Duties

A Story by Sharrumkin

Now married Dan adjusts to living with Elizabeth and Colleen.

Duties

Upon settling into his new home with Colleen and Elizabeth in Kano, Dan assigned himself several duties. One of these was disposing of garbage. “Men always take care of the trash,” he said.

Colleen frowned. “Why?”

“I have no idea. Has something to do with hunting mammoths, I think.”

Colleen thought for a moment. She assumed he was joking. Anyway, what did it matter? What mattered was that she would not have to do it anymore.

Every Saturday he would gather the trash and divide it into two parts. One was for burning, one for collecting. That morning an ancient Bedford truck, a relic of the long gone British army, crewed by a driver, an old betel chewing man, and one of his sons, would pick up garbage cans left on the side of the road by the teachers. The younger man would empty the can into the back of the truck, fling the can down and move on to the next house. Every Saturday morning Dan would lug the can to the side of the road. After breakfast, grumbling about the romance of travel, he would lug it back to its place behind the rear door.

Long before Dan’s coming, Colleen and Elizabeth had decided to split the weekend. Saturday would be marking day for Elizabeth, while Colleen, and now Dan, took care of chores including shopping. Tomorrow, after doing the breakfast dishes, Dan and Colleen would be busy with their marking while Elizabeth went to church.

Dan found himself having to spend much of the day slashing the straggling, pale green grass at the front of the house. Armed with a long thin, curved piece of iron, often known as a “slasher”, he would whack away at the grass reducing it to a more or less even height. Colleen, who was preparing lunch in the kitchen, watched Dan for a moment. She then turned and ducked into their bedroom.

Elizabeth looked up from her marking to see Colleen heading back into the kitchen wearing her blue bathrobe and slippers. In one hand she carried an old copy of the National Geographic.

Colleen opened the fridge, took out the pitcher and poured lemonade into a glass. Returning the pitcher she picked up the glass and hurried outside.

“Dan?”

Dan looked up from his slashing.

“Lunch will be ready soon. Come, have some lemonade.”

Placing the slasher blade on his right shoulder, Dan strode towards Colleen. He glanced at the

bathrobe. “Did you just have a shower?”

“No. Not yet. ” She handed him the glass. Then she showed him the magazine. “I saw this at the school.”

Its main issue devoted to Egypt, the cover of the magazine showed the Sphinx and Pyramids. “I’m thinking we might go to Egypt on our holiday. It’s not far from here. It has beaches too,” she added loosening the tie around her waist. The front of the robe fell away revealing her yellow bikini.

Dan paused in his sipping. He had seen the bikini before. Colleen had opened the drawer where she kept it with her panties and bras and had taken it out to show him but he had not seen her wear it until now. Colleen smiled and lowered her eyes. “We could go for two weeks, Dan.” She tied her robe.

Dan returned to his lemonade. “We could. Let me think on it.”

She smiled, took the glass from Dan and kissed him. “Now wash up for lunch. Then we have to get groceries.”

***

Al Haji Hakim Abiola and Sons

Medicines and Beauty Products

Dan and Colleen looked up the sign that topped a small, narrow shop.

“This is it?” Dan asked.

“I think so.”

Dan shrugged. “Alright. I’ll talk to the man at the counter. Look around if you want.”

Dan, trailed by Colleen, stepped into the building.

The elderly storekeeper, dressed in a white babariga and Hausa cap, smiled. “Sannu malam. Good morning sir, madam. How may I help you?”

“Some friends said that you can assist me.”

“Yes?”

“My wife and I. We’re just married you see . . .” Dan lowered his voice. “Are you a married man?”

“Oh yes, thirty years my first wife.”

“Oh, well congratulations. Anyway I need something, a contraceptive, condom.” He tried not to keep his face from reddening. “Would you have anything.”

Dan placed his shoulder bag on the counter.

Colleen, eyeing the shelves drifted towards the back of the store. As Dan talked with the storekeeper Colleen looked through skin care products. She picked up a small bottle.

Oil Of Ulay

Colleen peered at the label. At the bottom it read in tiny letters

Manufactured, Apapa, Nigeria

Shrugging she put it back.

Nodding Al Haji Hakim took out a small set of keys and unlocked the counter. From a small back drawer he took out a box of contraceptives. “Made in Germany, sir. The best.”

Dan held the small square of plastic in his hand. “How much?”

“Two nairas for one. But I see you are young and strong.” He pulled out a larger packet. “Ten for fifteen nairas.”

Dan considered saving money and buying two condoms. Then he thought of the coming night with Colleen.

“Ten for twelve nairas, fifty kobos.”

The old man looked shocked. “This is for the light of your life.” He glanced at Colleen. “Such a beautiful woman. Fourteen nairas, fifty kobos.”

Dan frowned. “thirteen nairas.”

Colleen walked towards them.

The old man shook his head. Then he paused. “For such a beautiful flower I will give a special price. “Thirteen nairas; fifty kobos. Any less my children will starve.”

Colleen smiled at the old man and nudged Dan’s left arm.

Dan nodded. “Done.”

He handed the shopkeeper thirteen nairas and a fifty kobo note. Dropping the packet into his bag,he followed Colleen out of the store.

“You see” said Colleen. “That wasn’t so difficult.”

***

That evening Dan lay in bed reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. Colleen stood in front of her dresser removing her clothes. She undid her bra and slipped it off.

Dan looked up from his book. “You know I’ve been thinking about what you said about Egypt.”

Colleen looked down at him. “And?”

“Well, between the two of us, we could do two weeks there. Cairo, Luxor, the Red Sea. Mind, after that no more trips until July.”

Smiling, Colleen nodded. “Agreed.”