Chike and the River

“The spirits want something from you,” said Chandus.

“I have nothing but this threepence,” replied Chike.

“It will do,” said Chandus. “Tomorrow the spirits will reward you.”

Chike reluctantly gave him the threepence.

When he got home he did as Chandus had told him. He dipped the ring in water seven times and placed it under his pillow when he went to sleep. He woke up twice in the night thinking it was dawn. On the second occasion he woke up Michael and asked if it was morning yet. Michael grumbled angrily and warned Chike not to disturb his sleep again.

When morning finally came Chike was sleeping peacefully and deeply and Michael had to shake him vigorously to wake him up.

He sat up, grumbling and rubbing his eyes. There was something on his mind but he could not say what it was. Then, like a flash, his mind went to the ring. He pushed aside his pillow. The ring lay on the mat as nakedly as he had left it.

10 Chike Returns to Chandus

Throughout that morning Chike was very unhappy. He barely touched his breakfast. Michael asked him what was wrong but he said nothing and went on brooding.

By midday he decided to go and report the matter to S.M.O.G. After all it was he that recommended the magician to Chike.

S.M.O.G. was eating garri and okro soup. The front of his shirt was covered with the soup, which he found difficult to control. Chike noticed the quantity of fish in the soup and his throat began to itch.

“Come and join me,” said S.M.O.G. with his mouth full.

“No, thank you,” said Chike. “I am not hungry.”

“Go and join him,” said S.M.O.G.’s father who was reclining on a stretcher. [3]

Chike did not need any more persuading. He washed his hands and fell to. He knew how to control okro soup and when he had finished eating, his shirt was hardly soiled.

Chike did not want S.M.O.G.’s father to hear about the magician; so he took S.M.O.G. outside before telling him what had happened.

S.M.O.G. appeared very unhappy about it all. He swore he was going to teach the fellow a lesson.

“Has he ever doubled money for you?” asked Chike.

“No,” replied S.M.O.G. “I get everything I need from my mother. So I don’t need to have my money doubled.”

Chike was not impressed by this argument but did not wish to pursue it.

“How is your mother?” he asked.

“She is getting better,” said S.M.O.G. “It is her rheumatism.”

“What is rheumatism?” asked Chike.

“I don’t know. It is something old people get. Her legs are painful.”

The two set out for the magician’s house. Chike said they must hurry because he wanted to be back before his uncle returned from work.

“Did you tell him?” asked S.M.O.G.

“No,” said Chike. “How can I tell him?”

When they got to Chandus’s place he was eating coconut with garri soaked in water.

“What do you want?” he asked with great annoyance.

“I am Chike who came yesterday.”

“Me I no understand you,” said Chandus in pidgin.

“But you gave me this ring,” said Chike, producing the wire ring.

“Me give you dat? You de craze?”

“I sent him to you,” said S.M.O.G., “and he gave you his threepence to double for him.”

“Wonders will never end,” said Chandus. “You two come here and give me threepence.”

“I did not come with him but…”

“Make una come ot from here one time or I go learn you lesson you no fit forget. Imagine! Why small boys of nowadays no de fear. You get bold face to come my house and begin talk rubbish. Na your father steal threepence no be me. Stand there when I come back and you go see.” He rushed into an inner room and scraped a machete on the hard floor. S.M.O.G. took to his heels and Chike followed.

11 Pride Goeth Before a Fall

Chike’s friend Samuel, alias S.M.O.G., began to teach him how to ride a bicycle during the holidays. Samuel had no bicycle himself but he could easily borrow one from a mechanic. This mechanic lived in one of the rooms in Samuel’s father’s house. During the day he worked under a tree in front of the house. Many people brought their bicycles to him to be repaired. Sometimes they wanted the brakes mended or a punctured tire repaired. Whatever it was the mechanic was equal to the job. If you passed by at any time of the day, you would see him in his brown, greased work clothes putting life into a damaged bicycle. Usually he turned the bicycle upside down with its wheels in the air while he worked on it. He had a signboard nailed to the tree on which was written his nickname-DOCTOR OF BICYCLES.

Besides the bicycles which came to him for repairs the mechanic also had about five or six of his own which he let out on hire for sixpence an hour. It was one of these that Samuel borrowed. He did not tell the mechanic that a learner was going to ride it. If the mechanic had been told, he would surely have refused.

The bicycle was for adults and was too high for Chike but he made rapid progress. If he sat on the seat his feet would not reach the pedals. So he adopted what was called the monkey-style; he rode standing on the pedals on one side of the triangular frame.

After about one week of practice Chike was able to ride long distances without falling down. He was even able to whistle a song as he rode along. Samuel was impressed with Chike’s progress and suggested that it was time he tried riding on the main road instead of the playing field. As Samuel said, the real test of a good cyclist was the main road.

Chike was a little doubtful at first but he agreed in the end to try one of the less busy roads. To his surprise he did very well. He was so pleased that he began to whistle the highlife tune “Nike Nike” and to pedal to its beat. He felt very proud of himself and wondered why people said that riding a bicycle was difficult. It is easier than eating okro soup, thought Chike. Just then a car came out of a side street and was making toward Chike. He lost his nerve and swerved into the curb, hitting an electric pole. The bicycle bounced back and threw Chike into a nearby drain. He came out dripping with dirty water. He had also grazed his elbow and knee on the cement curb. But the wound was not deep.

The bicycle, however, seemed to be badly damaged. The front wheel was twisted and its brakes were jammed. Three spokes were also broken. Chike and Samuel tried in vain to straighten up the wheel. In the end they gave up and decided to go and report to the mechanic. Since the front wheel refused to revolve they lifted it off the ground and rolled the bicycle home on the back wheel.

The mechanic was very angry. He said that Chike must pay for the damage.

“But I have no money,” said Chike. “Please forgive him; he has no money,” said Samuel. But the mechanic replied, “If he has no money, who asked him to ride my bicycle? Come and show me where you live. If you have no money your parents must pay for your foolishness.”

Chike begged and pleaded but the mechanic would not hear. He said, “You are wasting my time. Come on and show me your father and mother. If you don’t hurry up I shall take you to the police station right now.”