Chapter 4: Bingo’s Curse

The corridor dirty and dark, the old bulb just dey shine one kind yellow.

Rats dey run for corner, children dey play ten-ten for ground. The air thick, smell of beans water and soap dey mix. I dey lead Morayo, dey pray make nobody see us.

As I wan open my door, one shadow just rush go meet Morayo from corner.

I hear sharp bark, then shout. My body jump, I turn quick.

She shout—na one brown local dog tear her trouser.

The dog na real area boy—Bingo, Mama Risi pikin. E big, e stubborn. E dey chase everybody for compound. I see as Morayo leg dey shake, her voice dey crack.

She hide behind me. I kick the dog commot, shout for am.

I no even fear say the dog go bite me. I just dey vex, dey form hard man. The dog no gree, e dey bark like say na im get house.

The dog no even fear; e open teeth dey bark more.

The thing dey pain me. I dey curse under my breath. I look for stick, but before I fit do anything—

Heavy leg dey come from stair. One old woman with hair wey scatter like broom rush come.

Her wrapper dey fall, her slippers dey drag. Her voice fit wake dead man for cemetery. She dey sweat, even though cold dey. Everybody for compound sabi her wahala.

She look me anyhow, then open her red mouth begin shout:

"You get mind kick my pikin? Try am again, I go throw you commot for here!"

Her name na Mama Risi—na she be my landlady.

She dey notorious. If you owe rent, na your load she go throw for gutter. Her mouth sharp, her eye red. Everybody dey fear am.

I no fit talk back. If I lose this place, I no go see any cheaper house.

I dey smile like goat wey dey wait for sallah, dey beg. My heart dey beat, sweat dey my back.

I just smile, dey beg.

"Aunty Risi, abeg, I no fit harm your Bingo. But try dey hold am with rope—if e bite person, wahala fit happen..."

I dey talk soft, dey use eye beg her. If she vex, she fit carry my matter go landlord meeting.

Mama Risi point finger for my face, spit dey fly everywhere.

Her mouth dey sharp, spit dey land for my shirt. I dey dodge, dey nod.

"If e bite person, I go pay! But if you touch my pikin again, I go finish you!"

She dey vibrate, her hand dey shake. I fit see say she no dey joke.

She look Morayo from head to toe, then spit for ground.

Her eye dey scan Morayo like market woman dey check fake money. She hiss, spit land for ground with force.

"No bring this kind useless woman come my house again. I no want make she dirty my house. See as she be—her body dey smell anyhow..."

Her voice loud, neighbours dey peep from window. I dey shame, but I no fit talk. Morayo just dey look ground, her hand dey shake.

She carry Bingo waka commot, her waist dey shake.

She dey talk for herself, dey curse. Bingo dey follow, tail high like king.

I just smile for Morayo, carry her enter house.

I touch her shoulder, try calm her. "No mind that woman, na so she dey do. You go rest."

Even though the building old, I try arrange my house small: wallpaper, small light, even carpet dey.

I get small fridge, fan dey work, my bed dey neat. I dey try impress her, make she feel at home. I dey show her the bathroom, the way my mama teach me to welcome visitor.

I give her one pyjamas, point guest room.

The pyjamas na supermarket own, pink with small flower. I dey hope say e go fit her well.

"Go baff, wash all the bad luck comot. Na there you go sleep tonight."

I dey talk am with smile, dey form say I be good man. I fit see say she dey grateful, even though her eye still red.

Morayo thank me, carry cloth enter bathroom.

Her voice low, but I hear am. She close door gentle, no noise. I dey listen, dey imagine how she go look after bath.

I light candle, dim the light, play one slow English song.

I get one old radio, I tune am to Cool FM. The song dey slow, the kind wey dey make woman relax. Candle dey burn, room dey smell vanilla.

I pour two glass malt, dey wait for her to come out.

I no get alcohol, but malt go do. I dey arrange glass for table, dey check my phone, dey count minutes.

Everybody get need.

For this Lagos, nobody dey help person for free. I dey tell myself say I dey do charity, but I sabi my own need pass.

After years for prison, women no dey fit resist this kind setting. Small drink, dem go rush me.

I dey confident. I don try am before, e dey work. Na just to play my part well.

This my plan never fail before, I sure say e go work for Morayo too.

I dey wait, dey plan wetin I go talk. I dey imagine how the night go be.

Soon, bathroom door open.

The sound soft, water still dey drip. I dey look up, my heart dey beat.

Morayo just baff finish, I nearly lose my mind.

She fresh, her hair dey wet, pyjamas tight for her body. I dey swallow spit, dey force myself make I no rush her.

Her hair still dey drip water, the smell of her shampoo mix with candle scent, make everywhere sweet. The pyjamas wey I buy fit her well—tight, smooth, her body just dey show.

She dey shy, but I see say she dey proud small. Her skin fair like Agege bread for morning, her eye dey shine.

For the dim light, her skin fair like Agege bread for morning.

I dey stare, dey thank God. I dey tell myself say tonight na my own.

She sit near me, smile like say she shy.

She cross leg, touch her hair, then look me for eye. The smile weak me. I dey try form hard guy, but my body dey betray me.

The smell of candle, shampoo, her own scent—everything just dey make my head scatter.

I dey inhale deep, dey try control myself. My hand dey shake small, but I hide am.

I raise my glass give her:

"Congrats, you don start new life."

I yan am with soft voice, dey try make her feel special. She take the glass, touch my own, then drink.

Her eyes just dey shine as she finish her drink one time.

She no even look back, just swallow am like say she dey thirsty for new beginning. I dey impressed.

After we drink small, I near her. As our body touch, my body dey shake.

I dey try gauge her mood, dey move small small. Her skin warm, her body dey soft.

I put my hand for her shoulder, look her eye, try kiss her.

I dey go slow, dey hope say she no go push me. My heart dey race.

But shock catch me, Morayo push me commot.

She strong, her hand firm. I no expect am. My body freeze.

Her face red, she run enter bedroom, cover her face.

She slam door, I hear her sob small. I dey vex, dey shame. My plan scatter.

I just vex, punch sofa.

The pain no even reach my hand, na my pride dey pain me. I dey curse for head.

That night, sleep no gree me.

I dey roll for bed, sweat dey my body. I dey think, dey plan how I go try again.

Morayo face, her body, her scent—dey my head like film.

I dey imagine her smile, her laugh, the way her eye dey shine. I dey tell myself say tomorrow, I go win.

This fine woman—Morayo—I must taste am.

I dey swear for myself, say I no go lose. I dey form hard man, but deep down, I dey fear say she go run.