"Excuse me sir." Nkechi said, calling Chuks' attention where he stood. The Choir was still singing and people were still dancing out to give their offering. "This paper fell from you pocket there" Nkcehi said, handing a piece of paper to Chuks. On the paper was boldly written, 1960 BET, with a picture of football at on side of the top. Chuks felt surprise. "Are you talking to me?" He asked, trying to deny the ownership of the paper. People around were already looking at the unfolding drama. Chuks searched his pocket, as if trying to be sure that was his own, thereby delaying Nkechi where she stood. "Thank you". He finally said as he collected the piece of paper. He felt so embarrassed by the way people looked at him. As far as he was concerned, he was already keeping a good and clean record with his God, and the piece of paper was about to bring a dirt on his "holiness". He would have outrightly denied the ownership of the football betting ticket if not because of the huge amount of money he used to play the game, and also because he borrowed money to play the game. "It fell from your chest pocket when you were dancing there" Nkechi said, pointing to the place as she turned to leave. The paper dropped when Chuks was dancing heavily back to his seat, and it fell right beside where Nkechi was sitting. She acted like a good Samaritan, by helping him return his possession. "Thank you." Chuks said again, in a way that showed Nkechi has embarrassed him enough.
Chuks was comforted by the thought of Amaka that crossed his mind after some minutes. Amaka had earlier sent him a text that she would like to meet with him after the service, and as far he was concerned, he was ready and willing to wait. "Who knows if this is how God wants to answer my prayer." Chuks said to himself. He was ready to wait for Amaka for even a century, if at the end they would be able to hold a conversation, no matter what it was about. In no time, the service came to an end, and first-timers were told to come to the front seats for a special package. That was the moment Chuks was waiting for. He knew the first-timer's package would be something huge and better than that of the regular members. Although, that was not the first time he was attending the church, but every anniversary day he attends, he pretends to be a first-timer so as to be a partaker of the special package. He moved to the front seat after the service, acting like a total stranger, and all the first-timers were given a form to fill. "Someone would attend you before you finish filling the form." The Pastor said. Chuks was used to the way it was done. He knew someone would address them all generally by giving them a form to fill, and after filling the form, each of them would be addressed by different people who would ask them their view about the service. He was hoping and praying that a lady would attend to him, because all the times he had pretended to be a first-timer, no lady attended to him, only guys. "Has anybody attended to you?" A lady asked him. Chuks looked at the lady, and could not help but show his disappointment on his face. Truly, he wanted a lady to attended to him, but the lady in front of him was not the type of lady he would want to ask out at all. She was dark, skinny and had tribal marks. A direct opposite of what Chuks would go for. "No" He answered as he shook his head in response to the question. "OK. I'll attend to you" The lady said, as she pulled a chair closer to herself. Chuks knew he was in for the moment he would not enjoy, but he had no other choice. "Sister Joy, let me attend to him" Nkechi said, touching Sister Joy. "OK. No problem" Sister Joy said, as she stood up. Chuks did not know which to prefer. He wanted a beautiful lady to attend to him, and before him was a beautiful lady he would have wanted, except for the fact that she was the one who found his 1960 BET ticket, and returned it to him. "Good afternoon. My name is Nkechi." She introduced herself. "I am Chuks." He replied. Chuks was waiting for her to ask him questions about the ticket she returned to him, and he was prepared to dish out a big lie to her. A lie, big enough to sweep her off her feet. After all the normal questions she was supposed to ask him as a first-timer, she did not ask any question concerning the ticket. On the contrary, it was Chuks who asked for her number. "I don't give guys my number, except those I know well enough." She replied. "Maybe when next you come around." She added, as she stood up from the seat. "Thanks for coming. Hope to see you next Sunday" She said, as she walked away. Chuks could not help be count how lucky he was that very Sunday alone. He smiled at the several opportunities thrown at him, as he assured himself that he has found a church he would attend every Sunday. He looked around to see if he could see Amaka, but she was nowhere to be found, not even among the choir, but he decided to remain seated where he was to wait for her, as he looked at the big package earlier handed over to him.
Even if Chuks had looked for Amaka outside the church auditorium, he wouldn't have found her, because she was in the toilet. "Agidi, I hope there is no problem?" Amaka asked. "I had to excuse myself immediately I received your signal." She added. She was in one of the female toilets where she locked the door against herself. Before her, in the small toilet was her master who sat on the toilet's cistern, with his legs placed on the toilet seat. His red and black outfit clearly contradicts the white colour of the toilet seat and wall. "There is a new and urgent assignment" Agidi said.
(c) 2016. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
Indeed, they are among us, and they are even where we least expect. Wait a minute. What crossed your mind when I first said they are among us? Well, the point is, the word "They" covers a wide range of people (I'm sure you know them now). But, the bitter truth is that, THEY ARE AMONG US. Keep your questions and fingers crossed, as usual, I'll bring the next episode to you doorstep. Don't forget to Nominate me in the on-going Nigeria Writers Award. Follow this link ( http://tyobstacle.blogspot.com.ng/2016/07/nominate-me-for-nigeria-writers-award.html ) to see how to nominate me.
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OFMAT AUSTUS NWANNE
Inspirational Speaker/Media Consultant,
Swift24 Multimedia Services.
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