Saliki woke up the next morning at the hearing of Jasco uttering some words.Saliki woke up only to discover that Jasco was deeply asleep,he kept silent to listen to those words he was uttering.
"Yes I do ! I will abide by the rules, with my whole life,I am ready to pay with it...."
Jasco continued uttering this words when Saliki beat his hand, waking him up.
" Jasco ! Jasco ! Jasco !...guy wake up ! what are you doing ? wake up ! "
Saliki shaked him from side to side until Jasco spranged up in haste.
"Why the disturbance nah !
Saliki was shocked ,he Jasco's name again to make sure it was him.
"Jasco ! you aren't taking the right decision, don't tell me you will about joining the bad boys.What on earth were you thinking to join these gang even in your dream, you are ready to pay with your life....Aaaah ! Jasco why now ? don't do this Jasco ! don't do this "
"You are a fool, you are bunch of bunch of banana peel and very soon you will learn what and how it seems like,to die in penury and lastly, stay out of my life....ok !
Jasco warned going back to his sleep.Saliki stared at him for long and flip his head.
Saliki was off to his normal routine to find his luck that day.He trekked for some hours still watching city's life personality of the people. Saliki tirelessly walking,sighted the carwash point,he watched how those young boys wash the cars and get paid by the owners,he decided to give it a try.
"boy ! boy ! come ! "
Saliki called for one of the boys.
"How may I help you sir ? ... the washer asked.
"Please,I need to see the owner of this place "....
"Are you new in this city ?... the washer asked.
"No ! I'm not "
" If you aren't,then you should have known about us without asking a question"
"What do you mean ? What about you should I know ?... Saliki asked enthusiastically
"If you want to know about us, then believe that you are new in the city "
"Okk...I concur,I am actually new in this city"
"Well !...as you can see,we boys are the ones that runs this area, the profit is ours,we wash your car, you pay us any amount we requested for and we are proudly car washers.....Sooo....do you need any car to be washed ?
Saliki chuckled and then answered.
"Tell me you aren't joking, did you see any car around here, I've got none and I'm here to if I will be employed to work with you guys and if that's okay by you,I am ready to start up the work right now "
The car washer, putting his hand into his pocket short, looked up and said.
"You know buddy ! Since you are new in the city,there are a lot you don't know which you need to know,all we do is confidential and only the insiders knows about it,we have our rules here and we live by it,most of us who first laid the foundation of this,here and only are no longer with us because their patience , hardworking and commitment has paid them....by the way, what's your name?
"I am Saliki and what of you ?
"I am Rinka " .... the carwasher answered
pulling up his shoulder.
"You call me Rinny "
"Now Saliki ! you are ready to start work today and you promise to abide by the rules ?
"Yes I do !
"....are you sure ? Rinny asked
" Why all the questions, isn't it all about washing car, what else do I need to know or this a gang carwash ? Let me know, now it's too early to quit "
Rinka laughed out loud, placing his palm on Saliki's shoulder, he stated
"Why are you behaving like a toddler, look at you, you are growing up to be a man and there are sources through which you need to be a man, buckle up mehn ! You are already afraid, this is city for you, you are about to fit in...cheer up ! you are gonna enjoy this, ok ?
"Rinka patted him on his shoulder with a cheek smile,he ushered him into a washing group,they all welcomed him with warm embrace and smile. Saliki was given some of the washing equipments to start work immediately,he was so happy about this,he gladly picked up the equipments, waiting aside for a car to drive by, Saliki watched how other washers does their job and the amount of money they mentioned, without delay,they were paid by the cyclist.
Luckily for Saliki,a car drove by and stopped,he was a man,he requested that Saliki should wash his car. All Saliki was wondering if,was the amount of money he will inform the cyclist about and he will pay immediately. Saliki enthusiastically took the offer and start washing, with smile on his face,he washed twice of how others washed,
few of washers who were sitting by,were seriously watching him, seeing how energetic he is to wash for the first time,they were all surprised. Saliki would turn and glance at their faces,they will smile back at him raising their thumb up to him.
One would think if Saliki has been rewarded with trillion of money, but no ! he alone knows why he is acting in such manner.
Saliki is done with his washing, the owner approached him, Saliki couldn't hesitate to tell him the amount.
"Sir ! the washing is 10k , and the detergent I used is 20k , making it the sum of
12k "
"You can't be serious ! do I know you before ? why will I pay you such amount, you must be greedy, don't let it eat you up unless you want to see your downfall "
" But sir ! this is how it's been done, let me have my full payment "
"... and I said,never ! you are only a starter and I will be paying you the sum of 2k, 1500 for your washing and 500 for the detergent "
Saliki couldn't condone this,he tried stopping the man but was interrupted by Rinka who instructed him to accept the payment, Saliki angrily collected the money,as the cyclist rained abuses on him and drove away.
"What's wrong with you... Rinny ! You should have let me do this my own way,how can I end up getting 2k for the whole day while others are paid more than this, isn't this unfair ?
"Saliki ! the question you should have asked yourself is...why did it turn out like this for you and vice versa for others ? You are a beginner and you yet don't know the rules of the game, I told you that things are confidential here ,if you need to know about it,then you must be prepared for it. I know you need the cash,I don't know why you as are so eager about it, but you need to know and do the needful.Shine your eyes and find out the secret of our wealth "
" Can I come back to work when I am ready for this ? I need to put myself together and think about this "
" Yes of course ! you can, the room is always opened for you "
Rinny replied, spreading out his arms.
"When I am ready,I will come back for it"
"... now you are talking guy ! don't just sit and tie down your riches, it's on your palm,
unchain it and shine out "
"Alright ! thanks for letting me in,I have to go now...."
Saliki dressed up and trekked back home.He thought it was easier to make riches,all he had in mind was to prove his mom and the villagers wrong, to become rich and change his family's story,he was it was just a day work.
Saliki, trekking back home was stopped by an old lady dressed in archaic and old cargo dress, having grey hair and seated in front of a shop with a notebook and a pen in her hand.
"Come over here son ! "..... the old lady called, adjusting on the bench she was sitting on.
" Sit ! ..... she ordered.
Saliki immediately lost his sad feeling,he was afraid knowing full well that when an elderly person with grey hair calls for you,then there must be a relevant message he is trying to pass across and one dare not disrespect their presence.
Saliki sat down on the bench, surprisingly,he asked.
"Ma ! do I have anything to do for you ?"
"What's your name son ? "
"I am Saliki by name. "
" Saliki ! Such a mysterious name, you don't know me but I know your forefathers and your ancestors and now, you have to listen to what I have to inform you about. You
are new in this city,things aren't working out for you because you didn't hearken to your mother's words and as the gods are speaking through me to you that you should go back to the village and offer sacrifices for your atonement.The gods stated that, you can be forgiven only if you come back and plead for your abominable act, the gods have drawn a line for your punishment of disobedience. Son ! turn back ! go back and answer the call of the gods before it's too late" .
"I am sorry ma ! you can go back and tell that so gods of yours that I said...to hell with it all...I have no relation with it, even if I have,I am going to find a way to break it off ,go back to those carvings and tell them exactly what I have said ".
Saliki stood up and walked out of her sight.
"A man who doesn't have an advisor follows his corpse into the grave.Hear the gods ,son! and you will be freed ".
The old lady shouted out.Saliki shut his ear, moving faster as his leg could carry him without looking back.Saliki became angry all over , stumbling his feet on a stone,he felt the pain and hissed, not minding if people are staring at him. He never wants to hear the word "gods", his belief differs from the others about it,he has sworn to discard the idea about gods. If not that greyed people are respected,he wouldn't have gone to answer the old lady's call, she has stir the deepest anger in him.
Walking back home, Saliki was hearing voices in his head, the mom's and the old lady's voice, it was like hallucination, the voices increased as fast as he walks.
Saliki got home,shut the door and threw himself on the bed.