AN EYE FOR AN I From the day he woke up from death nobody dared speak to him. Even if they did he could not produce a single word but endless mumbling with his frozen jaws. The question that was written on everyone’s mind was “Does a person loose eyes upon death?” Noone had ever attempted to open a corpse’s eyelids so nobody had a ready answer. Shelton Mashoko had remained a mystery. Alone in the abandoned granary that he chose to call home, he remained an outcast. Churches mentioned him in their sermons as a living testimony of hell. Children, even his own lovely twin daughters Happymore Tinodanana and Godknows Taponeswa regarded him as the human eater in Gogo Dzehonye’s folktales. If only he could get an assurance that his late Sekuru Muindisi was not going to chase him again he would commit suicide and finally rest. But inwardly he felt suicide was somehow impossible given his inexperienced blindness. Lonely in his house that knew no visitor Shelton laid all the blame on his own signature and his wife as the two culprits. Shelton had been always persuing a mysterious life. Born and bred in Rugare a suburb well known for it’s atmosphere fused with an aroma of raw sewage. Working as a Raiway Assistant while his wife Selina Maturura, a vegetable vendor, Shelton had remained an enigmatic personality. Besides his seemingly unquenchable thirsty for beer he had looks enough to be described as very beautiful. Complimenting well with hips that seemed heavier for a man and a way of walking that could turn Miss Summer Strides green with envy, he epitomized a well packaged beauty queen. But his status failed to justify the Mercedes Benz “E” class that he drove , it’s origins were unknown and the string of well to do friends that he hanged around with in their endless drinking sprees. Because from Monday to Friday he still wore his dirty pair of overalls and his wife was still seen behind the vegetable stalls literally meant Shelton had failed to place the daily bread on the table. Surprisingly it was not only neighbours who had failed to understand Shelton,his wife too. Oneday she bumped into a thin strip of paper scribbled, “You’re a wonderful darling. Thanks for the nice time. We look forward to many more. My number is 091425448 Tapiwa” She had shivered in anger and jealous as she rushed to the nearest phone shop. But a big disappointment waited for her , the Tapiwa was a guy. Not convinced she secretly pursued him to his drinking sprees anticipating to catch him redhanded in a woman’s arms. Oneday she followed him to Mereki his favourite drinking spot . More disappointment waited for her again. She found him in someone’s arms dancing and fondling at the same time but it was a guy. She could not suppress her laughter as she furtively withdrew. “If beer confuses men to an extent of mistaking a man for a woman then l don’t see any reason for drinking it” She had said to herself on her way back home. She got the shock of her life the day she unexpectedly returned home from the market to relieve herself only to find her husband in bed with Trymore , one of his friends. Both naked and drunk wrapped in each others arm’s , fast asleep. All was well , Selina had taught herself to live and accept her husband with his strange personality. Problems only started when Shelton fell ill. It started as a slight headache, stomach pains before he was bedridden. The stream of cars which visited him the day he got admitted started trickling in until his wife became his only visitor. With every visit that she made she was told of different ailments until she no longer asked. If she was literate after compiling everything the different doctors told her she would discover that Shelton was suffering from almost all ailments. The medical contributions that Shelton had made for the eight years to the National Railway medical fund as well as donations from well wishers failed to sustain the frightening medical bill. Death appeared to be staring him in the eyes with the last option for him to receive medical attention at the discomfort of his bed in Rugare. That would be tantamount to a death sentence. A day before Shelton was due to leave the hospital the wife, after wide consultations and advice from workmates she was directed to a well known Optician Doctor Shungu Musviba. He was the brains behind an Eye bank that was buying iris from those willing to have theirs removed when they die. To Selina it was a simple paradox tilting to their favour. They would sell Shelton’s eyes and use the money to pay his medical expenses making the possibility of his death impossible. When the idea was sold to Shelton it did not take him long before putting his signature to paper. The deal was concluded with a speed nobody expected. Doctor Musviba and Selina were the happiest people on earth. The amount paid was enough for Shelton to receive a full time team of specialists. Even Selina had enough to extend the two bedroomed house and supplement their furniture adding a Sansui Home theater , a 29inch flat screen television and a decoder. She transferred her two girls from Garwe Primary school to Gateway Primary school. Selina’s problems seemed to have fully stopped because she was seen no way nearer the vegetable stalls and with Shelton’s health miraculously improving. All was well until Shelton’s relatives got wind of the deal. All the hell broke loose. She was chased away from the matrimonial home. The relatives confisticated the furniture, kids and Shelton’s custody. Not to be outdone Selina took with her fat bank account. A week after the new twist of events Shelton’s health deteriorated to an all time low. The relatives sold all the household furniture and lastily the house to meet the medical expenses. Doctor Musviba paid Shelton several visits assisting with injections and tablets. According to him those were necessary as pain killers. Unfortunately all was to no avail because Shelton passed away mysteriously. The day Shelton was pronounced dead Doctor Musviba together with two Assistants armed with a court order intercepted Shelton’s coffin on it’s way for burial. The hospital security fought a running battle with Shelton’s elder sisters Nomatter Kufakwejeri and Masciline who vehemently opposed any tempering with Shelton’s corpse. That prompted Doctor Musviba to make another quick chamber application that compelled the two Sisters not only to respect the contract but not also to disclose the deal to anyone. Doctor Musviba as always was the winner. The villagers of Mushayanguwo witnessed a funeral first of it’s kind. A coffin strongly guarded , no body viewing and no cremation allowed. Shelton’s spirit was wondering in a wilderness of darkness. As he groped and fought his way he heard distant jubilations and ululations. Suddenly a person in a white rob appeared before him. He tried to call but the person took no notice of him. Briskly he followed.They came to a cliff and at the deep end the person disappeared. On reaching the furthest end the person reappeared and Shelton followed. The singing and ululations were becoming more and more louder. He wobbled his way through a dense thicket of climbers and gigantic trees. The path lead him to a small opening which was intercepted by a flooded river. The ear splitting singing was coming from the other side of the river. There were a multitude of people in white robs. Shelton reluctantly attempted to cross the river. From nowhere Sekuru Muindisi , his grandfather appeared with a face registering wild anger confronted him.“Look at you. Where do you think you’re going? You can’t come here in pieces.’ Shelton opened his mouth in a protestant remark. No sooner had he uttered a single word than a bone crushing slap landed on his face. He screamed once before everything turned black and blank once again and for ever. The coffin bearers dropped the coffin and spun to their heels. Even the armed policemen retreated. A frozen atmosphere descended on the mourners . A moment passed with everyone seemingly lost for action. Mudzoto , the eldest man in the village stood up and walked over to the coffin. He called the coffin bearers who by then were standing some distance away and instructed them to open the coffin. Hesitantly they removed the lead. One of them popped into the coffin. He screamed once and fainted. Unpertubed Mudzoto examined Shelton’s coffin, felt the heartbeat and requested some warm water. “He is alive” Taurayi Kwenda (2008) Published Trends Magazine , Zimpapers Lifestyle Magazine, August 2008
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 08:02:30 +0000
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