The Masked Poet

by Albert Enang Eng Usang

  - l can't, l can't. I'm just probably one of those who find it hard to open up again after an exceptional love experience.

  - Try. Try my love. You can. Do it, not for you, but for me. I know your undeniable wish for me is to be happy where ever l am. This is a kind of last wish, to send me off happily.

  - Okay, l will try(crying). But please don't go........

  She ignored him for a bit and turned to the Masked Poet.

  'Mr. Masked Poet, you are such a gift to your generation. All of my life, l have never been so ridden high above the earth on an emotional magic mat. It is unfortunate it came in my life's twilight, however, with your words, you have added another reason to my list for being a human in this life, these 28 years of my life; of course the other, and most paramount being my love here. Thanks for coming, thanks for the extra poem, thanks for all your carefully chosen words.'

  'Sometimes in a poet's life,' the Masked Poet replied commiseratingly, 'he lacks the appropriate words for specific moments. This is one such moment when despite a hearty poem, l lack much needed words of consolation. I'm really very sorry about your situation but before l leave, and now on grounds of humanity, l have a piece of advice. Yet still, before I give out the advice, l plead you listen to a third poem from me.

  - Another poem? Oh, you are so gracious! You are permitted. Darling, isn't he?

  'Of course he is.' Her fiance concurred. 'You can go on Masked Poet.'

  'Right. Thanks, the both of you.' The Masked Poet reciprocated. 'This one is titled: 'FALL FOR A SCAM FOR ONCE!.......'

  the lady remained in her lying posture while the man found some space besides her bed to sit on. This time, they were faced with the Masked Poet's blue mask as he read the poem:

  A scam is a plague

  in the least, metaphoric

  its escapades, documented

  soundly in the memories

  of victims on its trail........

  May have heard severally

  should be avoided squarely

  but sometimes it's necessary,

  to fall for a scam for once.

  A scam is so scary

  above most, terrorist

  its footsteps, terrifying

  causing an helter skelter

  of a frightened troop.....

  Many tightened a seat belt

  so their hearts never melt

  but at times heed the call,

  to fall for a scam for once.

  A scam's a life pain

  only for the living

  the dead it disdains

  transacting daily businesses

  only with the animate

  who have shone their eyes

  to avoid scam's many pitfalls

  yet now and then are constrained,

  to fall for a scam for once.

  Church is now a scam

  ranking way past yahoo

  its skills, mesmerizing

  entrapping a large host

  in prophetic styled deceit

  their tents many 've distanced

  articulating their twice shyness

  but to her at times we have,

  to fall for a scam for once.

  'That's the end of the poem,' the Masked Poet informed. 'I wonder if you have gotten a thing or two from it.'

  'The poem is antithetical; if a scam is bad enough, why do we have to fall for it?' The man queried.

  But the woman was understanding.

  'Mr. Masked Poet, why do you want us to fall for a church scam?' She asked relaxedly.

  'Hmmmnnn.......' The Masked Poet answered them. 'You have done well. All you've said are very true, but the scam l am referring to here, is actually not a scam or more like it, a fraud.'

  'What message are you then passing across to us?' The fiance followed up.

  'There is an obvious theme of a kind of fallacy all over the poem.' The Masked Poet responded.

  'Is it of generalization?' The lady attempted.

  'Absolutely! Madam, you are so intelligent!' The Masked Poet assessed excitedly. ' You see, one failed encounter with a fake partner be it business or whatever, or with a false prophet, does not mean all partners or prophets or churches are fake and , or false as the case may be.'

  'Well, Mr. Masked Poet, just so you know, just like the poem says, we have tried that option earlier, to no avail.' The man told him.

  'The poem also says we at one time or the other, still have to fall for them, but this time, not the scammers.' Replied the Masked Poet.

  'The poem also says scammers should be squarely avoided. We don't want to be scammed again.' The man told him.

  The Masked Poet turned to the lady who looked more likely to be persuaded and asked:

  'Madam, he who is down fears no fall. Your sickness has been certified terminal, what if you try one more 'scam' to retain your life, which in actually is not a scam, except that it has been so stereotyped?'

  'What exactly do you mean sir?' She expressed her curiosity.

  'Lets try a scam more. If it fails you'll loose nothing as it would be the same case as now - death awaits you. But should it succeed, chances are that you get your life back. Il wager my name and reputation on this 'scam' that it will work.' The Masked Poet spoke animatedly.

  - So, where do you get the confidence in this 'scam' from?

  - Because I have seen it before. I mean, l have witnessed it severally. More so, as you can see, l am well educated and l know the issues surrounding the practicability of faith. I know where faith start and where it ends. I also know where science, academics, technology and the whole concept of civilization has failed to help; and it is the very place where faith can start if it is permitted. Please l want you to see through my pleas to my heart and how l earnestly do not want an awesome relationship like this to be lost to preventable and assailable death. And just to add, l have no monetary gains in this advice of mine. The only gain l will probably derive from it is joy............pure joy from defeating a dead end such as we have on our hands presently.

  - So, which church are you referring us to then?

  - Good! I will give you the pastor's number. Call him and the other processes will follow onwards.............

  When the Masked Poet and his pianist friend returned to the Emotional House, they fell on their seats like neglected old men whose gad about children were no where to be found after reluctantly escorting them to the seats. Not only that, they were forlorn and moody as well.

  'What a way to start an outdoor service in this business.' The Masked Poet started after about five or so minutes of silent reflections by both men. 'I mean, is this what I am into? Would l be seeing this every time? Oh my God! I hope this is the last of such cases!'

  'I have heard of similar cases before; either narrated or in the movies. It has never come so close.' The pianist remarked as well.

  - Jesussss! It was like talking with death! If I have three more such cases, l will have no other option than to close down the Emotional House for my good! Look l felt as though I would be next to die whenever they cried.

  - This time, it is not another girl, or another man, or lack of money, or even the families; it is death playing spoiler. What a life!

  - To make matters worse, it was true, sincere, genuine love. Their marriage is supposed to be in two months.

  - I mean, I've never been so close to death. First time in my life l witnessed death coming towards me! Look, never take me out for such services next time! I'm serious o.

  - Really? This is the first time?

  - Of course na, is there any other you want to come up with? Or are you going to know me better than myself?

  - What about that time?

  - Which time?

  - When Funke's father caught you both behind their house.

  Both laughed heartily.

  'But seriously, this is far more serious than that incident with Funke's father.' The pianist emphasized. 'Even though he was brandishing a machete, l knew I would escape his menace.
This however, is very different; can't you see? There is no escape route whatsoever, try as they may.

  - There is.

  - Which?

  - The pastor's number l gave them. If they believe, something miraculous may come up.

  - l agree. I really hope it happens.

  - But then... talking about you and death; there was another time you saw death coming o.

  - This boy sef!* Wetin* dey work you na?* When was that?

  - Listen na:*

  Once upon a time

  your misdeeds caught you

  or you caught a misdeed

  whatever that unlucky order,

  verily, something caught you

  and then, it tied you

  to rods on a railway;

  a very active railway

  poo poo pooooo........

  trrrr trrrr trrrr............

  went your arse and pintle

  as you lost all mettle

  inclusive of every fettle

  as a harmless merciless train

  blared, blared, and approached........'

  Ha ha ha ha...........hi hi hi hi hi............ho ho ho ho ho.............

  'Look at this man o!' His pianist friend exclaimed. 'Who wouldn't poo and wee under such circumstances? Abi is he not a human being?'

  They both laughed again.

  'See, we really need this lighter mood,' the Masked Poet asserted. 'It has been a moody afternoon.............'

  * sef(pidgin = self; a self in particular; but to the effect such 'a self' is unbecoming) *wetin(pidgin = what?) *wetin dey work you an?(pidgin = what is wrong with you now?) *na(pidgin = now; also, the way it goes)

  CHAPTER 6

  It took another two months of festive celebrations of Miss Delight Same, the reigning beauty queen of Nigeria, for Victor to grace her presence and speak with her. For Victor, it was unimaginably incredible he could not see or live without Delight for a period of four consecutive months. Since realizing Delight had systematically and calculatedly escaped his love grip, he felt suffocated each day to the present. First was the perilous feeling of being heartbroken. Then, it made way next for trepidation at the possibility of loosing her to another man. His trepidation became heightened when she eventually came out tops at the national beauty pageant. He believed she would now more than ever, be the cynosure of masculine eyes with increased, i.e., expanded dimensions in the world who would not just stop at appreciating her physical beauty, but would like to move a step further to woo and possibly win her over. Taking this combined feeling of his physiology being heartbroken and frightened towards the medical condition of a high blood pressure, is the thought the next step for her is the Miss world beauty pageant! Instantly, inferiority complex appeared and befriended him. Victor was basically a walking psycho as he reminisced daily about the only woman his stupid, senseless, and blind heart pants for. He made his feelings known to her the day, according to him, he had a miraculous breakthrough in four months - the breakthrough of being given audience by Delight.

  'You are wicked!' He told her unenthusiastically. ' l never knew you could be this wicked. Is this who you really are?'

  'I don't get it,' she replied nonchalantly though pretendedly. 'What do you mean by l am wicked?'

  - Hmmmmnnn....... I am surprised the intelligent, freshly crowned Miss Nigeria does not know what the word 'wicked' means.

  - The world moves so fast my dear, and words are gathering more and more new meanings. Which context of wickedness are you referring to?

  'The original, no matter how it is twisted - unfeeling, uncaring, selfish, hurtful, and so on and so forth.

  - Really? Is that what you mean? You know, hip-hop singers gave that word, together with the term 'bad,' new sweet meanings which express expertise, perfection, style, in vogue, and fashionable. I thought it is the context you meant. I would have loved it so much, you knowwww.

  - Will you stop teasing me?

  - Excuse me, excuse me. Young man, do you know who you are talking to? It is not necessarily Delight Same, but the new Miss Nigeria. I don't like being arrogant to people or looking down on them but please, I am a civilized lady who demands an attitude of civility from others when dealing with me. If you shout at me again, I will order my bodyguards to throw you out!

  - Okay. I'm sorry, really sorry. It hasn't come to that yet.

  - Good. Now, articulate yourself with all gentility expected from a man towards a flowery plant.

  - You absconded without a word. That was not fair.

  - First, let's deal with the term 'abscond.' Am l or was l your wife? Or an employee? Or your prisoner? Or your slave...........

  - You are my lover..........

  - Was please. I was your lover; used to be your lover. Anyways, we will get to that in good time. Continue with what you were saying.

  - You ARE my lover, and for the sake of love, you shouldn't have left me in the cold.

  - l see, so this is what you called wicked? Well, if you ask me, l think stopping an ambitious lady from pursuing her dreams, is rather, a more appropriate definition of wickedness.

  - But appreciate what was my concern then; l did it for love.

  - What sort of barbaric love was that?

  - I didn't want to loose you. Please understand me.

  - Which of these is your malady: fear, mistrust, inferiority complex, over bearing attitude, or primitivity?

  - What do you mean?

  - They are one, or the collective symptoms of a person who is afraid of loosing a lover. Are they all you suffer from?

  - I am not suffering from any of those sicknesses.

  - I don't think so, else you wouldn't have stopped me from fulfilling a legitimate desire of any lover.

  - You see, I'm really very sorry about that. I now see my foolishness and I please want you to forgive me.

  - And l forgive you.

  - What? Look, I'm not joking. Please get serious.

  - I said l forgive you; how is that a joke?

  - Just like that?

  - Yes, as simple as that.

  - Meaning we are back right?

  - Well, as regards that, it is altogether a different matter. 'I forgive you,' doesn't doesn't mean l accept you again.

  - I rather think that is what it should mean.

  - Then sorry deary because those are two different statements with two different meanings and quite unconnected to each other.

  - Meaning you've not truly forgiven me?

  - I have, l truly have.

  - Then the action, the attitude, the pattern, and all that's connected to it must reflect that virtue!

  - One more shout from you and you will be thrown out of here.

  - I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Okay, now, what I am trying to point out is - I want us back. I mean, we have to get back; every relationship is a ship of challenges, which nevertheless, must sail to a destination. Let's please steer this ship to that destination.

  - What destination are you talking about? Also, what ship are you talking about? And who and who steers that ship?

  - The destination is marriage. The ship is you and me; our relationship. And you and me steer the ship.

  - Impossible! What? Marry you? You better stop dreaming because that will never be when it is clear all you'll do is block my career path and make me a slave in your house. Also, that ship called us no longer exists, and it is a shame you now think that ship should be steered by us when the only undisputed captain then, steered it to a shipwreck.

  - I said l have learnt my lessons now. I am changed, give us another chance, please.

  - Sorry, you changed a trifle too late. Additionally, I don't believe you will ever change. My mind is made up; it is over between us.

  - I thought as much.

  - Thought about what?

  - You will fall for another man, or is it other men?

  - Excuse me, what's that? Are you in your right senses? Did you at any point in time connect me to another man or other men?

&
nbsp; - It is clear you won't put up this attitude without another man by the side whom you see as more adequate than l ...........

  - Shut up! I've had enough of you today. Please leave now.

  - Let me inform you: l would have easily left you for all your silly behaviours except that I am confronted with the helplessness of my heart in choosing not to love any other woman. So, know it now you can't leave me for anyone else. Whoever that guy is, I'm not going to take this lying low. Someone else loves you only over our dead bodies.

  - It will only be over your dead body. You can't cost me my life. Now get out!

  - I will go, but remember Romeo and Juliet, remember how they ended up. If you don't snap out of this stupid wish of yours, certainly then, we will end up as they both ended up.

  - You will go to that grave you are so desirous of all by yourself. For the last time, out!!!!.......

  He left her office clearly agitated. Delight on the other hand was very happy. In fact, she heaved a sigh of relief that at last, she summoned and mustered enough courage to end the relationship. Not only that, she was also able to communicate such to the extremely annoying Victor. For years now, she has been thinking of how best to extricate herself from Victor all to no avail. Perhaps now, her newly found national fame helped her do what she ordinarily wouldn't have done. Could fame, at any point in time, serve as a pedestal for the expression of dutch courage? She reasoned. Whatever, at last, Victor, that big monkey, was off her back. She has turned down many potentially more gentlemanly and romantic lovers for most part of the last three years of her life including the many who showed poignant interest in her before, during, and after the recent national beauty pageant, for fear of an embarrassing backlash on them by Victor, and not necessarily because she resented them or loved Victor more. With Victor out of the way, she could now take her time to make an adventure into a love life of her dreams.

  But soon enough, she discovered Victor remained the same old person she knew; in fact, more desperate than she ever knew of him. True to his words that he could love no other, nor permit Delight to love another, he went on the prowl. She only discovered the embarrassments and harassments she was into when Victor began rolling out his strategy of invading her privacy the moment she was out of her office or apartment on a public function. He would run into an outdoor interview session and disrupt it with shouts of: 'I'm the only one you can love,' directed at Delight. He would eventually be whisked away by Delight's security detail, only to repeat it at another time in another place. The press did not spare her blushes as the constant barrage of embarrassment from Victor soon changed their celebrity reportage of her to one of an unfortunate lover. However, despite the fact Victor's craze brought her unheralded bad press, she refused to involve the police and the courts. For the sake of all Victor has done for her especially in the past, in those days of obscurity, it would be the most insensitive of a reciprocal to send the police after him. Also, if she took that part, it was certain the public would paint her black, high handed, and arrogant. But Victor's saga of embarrassing harassments was causing her lots of troubles both financially and career wise. Many endorsing outfits sent respective missives threatening to cancel their contracts with her if she doesn't deal with her love life. At a point, she became afraid to step out into the public from her home or office and when she was able to step out, she would have her heart in her mouth till she got to her destination, praying and hoping Victor doesn't show up with his pranks. High class stalking, or is it classic blackmail?