“Hmm. Some of these motor riders, eh. They’re such a nuisance on our roads,” Vivica commented over the phone.

“It’s serious,” Damien agreed, his phone lying on the dressing table as he straightened his tie. A couple of days had passed since the incident, and to a large extent, he was still really peeved about it. “I still dunno what made them do that to me. The way I was pissed, eh. Ah, I dey go my somewhere, you just come and kick me, and another one passes by to insult me for no reason. I mean, what dey wrong you?”

“It’s alright, my dear, it’s alright. It happened a few days ago, forget about them. You know some people are just walking around with no brains in their head, so don’t stress yourself. Just focus on being as ready as you can be. You’ve got two interviews to deal with. Let’s focus on that.”

Damien nodded. She was right. No use wasting his time and energy on those buffoons; he had a job interview to nail. It might have been a very wet Wednesday morning, but he was going to adopt a bright, positive mood for the day. “Sure, sure. So chale, I’ve gone through their websites and taken note of all the critical info about their vision and mission, I’ve gone through all those articles. I think I’m good to go. At least, now I know how to answer some of the standard questions they ask. The ones about the skills I have and where I see myself in five years’ time and all that.”

“Good, good. So that’s on course. Just keep going over those articles as you’re moving to the interview areas. And trust me, honey, you’ll be fine. You’ve got this.”

“Thanks, Vi. Indeed, I’m gonna be fine. And yeah, I’ve got this. I’m gonna kill it at those interviews.”

“Absolutely! All the best, sweetie.”

“Thanks, baby. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Sure. Byeee!”

As he ended the call, he looked at himself in the mirror and nodded. His white shirt was crisp and blended well with his blue tie. A very professional look. Exactly what he needed to score points with the interview panel.

And reading those articles were certainly helpful, too. What an awesome helper Vivica was already turning out to be in his life!

“She’s definitely good for me,” he murmured to himself as he moved toward the door, ready to present himself to his mother before leaving the house. “Just be sey she dey try do long with the body. But forget, those breasts diɛɛ, I for feast top. I no go fit date am then wedge for anything. Massa, we don’t do that s**t over here…”

***

Damien alighted from the trotro at the Kaneshie First Light bus stop. Taking a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead, he looked at the other side before checking the time on his phone. “Chale, I’m on track,” he murmured to himself. “Just a ten minute walk from here to the office.”

He waited till the road was clear, then crossed to the middle of the road and waited for that lane to be clear. Once it was, he started walking.

At that same time, a motorcycle was speeding on the road. Damien assumed he would move to the other side of the road.

He thought wrong.

The rider stepped on the accelerator and moved straight at him.

His eyes widened. What the hell?

In a panic, he quickened his steps and jumped onto the pavement as the rider sped by, avoiding him just in time.

“Ah! What’s wrong with you?” he yelled. As the other pedestrians yelled at this recalcitrant rider while asking Damien if she was okay, he shook his head.

Surely that had to be a weird coincidence. Just one of those random idiots on the road acting like they had sawdust for brains.

Right?

***

Two hours later, and Damien was in a trotro on his way to Achimota.

He nodded and smiled as he typed a message to Vivica. Babe, first interview went well! I totally killed it!

Awesome! Awww, I’m glad to hear that.

Yep. I’m on a roll now. I’ll let you know when I’m done with the 2nd one.

Sure, sure. All the best!

A few minutes after pocketing his phone after receiving that message, he got down at the bus stop, plugged in his earphones and tuned in to his old school hip hop list as he started walking.

It had been cloudy all morning, and the effects of that morning’s heavy downpour were plain for all to see. He noticed a big pond on one side of the road as he approached it.

He shook his head. “Eii, as for Accra diɛɛ, every time it rains, some places have to get flooded. Na this nice road too, river dey top? Hmm, chale…”

Probably he had Wu Tang Clan’s ‘Protect Your Neck’ on too high a volume, he didn’t hear it early enough. But by the time he heard that familiar sound of a motorcycle, it was too late.

The rider passed right through the pond on the road, splashing the water all over Damien.

“AAHHHH!”

He sped away as Damien stood there, frozen, soaked and stupefied.

Once again, bystanders who saw the whole thing insulted the long gone driver while rushing to the aid of Damien.

“Oh, bra, sorry, wai.”

“Oh wei diɛɛ, he’s spoilt your attire.”

“Some of these motor riders, eh, they don’t have sense kraaa…”

The commiserations were of some comfort. But they did little to change the fact that he was now set to miss his second interview because of this.

And this was another ‘attack’.

But why?

***

“Ah, but this is strange and unbecoming. Why would all these things be happening?” Vivica wondered as she and her boyfriend spoke later that evening.

Damien shook his head as he held the phone to his ear while holding a hot mug of ‘This Way’ Chocolate Drink in the other. “No freaking idea. I dunno if it’s a new tactic these criminals have started employing or something. But chale, it’s not funny. Now because of this guy’s stupidity, I missed out on my second interview. If it wasn’t for the fact that the first one went so well, like I make hot be that. Ah!”

“Hmm, chale. It could be. It’s just unfortunate it’s happening to you.”

“Chale. Now I’m starting to feel scared whenever I hear motorcycle sounds. The way I was shaking whenever I saw a motorcycle on the way back home…”

“Hmmm. It’ll be well. But, babe, you’ve not done anything to annoy anyone, right? Like take someone’s money or… I dunno…”

Damien frowned. “No, definitely not. I’ve not offended anyone.”

As he said that, thoughts of Lily came to mind.

He hadn’t thought about it till then, but… now that it had popped up, was there a possibility that maybe, just maybe…

No! he immediately scoffed to himself. Of course it has nothing to do with Lily. Na that girl, who does she know outside Donkorkrom? She’s not even travelled beyond Forifori! That girl that doesn’t even know how Kumasi looks like. Kai! There’s no way it’s about her. She doesn’t know anyone here. Forget. She’s history.

He shook his head again and repeated, “Nope, it definitely isn’t because I’ve taken anyone’s money or offended anyone. Chale, I dey my lane inside.”

He listened as Vivica sighed. “Well, hopefully, this is the last of it. I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

“Yeah, I sure hope so.”  

Ha, Damien, you have no idea what’s ahead of you, do you? And you dunno that what you’re scoffing at is actually the truth…