So tell me, what have you to say about this your experience? What have you learnt?
A lot mother! First, let me apologize, because I am remorseful, for causing you all this unnecessary drama. I have learnt that one person in a family can cause the downfall of others-just like I have done to you and papa. I am truly sorry.
I also learnt that satisfaction is the key to a peaceful living and that everything under the sun is vanity.
I learnt that contentment makes a man, live a life free of debt, and that it is best to ''owe no man nothing'' as papa used to say. Because I started seeing myself as truly stubborn and unsatisfied.
Patience? Yes Patience too. Hmm, patience is worth having mama. I realised that all the money I anxiously got from friends or people either by crook or schemes made me agitated always, and in the end I became impatient with myself.
Love? No one can love you, more than or as your family. I say this because hmm, when I was with John, his mother was always worried about my presence and shows discontentment. Although she initially welcomed me and gave me good hospitality, but it was not without complaint. At a time, she asked and threatened me to leave. Mama, it was hell. I felt bad, most especially when my name was everywhere, being changed to Rudey from Rumpey. Everyone thought I was rude.
In fact I started to feel because she was feeding and sheltering me. Sometimes, silently, I would hide my nuisance but I could not all the time, because I and John would always find time to gist. Even John, was so skeptical about my presence, I could see it in his eyes and his mum would always nose-around, eavesdropping, maybe she thought I was going to make her child wayward. I felt like an ingrate to them, already for sheltering me.
Mama cuts in: No, you were concerned about your troubles and your name. You are not ungrateful, my child, you were just like a burden to them. Thank God, you are back now and have learnt your lessons! Any other thing you wish to say? She asked
No. Nothing else mama, except that I would like to fight those bad boys back. Mama please, allow me, so they know I was not defeated, neither was I a coward.
Mama interjected: No, No, don't do that. God our father does not want that. He has warned us about vengeance. We need to let things go. Just as you have learnt your lessons, they too will learn theirs. What will you gain if the youths of our community rise against them, it will be total bloodshed and who will be willing to count the losses. Vengeance is mine. Says the lord. Says our God. "Hmmm." Rumpey said chuckling.
Mama continued: Even, if you were guiltless, you cannot fight your neighbours whom God has asked us to live with and protect as our brothers and we, their keepers. The bible said we should be our brother's keepers. She grabbed the bible.
You want to preach to someone? Rumpey asked surprisingly. No, just to show you, or?
Go ahead mama. I thought its papa's book. Hmmm, Papa's book how? Be calm, and be patient always. Patient about what again mama?
Patience-let me tell you something about patience- you see in life, patience is key to achieving anything and key in bringing that thing that belongs to you your way.
Anger- Stay away from it. That was what caused all this. Had you calmed down, you wouldn't have joined that fight. Matured people can always control their anger. Will you ever fight your wife? Tell me, if she offends you. Your father never yells at me, let alone fought me.
Pride-stay away from false pride. Maintain positive ego all the time. Remember everyone is important and almost everyone behave prideful, but it is usually false, and the bible says 'Pride Goethe before a fall'. So what's the difference? Rumpey asked. I meant between Pride and Ego? Those boys used to say I blow up airs too much! So which am I actually doing? What do I even have? Rumpey! This is clear. Mama answered. Look at your life and the outcome lately. Do you have a job, car, a house, and a wife, even money to pay for a football team or for a ball? No. Practical No!
No mama! Fine, those things you don't have but claim you have making you living a lie or a false life is like pride. Even in the eyes of God, you have to ask for His help or favor humbly and if things are granted give glory to Him, not to yourself. Jesus, was like that, He thanked God before doing anything that He feels was possible to do by Him-Jesus. He also thanked God after successfully doing anything miraculous. God does not like people who are prideful, pompous or haughty or those who feel they can do things themselves. So watch it.
Now, look at this house your father built from his young days, where we are living till now. He has worked for it and it remains his, a shelter for us, you and I. It has been like that till now and it gives us shelter. That is a positive pride, and its boost his ego. His moral and standard of living was elevated daily at least by having a place to rest his head. If your father was claiming that house belonging to one politician that is never around this village, you know that mansion, where it seems no one is living in across the other street.
Yes mama! Rumpey answered. Those stupid boys always hang around there, smoking and gingering themselves.
Well. Okay, if your father claims it belongs to him and the owner a rugged stubborn politician comes home to chase your father away, how will you feel? Dejected and disappointed right?
Yes. Rumpey answered.
Oh oh! That's false pride. Because it does not belong to you. What your father was trying to say to you was that you should work and earn a living, by avoiding distractions. But you didn't listen.
Always know that what you don't have, you don't have. It was because you wanted to act as if you had, and act like the other seeming big boys, you started borrowing money even from a female friend-Aishat for that matter. You wanted to buy ball, just ball or join a team. Hear yourself Rumpey. You should have allowed them draft you into the team. It would have been better and more honorable they asked you in and support you themselves willingly than you going for what you don't have. This makes you incur unwarranted debts.
Debts- a debtor is never going to be free. Debt is not good and you know, he who goes borrowing goes sorrowing- sometimes it can make the debtor commit suicide from not knowing what to do, who to tell, or how to pay back the debt, especially when it involves too many pressures and threats from your creditors. Avoid it at all cost. Listen to your father. That book that book taught me how to save. It is on your father's bookshelf. 'The RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON'
Yeah, yeah in Babylon, the Babylon book. I know I know. He cuts in. Rumpey cried. So sorry mama. He grabbed mama. Yes, I have read it countless times. Mama continued: It's okay.
Sometimes as small as maggi I would always refuse to buy and use dawadawa (Yorubas call it Iru) instead since they both serve as spices or condiments, because I choose not to dish out my last cash for more items , because the book taught me to save cash in hand at all cost. It made me believe that every seller wants part of your income and so by paying yourself first or putting some money aside, you will have something to fall back on you. You are not working, if you are you will know naturally how to spend money- either to be frugal or extravagant. You have to choose one.
It taught me that the maggi seller can only have a share or a cut of my finances if I go to her to buy. So what I do is to save that extra cash by not buying any other thing and use the dawadawa condiment at home as alternative.
Hmmm! Rumpey commented
Interesting! You mean all of this are in that book. Rumpey asked
You never read it. Hope you read it today! Yes my son, from the book! They laughed.
Let me just read it now mama.
At last, one thing you never talked about, is the fact that you followed the wrong part home. That is what debt cause to debtors. It makes a man's way crooked and not straight. If the lion got you, we would have lost you. Many people have died since this your nonsense debt fight.
Please avoid troubles and never should you try touch what you can't grab or want what you can't have.
Rumpey became dumbfounded as he looked on into the sky. Mama told him to go seek his father and apologize.
Without hesitation, he wiped his tears with a white handkerchief, and went out about looking for his father around the corners of the house. He found him splitting woods with axes.
He ran back into the house and got the book: The RICHEST Man in Babylon, telling mama 'let me go do that with this book, so he can be happy with me.' It's alright. Just apologize. Mama commented.
Rumpey ran outward, looking for his dad.
Papa! Rumpey called his attention.
Papa smiled: Yes, my son. I am here!
Rumpey held tightly the axe, for splitting woods for his father.
I am sorry. He said with a gentle smile and gave the piece of wood a one-time loud split.
That's my boy! He dropped the axe and prostrated and then dad picked him up saying: get up
Rumpey asked: Please forgive me father!
But I would not have learnt about the LION's PATHWAY you know!
General laughter. We thank God for everything. Now, we shall go see the king. At least, let him and all of them know who you are now, that my son is now Rumpey not Rudey, because I named you Rumpey. He said proudly
What about my debt Papa? I am like the prodigal son. You are more than the prodigal son, because in your case, people died, but you know why I am happy.
Why papa? Rumpey asked. Because you are back and it give me joy. The Lord has blessed me with joy and laughter as you have made it home. Now those who changed your name will see God's hand in your life.
But papa truly, what about my debt Papa? Rumpey asked. That's another chapter entirely. Let's just go see the king first.
Rumpey cherishes the book, ever since.
THE END of Part One