“Ete my son,” the 75-year-old
Elder Obong called right in his sitting room. “We invited you home to hear from
the horse’s mouth.”
His 66-year-old wife, Mrs Obong who was seated very close to him nodded.
Ete, a 45-year-old successful young man based in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State,
Nigeria who worked with one of the oil servicing firms in the said state in
which he also hailed from, was the first child of the above named couple. He
obviously had anything money could afford. That he was still a bachelor at 45
in spite of the fact that all his younger ones had gotten married, was to say
the least a thought-provoking and striking phenomenon to all his loved ones
particularly his beloved parents, Elder & Mrs D.A. Obong.
“We want to know why you are still single.” Elder Obong who was sharing
with his wife one of the three-in-one upholstery chairs in the room said
succinctly.
His amiable wife nodded as usual.
Ete who was seated directly opposite his parents in a single upholstery
chair remained calm and silent. Prior to this moment, he needed not a seer to
inform him the purpose of that very meeting which marked the umpteenth time a
meeting would be hosted by his father for such reason.
“You are the dream of every lady.” The old man attested frankly.
Mrs Obong assented via a nod.
“If anything is the matter, please kindly tell us.” He added.
“Besides,” his mother chipped in. “Since we gave birth to you, we
haven’t seen you with any woman.”
Elder Obong concurred through a nod.
“Not even for once.” She landed.
“Please my son, tell us the truth,” the Chief Host continued. “What’s
exactly the problem?”
Ete noisily exhaled fathomless air, shook his crossed legs continuously
and placed his left arm on his left chin. “Papa and Mama,” he finally broke his
silence. “You worry yourselves over nothing.” He said, paused. “There’s nothing
absolutely wrong with me.”
“Then, why the unnecessary wait?” his father ranted, concurrently tapped
his right leg on the tiled floor furiously.
His mother slightly clapped her hands continuously indicating how
amusing her son’s statement sounded.
“I’m waiting for the appropriate time.”
“Appropriate time…?” the old man quarrelled. “Did I hear you say
appropriate time?”
“My son,” she chipped in. “Why are you doing this to us.”
Ete was unresponsive.
“What have we done to deserve this?” She added.
“How many of your mates are still single?” Elder Obong proceeded
emphatically. “Answer me, how many of them?”
“Or even at your working place,” Mrs Obong came in again. “How many of
your male colleagues are single?” She reiterated.
She was of the view that even a 20-year-old man who was privileged to
secure the kind of job Ete had wouldn’t wait for a second before getting
married let alone Ete, 45 despite the fact that he got the said job over six
years back.
The bombardment from the old couple continued to an extent that the
interviewee couldn’t bear the tension any longer. Hence, he pleaded to take a
leave; or would I say, he walked out on them. He left for Uyo that very moment
in one of his private cars he came with.
Henceforth, Mr Ete Obong thought it wise to keep a reasonable distance
from his parents in order not to encounter further query. Notwithstanding, the
distance never served as a deterrent to the old but agile couple who were seriously willing
and prepared to sacrifice anything towards ensuring that their first son who
had turned a deaf ear to their unrelenting importunities settled down without
further ado.
As time went on, the persuasive argument which proceeded unabatedly via
phone calls became so intense and severe that Ete was left with no other option
than to do otherwise, perhaps just to fulfill all righteousness. In view of
this, he tied the long overdue nuptial knots with Ukot Abang, 34, a young lady
he came across few weeks back in the city of Uyo.
The long awaited union brought
another explicit joy to the entire family of Obong that on the day of the white
wedding, the family was agog. Elder Obong who couldn’t hide his extreme
gladness felt not unlike a 20-year-old man; to him, it was like a dream come
true.
Having fulfilled the expected righteousness, the newly wedded man was
relieved of the endless trauma which was solely manufactured by his elderly
parents. Ironically, it seemed the trauma was shifted to his innocent wife,
Ukot. For several months instantly after their honeymoon, which lasted barely
fourteen days, Ete hardly paid attention to her especially on issues relating
to bed affairs.
He went to work on weekdays and returned late
at night almost on a daily basis, and when confronted by the wife he would
tender frivolous excuses. More pitiably, at the weekends when he was meant to
spend more time with her, he would prefer to hang out with his so-called friends.
The melodrama lingered persistently until she decided to share the ugly
experience with both her biological and matrimonial parents.
The aforesaid couples - Elder & Mrs Obong and Mr & Mrs Abang,
who frowned at the incident the moment they separately received the complaint took
their precious times to enquire from Ete why he had chosen to treat his wife
cruelly rather than doing the needful, even when everyone earnestly looked
forward to hear the cry of a newborn baby. The defendant who claimed that his
actions weren’t deliberate, therein abjured the idiosyncrasy.
Consequently, he adjusted his lifestyle as promised for a few weeks but
later reawoke his real self. This time, it was densely unbearable. Hence, Ukot
made up her mind to spy on him, thus she employed an expert to do the critical job.
“Hello madam.” The spy called Ukot on phone as she picked the call.
It was barely two days after she
assigned the work to him.
“Yes Bassey.” She answered.
“Please, are you alone?” Bassey inquired.
“What’s it?”
“I’ve an important message for you.”
“Go ahead.” She urged.
“Go to Avocado Hotel right now,” he enjoined. “Your husband is about to
meet his guest in Room 301.”
“A woman…?” She exclaimed.
“Maybe.” Bassey responded with a thick voice. “Good luck, madam.” He
added, cut the informative call.
Avocado hotel was situated about ten kilometres from their place of
residence. The moment she arrived at the hotel, she went straight to the room
having received a direction from the receptionist; she lied to the receptionist
that she was an expected guest.
As soon as the door was let open by starkly naked Ete on hearing a knock
which he thought came from an awaited waitress, Ukot could not believe what she
saw. Right in the hotel bed was a nude young man who appeared to be in his
early thirties partly covered with the bedspread. It wasn’t even her fellow
woman as she presumed.
The astonished Ete was speechless, stood still at the door. Whilst the
other deviant seemed paralysed as he lied helplessly in the bed.
So, ab initio this had been the reason for his weird lifestyle? Really
pathetic and astonishing.
Therein, Ukot who couldn’t withstand the ignominy attached to the
hideous truth passed out right at the entrance.
What transpired afterwards ought
to be a story for another day. Think about it!
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