Short Story - Mind Set

Mind Set

A short story by Ogundairo Abiodun
08029035400
08166274749
idofoi@gmail.com

“Are these the two boys?” An inspector in the police force asked the doctor who was quite alarmed at the tone of the inspector. “Yes, they are sir”. The two stood for a while. “Ok, I will arrange for my boys to bring escort to take the other boys to the mortuary before afternoon, while you take care of this other one in coma”. The police inspector neatly dressed walked out of the hospital ward with his entourage whom were briefed of the incident.

It was late in the night and the city was cold. The weather had just quickly recovered from the drought that had bewitched the land for few months. The first rains had just drenched the land and everywhere was cold and wet.

Adebanjo who had just finished his National Youth Service Corp year’s earlier lain curled in a two seater chair he had known all his life while growing up. His parents who were both retired Nigerian Railway workers were quick to go to bed that night and Ade as he was fondly called by friends had found no reason to go to bed early even as the weather had kept everyone indoors for the night. It was 8.00 pm and the night was still young.

In his quiet and cold state of mind, Ade stood up briskly from the two - seater chair after taking a deep breath. He walked quietly towards the Black and White Television his father had bought twenty years ago as a New Year gift for the family one night when he was first posted to the city of Ibadan where he eventually retired few months ago before relocating to their home town for few years to invest his retirement benefits. He later returned to the city to stay with his family in Ibadan. He switched off the television set and walked quietly to his room located adjacent his parent’s master bedroom to retire for the night.

The next morning was a Sunday and it was time for church. Since Ade was the only child of the family, it took lesser time for the family to get ready for church and meet up with the Sunday school class. Briskly, Ade’s father, now in his late Sixties walked to his 1970 model volks car while waiting for the rest of the family to join him. Quietly, the trio drove to Mary’s Baptist church where they had been members for years.

After church service, it was time for members to exchange pleasantries and the family was not left out. Ade’s father who is also an elder in the church while exchanging banters with the excellent men in the church as they were tagged did not but continue to tell everyone that cared to listen the problem the family was facing.

Knowing full well the non chalant attitude members of the church had displayed over the years on matters relating to his family due to their financial condition, he walked to the car to wait for others furiously. After some time, his father and mother joined him and they all drove home in silence.

“There is nothing at home to feed on so I guess you might need to look for someone to buy off this car before the week runs out” Ade’s father told him.

Ade had finished his National Youth Service Cops three years earlier, graduated with a first class degree in economics from the University of Ibadan. Born at the National Hospital Abuja Twenty Eight years earlier, Ade had lived all his life as a brilliant and obedient student and his parents have always been found and proud of him. He had also enjoyed so much support from home since he is the only issue of the family. Ade, chocolate colored with brown eyed which complement his skin is six feet tall with a body frame capable of walking into any woman’s heart at first sight.

Since his return home from service, he had been engaged in one odd job or the other which could not amount to much of what income he is expected to be generating. His first job was as a primary school teacher few streets away from his home. As the job would demand, he had to wake up earlier before everyone and put the house properly in place before leaving for work. He had about 37 students in his class whom he had to tutor about seventeen subjects in a day, check through their work books and give assignments in relevant subject where majority of the students might be lagging behind. By the time he is through with the day’s job, night will be setting in. Mostly, Ade spends the rest of his days visiting friends whom he felt should not be left out of scheme of things in the job hunt. When he finally retires home, he will spend the rest of the night with his aged parents whom had learnt to take care of themselves in his absence.

So far for Ade, life has not been good to his family. He understands he has to take care of the family with time so he had to be more up and doing. One evening after returning from work, he could not visit some of his friends as his daily routine because he had to take care of his aged mother who felt sick earlier in the day. On his way home, he ran into an old school mate whom he had seen last about ten years. It took less time for the duo to recognize each other. They embarrassed each other and exchanged pleasantries.

“How have you been all these while? I have searched the whole city for you and you’re just not reachable. How come” Olawale start opened up. “Yes, I have just been bust looking at ways of improving the family life. You know it wasn’t easy back then in school. Do you remember you have to help me one way or the other at some point. Things are still the way it was then. S I have to take any job that comes my way. All these took my time and all that” Ade concluded. “But now that I have finally reached you, we cannot part again” They both concluded.

The old time friends exchanged phone numbers promising to call each other as soon as possible. Ade saw his friend drive off in a brand new Range Rovers sport and he was amazed at how much the jeep could cost. Reluctantly, he was forced to conclude that his friend, Olawale, 26, would have probably been sent on an errand by probably his boss or rich father. But he concluded that time will or he would ask once he pays him a visit from the address he gave him.

Ade’s mother did not recover from the sickness. She passed on few weeks after the illness started. All effort by doctors to save her life had proved abortive.

Few months later, when, Ade went visiting his friend, Olawale and he stood amazed as the two friends got talking. Olawale showed him round the big mansion he bought few months to his 26^th birthday and his fleet of cars. After being shown the amount of wealth his friend has had, he was forced to ask about the means of his wealth.

“It’s just the use of something God has given to us”. Olawale started on a lighter note while he strolled lazily ahead of his friend. His blue eyes shone more than ever while his countenance changed. “It is a simple but a hard step to take, once you decide and make up your mind”. He concluded. 

As confused and simple as the message was to Ade, he still could not understand clearly what his friend meant. But as a determined heart, he had made up his mind even before he concluded visiting his friend. He walked briskly and quietly towards his friend, stood for a while. He took a deep breath “No matter what it takes, I will give my all and not a trial”, Ade concluded in a desperate tone. The two friends parted ways with a promise to reunite the following day.

Before six months, Ade bought his first car and had started living large in a remote area far away from his father. Since he could not inform his father about his newly found wealth, Ade decided to only pay his aged father visits at intervals.

The two friends had just made a huge amount of money from a foreigner whom they had swindled by pretending and lying that they both run a charity organization in war - torn Somalia. The money was so much that Ade could afford to buy an estate on his own in an exclusive area. And as time went by, he took delight in spending funds for girls, jumping from one club to the other drunk and out of control mostly. At that point, going home for Ade became a problem for him. “How would I tell my father about my ill gotten wealth”, he asked himself one night. After a while, scamming online gradually became hard for him and his friend to make enough amounts to sustain their lifestyle and they resolved to find solution from other places.

After some time of planning, the two friends decided to visit a nearby town for consultations from well known herbalists a friend had told them about. On their way, they had a terrible accident and the two friends found themselves in a nearby hospital covered…

After signing some documents, Olawale’s body was released for his elder sister, light skinned, 34, a professional dancer whom had appeared on several musical videos. The dark haired lady, drenched in her own tears came in company of some family members who were all wearing a sober look for the departed on their faces.

After three weeks, Ade gradually recovered from his coma but was shocked as he slowly regains consciousness. His right hand had been hand cuffed to his bed while a police officer sitting opposite his bed crossed his leg reading a news paper. He could not comprehend what was happening. The last thing he knew was a loud bang before he closed his eye in the car accident. He began to wonder how long he had been in the hospital, what had happened to him and where his friend could have been. After some time, he recovered fully with his father coming to pay him a visit from time to time.

After his recovery, Ade was escorted out of the hospital after his father had picked up his bill and signed other documents of release by the hospital into a waiting black armored carrier. He was taken to the state’s central prison where he was told that their last scam victim whom they had taken several thousands of dollars from had traced the friends down to Nigeria.

When he was told of the faith that befell his friend, he knew the end had come for his odysseys and he will be put away for a long time. 
 (Picture: lucas2012infos)