Me: tell me how it started
Since the fish was peppery, we sat up and rested our backs against the wall. The air-conditioner was on, so he tossed me a blanket to cover my folded legs. I had earlier sent Timi a text not to come for me.
Jafar: how what started?
Me: how you joined a confraternity
Jafar: you really want me to bore you?
Me: I can't ask you about how the thingy with Eli is going, at least I can ask you this one..
He looked at me, I looked back with an encouraging smile.
Jafar : I was approached by some guys while I was shooting pool in the permanent site, one guy and Eli, they said I should leave the snooker table for them. The friend I was with left me there, he didn't want their problem. Eli and his friend asked me if I was mad and didn't know I should do as I was told. I wasn't just in the mood for rubbish that day, so once again I ignored them. After threatening me for a while, they asked me for my number, I declined. Eli gave me his and said I should call them whenever I wanted to, that I was the kind of person they were looking for. I forget about the encounter until one evening like that. There is this girl I had been seeing, a Jambito like myself. I didn't know she was dating another guy that was a spirit-man. I was with the girl, a 200L student, when my door was forced open kicks. Five guys entered the room with sticks. They beat me black and blue that night. The girl kept apologizing to the head of the team, that I was just a guy she met at the campus. After they left with the girl, I checked myself into a hospital. Few weeks later, I tracked down the guy. I went to his house and hoped to inflict pain on him too but as I got in, I was surrounded by more guys. They beating I got the first time was nothing compared to this one..
I couldn't help myself, I started laughing. It was the first time I laughed since Abayomi died.
Me: sorry for laughing..
Jafar laughed too, and filled my glass with more wine..
Me: please continue
Jafar: so I checked back into the hospital, but this time…I called Eli and explained everything to him. It didn't take long before more than a dozen guys came into my ward. They were looking deadly, infront of them was Eli. He told them I would be taken care of, my bills and all. He also promised me those guys will be dealt with as soon as I got out.
Me: so when you were out of the hospital, you guys went for them?
Jafar: Oh, yes we did. And it was a cool day.
Me: you and Eli were close?
Jafar: not really, but for about 2months, he was my mentor, until he was booted out. The funny thing is that he joined the group that he had saved me from.
Me: wow…that was some story..
Jafar : you should sleep now..
Me: do you have any regrets being in a confraternity?
Jafar: truthfully?
Me : Yes
Jafar : sometimes, when people use their powers to oppress. But sometimes I am so glad. We hae perpetual cases were we help people get justice. For instance, a girl breaks u with her boyfriend, and she tells him to pay her all the money he owes her so she can write her exams, he doesn't, he beats her instead. She reports to us, we appear at her boyfriend's place, he pays the next week. Or a lecturer is using sex as a medium for a pass, we visit his wife…he adjusts. Plenty cases like that. But we have bad eggs among us…plenty unfortunately.
Me: do you have a girlfriend?
Jafar: is that part of it?
Me: just answer?
Jafar: no..though I have girls..
Me : why?
Jafar: because it's not safe for them. The easiest way to get to a guy is through his loved ones..
Me: true..
Jafar: how is Timi..?
I suppressed a giggle…the wine was working…
Me: Ijebu-ode
Jafar: good…you might need to go be with him..
Me : why?
Jafar: Eli knows you are here…Eli is coming…
Me: then let's leave together, find a new place..
Jafar: I am the leader of my group, I remain here....