As for how I got to be one of Madam Do-Good's girls, don't worry yourself with that. What you should worry yourself with right now, if at all you want to worry, is where I am presently, and I will also not tell you where I am presently because you will find out for yourself soon. I don't know when I would say my problems actually started. If I should say it started when I was born, I would be wrong because we all are born equal, and I wouldn't say my problems started when I became one of Madam Do-Good's girls because if I had not followed Chike out that day, I would still be at Do-Good Villa, trying to make ends meet, eventhough I looked forward to leaving such a life. After I realized that selling my body to make money is not a good one at all, and age was no longer on my side. So, I decided to settle down. But, who would want to settle down with someone like me. It was at that point I decided to leave the job. But, how will I just leave the job just like that? How will I tell Madam Do-Good that I want to quit? I knew I must pay her off if at all I want to leave her place. But, where will I sleep if I leave Madam Do-Good's Villa? All these questions popped out heavily in my mind, and I knew for sure I had to find answers to them, and the only answer to all the questions is MONEY. Yes. Money. It was money that settled everything for Tina when she wanted to travel outside the country. She simply gave Madam Do-Good a good amount of money, and the next thing we knew was that Madam Do-Good called for a meeting. "Una good morning oooo." She greeted us with a cigarette in her hand, and a small bottle of Alomo by her side. One of the new girls had carefully helped her place her chair at one corner of the compound where our meetings hold. "Many of you think I don't wish you well." She continued, after we all murmured back a "good morning ma". "I want the best for all of you. Infact, I pray earnestly for all of you." She added. Immediately, one of the girls coughed deliberately, and we all knew what it means. Madam Do-Good would curse anyone owing her a dim with all the gods she can find around, and the truth is, we all owe her by secretly doing some back-door jobs. But, don't blame us, it is because she collects a lot of percentage from us on every job. "My daughter here wan travel out." She said, amist coughs and murmuring. The fact that she called Tina her daughter was enough to cause an uproar. So, coughs and murmurings were too small to quantify the gravity of what she just said. In the whole Villa, everybody knew Tina and Madam Do-Good were sworn enemies. "It is OK. Me and Tina don settle our mata. E no concern una. Abi?" She asked, facing Tina who was already soaked with laughter. "Anyway, make una follow Tina example oooo. If not, anybody wey carry my money run..." It was at that point everybody dismissed because we knew that once Madam Do-Good talks about those owing her, she always accompany it with heavy curses.
Business was no longer moving as normal, and clients hardly come. Even the big men who come with their cars all of a sudden stopped coming, and it was as if it was planned. The few clients that come around are those with "chicken change", and we all fought for them, calling ourselves different name. It was in the period of this dry business that Chike came around with a business deal. A business deal that changed my life forever, negatively. Chike was more than a client to all of us in Do-Good Villa. He is who we call, "the arranger". He knows of all the parties and clubs in town, and he knows which and where things are happening at the moment. What made many of us like him was because his own cut in each business is not as much as that of Madam Do-Good. Of all the girls, I was the closest to Chike, and that was why I was the first he considered for the deal. "Lade, deal dey oooo. " He said in his usual coarse voice as we sat somewhere outside the compound that night. I was elated at the mention of "deal" as I jumped up in excitement. "Na for where? When? How he go be?" I fired him with questions. "Babe, chilax. This one na different deal oooo." He tried to calm me. "Forget that one Chike. Deal na deal. Which deal we never do for this street. Abeg, leave mata for Mathias." I fired back. He looked at me, and the look on his face showed he was happy about my boldness. "No be runs deal ooooo." He whispered, as he puffed the smoke from his cigarette into my face. I was calm and surprised. I have always known Chike to bring "runs" deals. He has never brought any other deal. "Which deal?" I asked as I became scared of the dark night I suddenly discovered around us.
(c) 2016. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
My people, let's move on. There are deals, and there are deals. Lade is about to sign up for a type of deal that would bring about her doom. But, what type of deal is it? And, what doom are we talking about? You know what to do. Keep your fingers crossed. Join me again as I bring the next episode your way.
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HAPPY MID WEEK !!!
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OFMAT AUSTUS NWANNE
Inspirational Speaker/Media Consultant,
Swift24 Multimedia Services.
+2348072970850
Tackleyourobstacle@gmail.com
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