Morning, great souls. Its Monday morning and I guess were back to work. Nevertheless, I know we can steal some minutes to read so THE LAST BOAT chapter three is here. enjoy it. Chapter Three Somoni was looking at the crowd as they pulled and pushed one another trying to get boats to their destinations without actually seeing them as he thought about Inobio and their partnership. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there but he could tell by the cool evening sea breeze blowing across his face that it had been quite a while. He was within earshot and actually saw most of what transpired between Abinye and his group and the boat driver. He chuckled to himself as he recalled how that woman had expressed her disgust, “illiteracy is a disease,” she had said describing how the driver had wasted her and her colleagues’ time because he couldn’t read. “Thank God I can read and write!” he said allowed to himself. Educated as he was, he couldn’t catch up with some of his partner’s wisdom. Just supposing he was stark illiterate like Tuotamuno, then he wouldn’t have been fit to be Inobio’s servant because communication would’ve been a very big problem. Inobio’s experience in life always floored him. There was hardly anything he didn’t know something about. The other day he had arrived the wharf from Nembe and was disappointed not to see Inobio waiting for him. Tired and hungry, he was thinking of what to tell the customers while he waited for his partner when he saw a relatively new car driving in his direction. He tried to avoid it but the driver seemed to have a mission so he jumped across the wide gutter cursing the driver on his mind. But rather than drive off, the car stopped and the driver alighted laughing. “What are you doing with another man’s car?” Somoni asked Iniobio who wore a three piece suit. “Check the number plate; what do you see? RSG. See? It’s a government car and you and I are part of government,” Inobio said spreading his arms wide. “Government people are in Government House. Don’t make any mistakes about that. Why are you dressed like this? Where are you coming from?” Somoni asked not sure of what to make of his friend’s appearance. “Relax man. I’ve been out there marketing. This is my uncle’s official car. He is a permanent secretary. I told him about our fish, he told his friends, they told their friends and families and now everybody is waiting for the fish in Government House. You load your best stuff in the booth and wait for me to come back.” “You are in the wrong clothes. Fishmongers don’t dress like bankers and lawyers. They wear coveralls or singlets and tie wrappers. Don’t you know that fish smell lingers?” Somoni asked shaking his head. “I’m dealing with men and women who are used to buying groceries from the big stores. If I appear in the manner you just described, they’ll under price me. But seeing me in this three piece suit, my uncle got me from Marks and Spencer, they’d be proud to do business with me,” Inobio said wiping his face with a snow white handkerchief. “What happens to the rest of the fish while I wait for you?” Somoni asked. “Sell them to the usual customers. I promise not to take two long at the Government House.” Reluctantly Somoni loaded the fish for him and he drove off. Doubtful if Inobio would make any sales, Somoni found a restaurant to eat and went back to attend to their waiting customers. A few minutes after, he forgot all about his tiredness and Inobio, shouting and haggling price with the major buyers that sold to hotels and restaurants. Despite the rush, he still had two bags of smoked fish left at the end of the day. This was unusual because they normally sold out before six in the evening. Wondering what might have gone wrong, he went back inside the boat with all the money from the sales of the day stuffed in a bag and tied around his waist, he flopped and went into a sound sleep. “Thief! Thief!” Somoni woke up with a start his heart palpitating and went for his torch. He listened for the direction of the shout and located his spear ready to attack if necessary or defend himself if attacked. He listened silently, ready to flash the torch at any looming danger. He peered around the dark boat listening for unusual sounds but heard nothing. Satisfied that the danger wasn’t inside the boat but outside of it, Somoni flashed his torch and decided to investigate the voices outside. “Why the hullabaloo?” he asked in a disapproving tenor. “We saw someone coming out of your boat and when we challenged him, he jumped into the water and disappeared,” a man said. “Tamuno-e! Is that true?” Somoni shouted. “I was the one that called the others to come and see because I wasn’t sure if it was you or your partner,” another man said. “Have you checked if anything is missing?” the first man asked. “No. Let me see,” Somoni said. He went back inside the boat and did a quick check and found everything intact. The two bags of fish were still there so were his kerosene stove, a small generator he bought for his customer in Nembe and a radio cassette someone had asked him to give a relation in Brass. Satisfied, he told the man that nothing was missing and they told him how lucky he was. Just then he became very pressed to go to toilet. Somoni was not a woman but he cried like a woman that night. The need for toilet had reminded him of the moneybag he’d tied around his waist. With his heart in his mouth, he removed the wrapper and the bag was gone. “My money! My money!” he screamed. “Thieves have killed me! I’m finished! Oh God, I’m dead!” he shouted and cried waking the entire waterfront residents. People gathered sympathizing with him and trying to console him but he wouldn’t be consoled. He cried until he lost his voice then tiredness overtook him and he dozed off to a jerky sleep. He would wake up intermittently and review the events of the day. If Inobio hadn’t come up with his crazy idea of selling fish to the government, he would’ve taken care of the sales while Somoni rested. That way, he would’ve been refreshed and alert even in his sleep. How could he sleep so deeply as to forget even his private part? If the thief cut off the bag around his waist without his knowledge, then he could’ve also taken his private part with him. Did he put him under a spell? He thought hard and long seeing his dream of buying another boat evaporate in his eyes. All his future was tied to this boat. Only last week they finished paying for the new engine they bought. That had affected their capital so he hadn’t been able to pay for the supplies this week. The fishermen had given him their stock on trust and now these thieves had come to complicate his life. What was he going to tell those men and who would believe him? In fact, he didn’t need anybody to believe him; all he needed was someone to bail him out and help him to redeem his promises. God! Who could he go to? He thought hard flaying himself for over sleeping and refusing to wake up to face the day despite the early morning sunray’s effort to prise open his eyes. “So Baba! Abi you go sleep for ashawo house this one wey you no wan wake up again?” Inobio asked climbing into the boat. “I sabi road to ashawo house?” Somoni asked, willing himself up from the mattress. “Wetin happen? You no well?” Why you dey look like this?” Inobio asked crossing over to Somoni who only sighed and looked away. “My friend, is there something wrong? Tell me, man. I’m your friend and business partner.” “Old boy, I disappoint… I’ve disappointed myself, you, the customers, the fishermen and everybody. I’m in serious trouble!” Somoni said between sighs and shaking of head. “Is it about the robbery?” “You know already?” Somoni asked. “Of course. It’s everywhere and they said you were crying like a baby all night,” Inobio said mimicking his voice and laughing. “Can you imagine yourself crying because of your own five thousand naira? What’s five thousand naira to a business mogul? Wake up brother! We’ve just joined the big league.” “It wasn’t up to five thousand naira. It was only three thousand five hundred naira,” Somoni said, “If I’d sold the other two bags, they’d have added up to that amount. Still I’m worried because I bought the fish on credit.” “That’s the correct business practice. Only pay cash for direct services and consumables. All others, negotiate for credit facilities. That way you have enough liquidity to play around,” Inobio said. “You this Nembe man, where do you learn all these business principles and economics? Did you go to another school after you left us in class four or you have somebody teaching you at home?” “My uncle, the permanent secretary, is a graduate of Harvard Business School and my father is a lecturer of economics in the University of Ibadan.” “So why did you dropout when you have such notable examples in your family?” Somoni asked. “Because I already have enough education to find my way through life. The next thing is money. If I have money today, nobody will question my authority of how I knew this or that? Nobody will ask for my certificate. Instead, they will listen when I talk and everybody will accept me for what I am,” Inobio said passionately. Somoni kept quiet for a moment, sensing that he’d pulled the wrong plug in Inobio’s sensitivity board. He thought of how to move the discussion forward and asked, “How many girls did you dance with last night?” Inobio smiled and Somoni was glad that his tactics had worked. “Are you not going to tell me?” Somoni asked. “Ah! How did you know that I was at the club last night?” Inobio asked dusting dirt off his jeans trousers. “I can smell it on your body. Besides with all that money in your pocket and a car to cruise, there was no way you would’ve come back. I was just praying that they didn’t steal it from you. Little did I know that it was mine they would steal.” “Stop mourning because of that money,” Inobio said, “I sold that fish for five thousand naira but I have here four thousand six hundred naira only. I was celebrating yesterday so I bought drinks for a lot of people. Sorry,” Inobio said. Somoni couldn’t believe his ears. Five thousand was like the value for three bags and Inobio sold three quarter bag for that same value? “Boy! These big men are huge spenders,” he thought. What did Inobio tell them that made them part with all that money? “Inobio, how did you do it? Did you use voodoo?” Inobio laughed and laughed as he handed over the money to Somoni “What voodoo is greater than packaging, advertising, saying the right things at the right time and playing on the vanity of the customer? Put a value on your product, package it well, look important, talk professionally and knowledgeably, and speak good English and you’ll sell anything to the rich,” Inobio said. Looking back now, Somoni remembered how that money had saved him and earned him greater respect from his customers. Because he had to return their money, he had left for Nembe before the remaining bags were sold. The morning before he left, Inobio had mooched his uncle’s car and loaded the remaining fish inside. He’d told Somoni that he was going on a marketing and sales drive. He said he’d had some preliminary discussions with Hotel Presidential and other big hotels and restaurants in Port Harcourt and many of them had told him to bring samples on that day but he’d promised Somoni that the fish wasn’t coming back with him. “Dem no get mouth,” he’d said as he drove off, “they must buy everything.” Somoni didn’t doubt him. He just prayed that he would succeed and be disciplined enough to keep the money until he came back from Nembe. Inobio was a good man but he was a huge spender. With his numerous girlfriends, club habit and high taste, it was difficult for him to keep money. Maybe that was why he wasn’t rich despite his business acumen and ruthlessness in business. One thing Somoni had learned over the years was the ability to save and live within a small budget. This was something Inobio was still grappling with and would probably never master. Somoni thought that might explain the reason he willingly handed over any sales he made because he knew his weakness. The sad thing was that he wasn’t doing anything about it. And this was a big concern for Somoni because Inobio easily became irritable when he was broke so to avoid palaver and avoidable quarrels, Somoni gave him money whenever he was in need. Lately, he’d decided to share their profits immediately after sales but that was affecting the business badly because Inobio had never been able to meet up with his own side of the contribution. Always it was a few hundred short and Somoni sometime had to make it up. The result was less saving on his part and a small capital for the business. And this was responsible for their predicament. Just an engine change and the business was nearly crippled even though part of the money had come from the old engine they’d sold. How he wished Inobio would change and live a more disciplined life. These things were on his mind as he collected more fish on credit from his customers for his return trip. Fully loaded and ready to go back the following day, he laid down in bed that afternoon in Inobio’s room while the boat driver watched over the boat at the waterfront. He was almost dozing off when he heard the familiar voice. “Soso Baba!” Inobio was here. “Soso Baba!” Inobio called from the outside with a happy tone, kicking plastic basins and buckets as he stepped into the passage. Somoni sighed knowing that was the end of his afternoon snooze. “Inobio has a radio with a stereo in his rodeo and Pinocchio in his portfolio!” he responded. “Ha! Ha! Ha! I thought you were dead or even cooling off with a woman,” Inobio said laughing. “Not in my character,” Somoni replied. Inobio came in and they shook hands laughing and disturbing the neighbourhood. “What are you doing in Nembe?” Somon asked when they’d quietened down a little. “Is this not my community? Look at this Kalabari man questioning my presence in Nembe. You almost broke the law, you know,” Inobio said, searching his pocket. “Nimi! Nengi!” he shouted peeping through the window. “Nimi! Where are these urchins?” he asked no one in particular. “They’re not back from school!” a female voice answered from another room. “Ayiba! Aunty Vera! Are you home?” he asked lowering his voice. My aunty is at home,” he said to Somoni conspiratorially and left the room to greet her. A few minutes later, he came back with a packet of 555 and two beers. He offered one to Somoni, lit a stick of cigarette and stuck it to his mouth. Somoni twitched his nose and readjusted himself in the room. “I sold the fish like I promised but not to the hotels. I sold them to my uncle’s friend that supplies food to Delta Hotels and other government concerns. He didn’t want to pay cash so I had to reduce the prices for him,” Inobio said opening the beers. “So how much did you sell the two bags?” Somoni asked after thanking him for the beer. “About five thousand naira,” Inobio answered. “That’s fantastic!” Somoni said excitedly. “Boy! I can now pay my customers and even buy more fish,” he continued. “That’s not a very bright idea,” Inobio said. “You pay them and we split the change. I need some new shoes and you need an entire wardrobe. Look at you; you’re working your arse off and nothing to show for it. We take a break this weekend and enjoy ourselves. Man body no be firewood o!” Inobio said. Somoni looked at him above the rim of his glass trying to digest what he was saying. “How about the trawler? Are we not buying it anymore?” Somoni asked innocently. “That’s neither here nor there. We need to start enjoying the fruits of our labour before wives and children make it impossible,” Inobio said. “I think it’s too early to start spending rather, we should save especially now that we’ve finished payment for the engines,” Somoni said. “That’s exactly why we should celebrate. There’s a big burial coming up in a couple of weeks here in Nembe. The whole town is going to be agog with a bevy of beautiful floozies. You don’t want to be seen in those stained dungarees,” Inobio said. “I want to save and go back to school; I don’t want to spend my money on those immoral women,” Somoni said. “You’re just a fisherman’s son,” Inobio said smiling and taking the bite off his remark. “You need new clothes and a woman to keep you on your toes. Trust me,” Inobio said. After a long discussion on the topic, Inobio was able to convince Somoni on the third bottle of beer the need for them split the balance of whatever would be left after they’d paid for the fish. While Inobio planned to return to Nembe for the weekend, Somoni decided to visit a cousin in Bonny, hoping to return the following Sunday to prepare for his trip to Nembe the following day. Not certain if he was fully compos mentis after that third bottle of beer, Somoni excused himself and went to lie down. The sun was still very high outside which meant they still had a few hours before nightfall. He and the boat driver had agreed earlier to travel by night so as to arrive Port Harcourt in the morning. Already, he’d sent word to his customers to be at the wharf very early in the morning. He called out to Inobio but got no reply. He wondered where he’d gone to in the midday heat. He always thought of himself as a restless being but Inobio was like a fast moving stream. Very difficult to dam as it would overflow within minutes and seek other paths to continue moving. Somoni decided to take a snooze hoping to wake up in a couple of hours so as to go and pay some of the fishermen before they sailed out. He was thinking of what to do with his share of the money when he dozed off. He dreamed of his childhood days when he and his father had gone fishing near the famous Dawe’s Island. He saw how his father had stubbornly rejected the hospitality of an Ogoloma fisherman and insisted that they paddled back home. He recalled how his father had taken ill and how they’d been overtaken by nightfall. He was at the point when the cannibals arrived when he felt a gentle push in the arm. “It’s 5.00pm,” the driver said. “Time to go.” To be contd. next Wednesday.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:51:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015