimous shout urging Mekus to make rel his threats.     

     “I swear, Mekus has a hidden agenda,” shouted Peter when Mekus declined to speak further.     “What is it?” queried Iyke.     

     “Announcement, announcement. The dog wants to say something please,” cried playful Alaska. He had walked up to where Peter was standing. With an extended arm, he clenched his fist towards Peter’s mouth as a microphone gesture thereby interrupting him.     

The little scene caused another round of laughter. Peter chased him into his room.     

     “Are you people watching as the dog chased after my roommate? What if he gives him rabies?” cried Eme, Alaska’s roommate laughing.     

The comment made Peter stop chasing after Alaska and made for Eme.     

     “Aricoco my brother, I heard you’ve got the medicine for dogs. Please come to my rescue,” came the still laughing Eme as he took to his heels.     

     “Yes, the medicine for the dog is kids’ excrement. If you can get an infants’ excrement. Then call out to the dog, this way, Pieaa, pieaa, pieaae! The dog will start running towards you to lick the s**t,” Aricoco responded to Eme.     

Overhearing that sarcastic comment Peter stopped from chasing after Eme who he was about to engage in a little exchange. He hurled a used empty can of a tin of milk at Aricoco who dodged it.     

     “See these kids, oh. When would you graduate as men?” Kristor asked.     

     “Don’t mind Peter. No be you say your nickname na Snoop doggy-dog, ennh? Are you not the doggy master? Why you de hala? Don't take offense whenever a person tells you what some dogs eat as food in their villages. Do you want us to remind you of the disease dogs can give a person if they are not vaccinated? At least, Aricoco had told you the food he feeds his dogs on. Abi, you eat infant excrement as his dog does?” Iyke mocked Peter in pidgin English.     

     “Does it mean that Aricoco doesn’t have anything better to feed his village dogs than on infant excrement? That is quite abhorrible. I can’t imagine how lanky, malnourished and sickly such a dog would look like?” Kristor objected with a shocking shrug.

     “Let me ask you Kristor. Does it not strike you that doggy-master looked so lanky and malnourished?” Iyke said with a sly look at Peter’s contorted face.     

     “But for God’s sake, he is not as lanky as Onoo,” Alaska added laughing and refocusing the subject matter to the front view.     

     “Thank you, Alaska, for reminding me about Onoo,” acknowledged Iyke with a deliberate sense of urgency.     

All this while Kelvin remained silent, watching the unfolding drama as it unfolds. Soon Kolia made her way out of the room and opened the burglarproof to let Onoo inside her room. Kelvin had been aware that the two had become friends. Yes, lovers and to a point, they were shameless at the way they carry about their libido inflamed affair. He, however, sees no connection between the relationship and Onoo’s sudden malnourished-looking state.

     “Before any further procession on the matter on the ground, please, I would like to hear Peter’s secret on Mekus,” cuts in Eme.     

     “Yes, that’s what we want to hear first. Oya, Peter, please have the floor!” Kristor urged.     

     “I would only allow myself to be obliged because it was Kristor’s bidding,” replied Peter non-smiling. He has found the pleasure to hit back at his arch-rival Mekus.     

     “We agree. But explain yourself please,” Eme added. “The reason why Mekus hadn’t been able to come out in the clear is that he himself had been eying Kolia. He is merely jealous that Kolia had not agreed to his hand of intimate friendship. Do you all know that this stingy Mekus had been spending his money buying cans of juice and presents for her?” Peter lets the Cat out of the bag. 

     It was an accusation. Assuming it was true Mekus could have bought and given those items to Kolia without ulterior motives. Kelvin could remember on one occasion he witnessed Mekus give her some items in the full of everyone around their end of the boys' quarters. Mekus had come back from the market one evening and called her. She responded and came out from her to collect the gift that Mekus had earlier promised her.

     Peter picked Mekus for constant quarrel because both do not agree though they are roommates.     

     “For God’s sake which Mekus? This stingy one?” asked Aricoco laughing. It all sounded like a puzzle to everyone.     

     “Alarm don blow! So Mekus you’d been chasing after Kolia in secret, thinking that we would never get wind if it?” Iyke said laughing.     

     “I talkam (I said it), say this kin person wey no dey give person money, something must be eating his money and na girls. See your life!” Kristor added in pidgin English laughing out loud.     

     “Chie! Wonders will never end,” replied dumbfounded Alaska.     

It was common knowledge that most people viewed Mekus as stingy. Others would say, he was too meticulous at spending or helping out. We all agreed he wasn’t a generous person. He rarely admits he had any money to lend to anyone or help out. Maybe he was right. Most students came from poor backgrounds. The meager fund they get from their families they manage with utmost priority. Mekus could be given the benefit of the doubt. However, they knew him as someone who always complain about a lack of money whenever he is asked to make a financial contribution to the lodge for some projects. So, it had come as a surprise to everyone though not unexpected.     

But not everyone was taken by surprise. The fact that Mekus could have been spending his little income as he always puts it, on any girl. They were all surprised because it was, he who was always backstabbing about the waywardness of the girl Kolia. Yet behind their backs, he was secretly itching for her hand of friendship with gifts. What an absurd kind of character.

     “You all are nothing but crazy! What’d I to do with Kolia by the way, enh?” Mekus found himself in an awkward defensive position.     

     “Kelvin, you’d been here. Had you ever seen her in my room alone with me?” he sought Kelvin’s help out of the situation. Kelvin had not joined in the endless jeers as well. That was a lie. Kolia had lately been moving in and out of the room shared by the trio of Kristor, Mekus, and Perter for whatever reason best known to her. What Kelvin doesn't know for sure was who she was meeting in particular while inside the room.

     “Leave big boy Kelvin alone my friend. When did he turn into a private room investigator? Does he enter your people’s room excerpt if Kristor was inside it? Have you ever seen him with a girl before? Abeg, leave him in peace!” Iyke cuts Mekus short even before Kelvin could speak for himself.     

     “Get out of my way, am I talking to you?” Mekus was visibly annoyed as he barked at his fellow kinsman.     

     “I would never allow you to interact with Kelvin. He’d made me his mouthpiece,” Alaska said in amusement. He stood akimbo between Kelvin and the two quarreling kinsmen.     

     “Secret womanizer. Why can’t you own up? You hadn’t even denied it,” Aricoco said.     

     “Look at you. You think I am an endless womanizer like you?” Mekus tried to save his face rather poorly.     

The parties got divided with Aricoco, Alaska, Eme, and Peter on one side; these were the youngest students among the male students living in the lodge. Together they enjoyed the opportunity of ridiculing Mekus to his discomfort. Kristor and Kelvin sat together with Iyke still doing his laundry watching the scene.   

      “Mekus, if you’re looking for an alibi you’d found the wrong person in Kelvin,” Eme added.        “Yes, was Kelvin aware when you were secretly buying cans of juice and gifts to persuade her to date you?” Peter added amusedly.     

     “Omo, get behind me the lots of you!” Mekus scowled at them. He had never expected himself to feel embarrassed the way he was. Shamefaced; he quickly sought the refuge of his room.     

While the amusement and jeering were going on, Iyke now put Kelvin and Kristor in the clear as regards Onoo.     

     “So, Kelvin you had been living here yet you seem not to sniff the ground enough to know what had been going on?” he said in a low but audible tone.