C2 THE MEETING

Quande eyes peered at him, struggling to understand what he meant. He watched Richi walk closer and then stretched out his right hand for a handshake. He, later on, watched him sit some distance away.

He hasn’t changed a bit since they last meant, he thought. He gazed at him and spoke. “I am your most trusted friend you said but you have never bothered to ask for me ever since you returned from London. I heard you’ve been around for a while and—”

Richi interrupted with both hands lifted. “Please don’t start. You aren't thinking right about me, Quande my friend. I have been quite busy—”

“Busy with women of various heights, body sizes,s and skin colors, right?” Quande flared.

Richi smiled and then laughed. “You saw them, right? How long have you been around, Quande? I mean in my house?”

He wasn’t so sure what he was talking about but knew Richi was no fool. He stood up and walked to the window. He pulled the curtain and looked out for a while and then looked at Richi.

“I saw them when they walked past me a while ago and I saw your maid too. Yes, your maid. She said her name was Charmdola. That name sounds strange. The first five letters say it all. And for the girls—they all look sexy, exposed—What about, Annie? You’re cheating on that lovely woman, Richi and you know it. Her eyes can't see your sexual sin from London, right?” His voice started climbing.

Richi sat relaxed. He doesn’t seem troubled by Quande’s words. He watched him speak for a while and then intruded. “Annie and the kids are far away in London and I am here to take care of business. I don’t understand what you are talking about. Are you trying to tell me to stay away from women? You can't be serious Quande to have said a thing like that. God knows I’m still faithful to her as my lawful wedded wife but to be candid also. There is no way I can do without sex when I’m away from her as it is now.

“And I think she understands. I’m no stone, Quande. I’m flesh—made of flesh and blood. I don’t see why you are hitting me hard on this.” He sat back on his chair as they both allowed silent crawl above them for minutes.

Narrowing his eyes at him a moment later, Richi demanded, “Now tell me why you are here?”

Quande glared at him. He knew Richi is a terrible liar.

What does he mean Annie knows about his extra-marital affairs?

He felt anger swells up within him but he struggled hard to suppress it.

A few seconds later, he eventually did but not without a more pleasant utterance. “I didn’t mean to get you upset Richi, is just that I don’t like the idea. I mean, I’m jealous of Annie. Perhaps, I should just let the jealousy evaporate from my brain and tell you why I’m here. Since that is what you want to hear. Maybe, I have been a fool picking hard on your bad spots and I guess—”

“Stop Quande” Richi stood up and walked up to him, interrupting. “Please don’t let us go over this again, okay? I never asked you out. I just asked why you are here. Perhaps, I sounded too harsh. I’m sorry about that. Let’s talk more freely now and forget about this extramarital stuff. It is part of men folks. They can’t get satisfied with one woman. I guess that was why Solomon had wives. He had them before he started his vanity talk—please sit down. I don’t know you to be this angry. I said I am sorry.” Smiling, he walked back to his seat.

Quande stared at him and managed a word. “Alright Richi, is just that I was—never mind”

Richi pointed to a seat and began slowly. “To be honest, I am delighted to see you. Have you thought over what we talked about when we last meant, Quande?” putting on an expectant look, he gazed at Quande.

Quande was calm for a while and then licked his lips with his protruded tongue and then dragged it in unconsciously. He wasn’t so sure what he was doing. He felt cold creep through his spine.

His legs stiffened on the floor and his face ashen. He knew he had to brave all odds if he must survive in this crooked and perverse generation.

He stammered and several seconds later, he got his voice working for him again. “I have thought over it Richi. I must confess it is a hard one, but I’m sure I have reached a decision. I mean, I have taken a firm decision or perhaps about to do that. I just can’t understand why that seems the only path to becoming wealthy?”

Richi looked at him and smiled. He could read his mind.

He could also see fear mixed with a weak determination to succeed in his unstable mind in a world full of survival of the fittest. He also knew he must be determined to do anything.

Is it anything for money? Just anything!

Yes, anything to surmount the financial difficulty of the times and the crazy world of money.

You must have money to survive or die—

He turned his right hand into a fist and pointed it at him with his lips bend into an angry curve. “Don’t lose your mind Quande. Not this time and never let your mind work against you. Don’t bow out now. Bowing out now won’t get you anywhere. The Lion is not the biggest animal in the Jungle yet it is known as the king of the Jungle because it is fearless and daring. Don’t be a coward, Quande.

“Wealth is never gotten on a platter of gold. It takes extra effort sometimes and at other times deadly sacrifice to have it. It could take human blood. Times are hard Quande, so men need to be harder to walk through hard times.” Richi’s eyeball widens, he knew Quande was in doubt of his way.

He lights up a cigarette and dragged in a large volume of smoke and seconds later released it into the air, “Please listen, enough of procrastination and begging me for money. You must be shown how I pluck money from an apple tree. You will be coming to the club tomorrow with me. The Master will be in attendance. The rituals are easy but powerful. It only takes a couple of minutes and you are done.”

“The master” Quande whispered.

What is he talking about?

His eyes narrowed into a slit as he listens to Richi once more.

“Incredible wealth that knows no bounds will engulf you like the winds afterward. Be brave Quande and go get prepared. Tomorrow by 4 pm, we will meet at Popcorn Avenue by the T-junction and I’ll take you there. Do we have a date, Quande?”

Quande was deep in thought now. He hesitated for a while and then raised his head fixing his eyes on him. “Sure, we have a date. I will be there, T-junction, right?” He asked again.

Richi nodded his head. “Right, Quande.” He nodded.

Quande stood up and forced a smile, “I guess I have to be on my way now. Gilly never knew when I left home. I will call you if I have to…”

They shook hands. Richi watched him walk past the exit door with Charmdola helping out with the door.

Quande stared once more at her nakedness through her transparent tiny bra and miniskirt and then shifted his eyes at Richi before walking past the door.

Richi understood what his eye contact was all about. It was all about her, Charmdola.

********************

It was almost 9.30 am and Gilly was still standing by the window peeping through the beautiful transparent curtain. She wondered where on earth Quande had taken off to before the morning cockcrow. This was much unlike him she thought shivering. She only woke up to find his bed space empty and when she checked the garage, his car was not there.

How could he have gone out without a word?