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A horrifying encounter with a terrible woman
Wherever there is darkness, evil thrives. Load-shedding had brought darkness to Sikaman and the rate of sin has gone up dramatically. When I caught a young man practically working up a young girl in the dark near my home around midnight, I knew the effects of load shedding were becoming far-reaching.
Kwame Alomele tall and halt naked suddenly burst onto the scene guess the lovers became frightened by my height and apparent size and before I could say Jack the horrified fornicators had taken off like Olympic athletes. Perhaps they thought I was the latest ghost in town.
In fact I couldn’t sleep that night because of the heat: it was when I came out almost naked to get some breeze that I saw the human dogs moaning excitedly.
At first I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. And I am not used to watching such live performances. The problem is that I am a born-again Christian. Any-how before I could come to terms with the goings-on of the orgiastic ceremony, there was a sudden ruffle and then the quick shuffling of feet almost simultaneously didn’t know girls could also run that fast.
I am pretty sure they were damn scared and would never try it again around my territory. It is dangerous territory. You wouldn’t know when Kwame Alomele will appear in white and cause horror and panic.
Apart from the unbearable heat one has to face on load-shedding nights, you are also denied cold drinks. These days some of us have to pick a taxi to non-load-shedding areas to chill. It was last week Saturday when I made one such trip, and what an experience it was.
I was chilling contentedly and enjoying the breeze when a young woman of about 28 walked slowly and came to my table. I looked up at her and waited for her to talk. She said nothing.
“Are you looking for me?” I asked.
“I thought you were my brother who said I should meet him here. He looks exactly like you.”
“I see, look around, maybe he is hanging around somewhere in that corner,” I told her.
She looked around with disinterest and said her brother was nowhere around. I expected her to re-trace her steps and walk off. She didn’t.
Instead she said, “Well, once I haven’t seen my brother, I might as well sit here with you”. She sat down and smiled at me. I looked at her, examining her features carefully to make sure I was not dealing with any common ghost. She asked for a drink and I asked her to pick it up herself at the counter.
She stood up and while walking to the counter, she dangled her weighty buttocks. I was impressed.
She came back with a bottle of Guinness. “As for me, I don’t like drinking,” she declared. A little Guinness or malt is all I take. But I must confess that I want to spend the night with you that’s why I am here. I like your structure-thick tall. Are you a prince?
I was amused I wasn’t even a nephew of an Odikro much more becoming a prince. I took my drink quietly and she talked on. Knowing she was a prostitute, I feigned interest in her just to keep up the conversation.
How much do you charge for full night? I asked.
Charge? I don’t charge, I am not a prostitute. When you sleep with me, whatever you give me, I take.”
“I am not a greedy person believe me. Well I said, “I am really not in the mood today. You can meet here tomorrow same time and we’ll go and have a nice time. Do you know any hotels around? “Plenty! But I want to sleep with you tonight,” am really in love with you.”
Not tonight, No way! I am sleeping with you tonight by force,” she said emphatically and aggressively.
I became alarmed. What did she mean? Was she going force me into bed? Not Kwame Alomele, no matter how honey I become.
“Well, you know something, “I proposed, “I know you are only after the money. So you get this ¢2,000 and leave me alone.”
“Who told you I want money?” she asked me. I want money alright but I also want to have sex tonight. I feel for you. I know a hotel around the corner. Please, hurry with your drink and let’s go.”
“I am not interested,” I said. “I don’t know you from anywhere: how can I sleep with you? You may even be a ghost.” She laughed aloud.
“A ghost? She asked soon after. “If you see a ghost you can’t recognise it? Well I am not a ghost. I am a darling. If you say you are not in the mood for sex, I can do something to help you. I’ll buy two raw eggs, mix it with condensed milk for you to take. You’ll never stop coming. You can go four rounds.”
I was quite fascinated with her brand of sex therapy. She might have studied a very crude form of biochemistry and wanted to apply on Kwame Alomele. Wallahi
I finished my drink, got up to leave and she got up quickly and followed me. Close markings! I told her I’ll pick a taxi home and she responded by saying we were not going home but to a hotel. “You’ll like the style I’ll display for you.
You’ll forget about your wife for good; if you like let’s bet.”
I realised I was in trouble. I started watching out for a taxi that would have only one vacant space at the back so that I could leave without her. She realised my intention and cautioned. “I’ll drag you out if you want to leave me behind; if you like try.
I now had to use my wits to get away from the evil woman who was as tall as myself. I couldn’t underrate her strength. In fact she had muscles and I guess I was in for it. Moreover I didn’t want her to create a scene.
Craftily I told her I had changed my mind and that I was prepared to go to the hotel with her after all. I’d look for an empty taxi so that we could start the romance in the back seat to precede the actual showdown, I told her.
She was glad. She drew closer to me. Oh my dear. She crooned. “I knew you were going to agree. You only wanted to bluff me small, isn’t it?”
Of course. I must bluff a bit. After all, I am a prince. Am I not? She laughed.
I espied an empty taxi coming but deliberately allowed to pass. She called my attention: That’s an empty one; I stopped it quickly.
“Hold on. I told her “They charge exorbitantly if you appear too interested in them. Wait here and let me go bargain with the driver.”
“You rather wait, “she replied. “I’ll bargain with him. These drivers they are swine”
“Please, you are a woman. Bargaining is a man’s job. Just stand by.”
“No problem.”
I walked to the cab and told the driver quietly that as soon as I jump into the front seat, he should speed away.
“Aren’t you going with the lady?” he asked with concern.
I say speed away. Don’t ask me questions. I am paying for the job”
In a sudden flash, the woman saw me open the front door and jump into the seat. She dashed in my direction with lightning speed. At that very moment, the driver revved the engine, released the clutch and fired the accelerator.
The car jerked forward, landed in a pot-hole, came out of it and veered from the road towards a large gutter. The driver skilfully controlled the car and brought it back on track and powered the accelerator furiously.
I turned to look back and saw to my horror that this woman was chasing the car. Her speed was unbelievable. This woman is not human, I said to myself.
Indeed it was a real- load-shedding experience for me.
This article was first publish on Saturday, February 28, 1998
A haircut I had about a week ago didn’t go down well with many. Someone quite close to my heart saw it, examined it critically and felt dizzy.
“What’s this?” she proceeded to ask me.
“An international hairdo,” I replied.
She was disgusted, in fact disappointed. The problem with the haircut is that the style is neither Punk, Tokyo Joe nor Show Your Back. If anything, it is a combination of all—and I liked it, for a change.
It was when I bounded downtown that someone called me and enquired whether I was no longer a journalist. He said I looked like a well-fed Warrant Officer.
“Class One or Class Two?” I asked.
Another studied my head as if he was studying physical geography and pronounced that I looked like a boxer who can throw dangerous punches. Still, someone was of the opinion that the haircut didn’t quite fit me, but admitted that I looked like a prosperous merchant.
Commendation
I remember some three months ago, I had a haircut that made two girls fall in love with me. In spite of the fact that the barber was not a graduate, the cut was such that they couldn’t help admiring it. One of them actually ‘checked out’ the style and commended the barber.
The other was more bent on the ‘love matter’ but I was too busy to give her any attention. LOVE!
I was reminded of this when I viewed a premier showing of the latest Sikaman film titled THE POWER OF LOVE. The film kept me thinking. Some of us have long forgotten about what it is like to be head-over-heels in love. When we were students, we had such experiences because there was nothing doing anyway.
We were either learning how stylishly to smoke ‘jot’ or how romantically to fall in love. Anyhow, I was intrigued by this latest movie because of the way love unlimited was portrayed on screen. It took my memory back many years to relive those youthful days when we felt we’d really die if jilted by our lovers.
The storyline of THE POWER OF LOVE is really an exciting one. The combination of love, treachery and intrigue made me feast my eyes intently on the screen, unbelieving the extent the force of love can reach.
Ama and Afua are good friends. But when it comes to matters of the heart, they have different tastes; Ama is content with only her boyfriend (a student) and Afua samples the bigwigs around town. Afua, not satisfied with the shots in town, wants Ama’s boyfriend Joe in addition. She lies to Joe that Ama has often been picked by a man on four-wheels, whereupon Joe dismisses Ama and takes on Afua.
Ama doesn’t realise that it is her best friend Afua who is destroying her relationship with Joe until she catches her having sex with him. She collapses and goes out of her mind from the broken heart. But before then, she had been made pregnant by Joe.
Having escaped from a psychiatric hospital, she roams town murmuring Joe’s name. Heavily pregnant now, she espies Joe boarding a mini bus and runs towards him. Joe, seeing her approaching, quickly disembarks and takes off.
Ama pursues him furiously, and he runs to his home where he finds his bosom friend Frank making love to Afua. He immediately realises the treachery of Afua who instigated him to leave Ama.
He intends leaving the home in disgust and meets mad Ama at the door and embraces her despite her madness. Instantly, she regains her sanity.
Love indeed heals the wounds of the mind and it is the greatest positive force in the world. Incidentally, the greatest negative force is hatred.
Greatest force
Now coming to talk about love, I reiterate it is the greatest force imaginable. That is why a man will butcher his rival to death if he catches him climbing his wife without asking permission; and a woman will go mad if jilted.
It is also for this reason that a young boy who is scared stiff of cemeteries and under normal circumstances would not dare go near one, will this time walk boldly through a cemetery at midnight if that is the only way to his lover’s abode.
The Bible describes love for our neighbours as the surest way to heaven: Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Unfortunately, what Ghanaians are more interested and skilful in is loving the opposite sex. Romance under the cover of darkness is what we understand love to be all about. When it comes to loving our fellow human beings, we are found wanting.
People hate others just because they are of another tribe and do not speak the same native language. Too much grudge-bearing that does not augur well for national development.
War in Liberia, carnage in Rwanda are the results of the absence of love for one’s fellow being. If everybody could express a little bit of love for his fellow being irrespective of tribe, race, politics or religion, Sikaman—and indeed, the world—will be a more habitable place.
This article was first published on Saturday, October 29, 1994
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“Sir,” Ms. Odame said when David Asante answered the call, “my name is Victoria Odame. I’m a teacher at Research School in Koforidua. I would like to come and see you concerning a student called Sarah.”
“Okay, madam. I would be very glad to meet you. How can I make your trip easier?”
“I was going to join a bus to Accra.”
“Here’s what we will do. Take a taxi and ask them to bring you to Accra. I will speak to the driver, give him the directions, and pay him when you get here.”
The taxi stopped in front of the house. The gate opened, and the driver moved to the long driveway and stopped.
“What a beautiful house,” he said.
David and Adoma came out to meet them. Adoma paid the driver as David and Sarah stared at each other.
“Please come in and sit down,” Adoma invited. She served them water.
“You are welcome,” Adoma continued. “We have been waiting anxiously since you called this morning. So please, let’s hear you.”
Before she could open her mouth, Sarah rose, moved to David, hugged him, and sat on his lap. They both broke into tears. Adoma and Ms. Odame also broke into tears.
“Sorry, madam,” David said. “This whole episode has been a very difficult one. But let’s do the proper thing. Let’s hear you first, and I will also speak. I’m sure we need to answer some questions immediately.”
“Okay, sir. I have been taking an interest in Sarah because, although she’s brilliant academically, she seemed to be troubled. Following my discussions with her and some whispers I had been hearing, I went to Aboso Senior High School and spoke to your former colleague, Mr. Hanson. He told me that you were an exemplary teacher who was loved by all, and he also told me about the unfortunate events that caused you to leave for Germany. So I returned to Koforidua with the view to finding the appropriate means of helping to solve this problem.”
“Great. Ms. Odame, I have to thank you for finally helping us to solve this problem. Now, let me state the facts. This is what happened.
“Gladys and I met and got married whilst we were both teachers in the school. Some months into our marriage, she told me that she needed to spend some days with her parents, and I agreed.
“It turned out that she was actually spending time in a hotel with her ex-boyfriend, Simon. This happened again after Sarah was born. I got wind of this and told her that I was no longer interested in the marriage.
“I started preparing to travel to Germany. She pleaded for forgiveness, but I stood my ground. Then she told me that she would punish me for rejecting her.
“She came out later to say that Sarah was not my child, but Simon’s. She went and hid her somewhere, obviously expecting that I would fight to take my child. I was actually going to do that, but my parents advised me that it was almost impossible to win such a fight.
“They advised that, difficult as it sounded, I should leave the child with her because she would come back to me eventually. I have absolutely no problem taking care of you, Sarah. I am taking care of quite a number of kids who are not mine. So that is what happened. My hands were tied. I have been trying to find out how you are doing.
“I kept hearing that you were doing well at school. I also heard that Gladys and her husband were having problems, but I kept hoping that my daughter would at least be okay till it was possible for me to go for her.”
“Sarah, now you have met your dad. You will be free to—”
“I’m not going anywhere!” she declared as she held on to him.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Sarah,” Adoma said. “We have been looking forward to the day you come home. This is your home. Now, you have to meet your siblings.” She called Abrefi and Adaawa.
“Girls, we told you that you have a sister who would join us anytime. Now here she is.”
“Sarah?” Abrefi asked.
“Yes,” Adoma replied. The girls hugged her and took her away.
“Now,” David said, “I think it is time to call Madam Gladys.” He dialed the number.
“My name is David Asante. I’m here in my house with my daughter Sarah. I hear you have told her all sorts of crazy stories about me. I could make life very difficult for you, but I won’t.
“You are your own worst enemy. I don’t think you should be expecting her anytime soon. What do you say?”
Gladys stayed silent for over a minute, then cut the line.
“Food is ready,” Adoma announced. “Everybody, please come to the table.”
Sarah chatted excitedly with her siblings as Adoma and David spoke with Ms. Odame. She kept staring at her father.
“Now, Ms. Odame, after you have brought such joy into our home, should we allow you to go back to Koforidua today, or should we wait till we are ready to release you? I could call your husband and ask permission.
“And please don’t tell me you didn’t bring anything for an overnight stay. There are several supermarkets around here. We can fix that problem quickly.”
“I will beg you to release me. Now that I have been so warmly welcomed here, I already feel part of this home. Koforidua is not that far away, so I will visit often.”
“Well, let’s see what the kids have to say. Ladies, shall I release Ms. Odame to go back to Koforidua?”
“No!” they shouted, and all broke into laughter.
“Ms. Odame, I will have mercy on you. But we are going to do something to make it easy for you to visit us. My wife wants to show you something. Please follow her.”
Adoma led her to the driveway as the others followed. They stopped in front of the car.
“This is a Toyota Corolla 1600. It is very reliable and good on petrol consumption. We are giving this to you in appreciation of your help in getting our daughter back to us.
“And here in this envelope is a little contribution to help you with maintenance. And here in this other envelope is a gift to help with your children’s school fees.”
As she stood, stunned, and stared from the car to the envelopes, David put his hand around his family.
“Let’s leave her to take a look at her car. Ms. Odame, one of my drivers will drive you to Koforidua and leave your car with you. We are waiting inside.”
By Ekow de Heer
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