You know that the life of a bachelor is not easy. Most times after the hustle of the day it is not easy to still enter kitchen and start cooking. One of those days I went to an eatery to get food, when I stepped out and was about stepping into my car, I saw my colleague., Ndubuisi. Immediately I saw him, I knew that I was in for trouble because he would remind me of my state of bachelorhood.

“Chief bachelor. How far?” he hailed me.

Laughter almost choked me.

“N.D what is my offence? It’s not fair to refer to someone that is aged 31 as a chief bachelor. Try to temper justice with mercy,” I said amidst laughter.

“My dear, it is not by age, I am judging you by your achievements. Old boy, God has been good to you. You have built your own house, both in the village and the city. You have cars. Even in our mechanic association, you are the chairman. This is the first time they are making a man who is not married the chairman. There was a time in the past that I aspired to become the secretary, they said I was not married. But when I came to your turn that matter was swept under the carpet. In fact you were even somehow forced to take up the leadership position.”

“My brother, it is well o” I muttered.

“Iyk, your life has been a mystery to many and I in particular. I have been wondering what caused the turning point in your life. The greatest mystery was how you and Nedu became friends again. Do you know that at a point, I was afraid that both of you might poison each other if you have the means to do so. But today, you guys are inseparable. Can you please tell me what happened?”

“ND, do you have that time. My story is very long.”

“My brother I have all the time in the world. I have it in mind to ask you this question because honestly, I have been curious to know.”

“In that case may be we should go back to the eatery so we could find a comfortable place to sit while I tell you the story of my life.”

We both went in and ordered for soft drinks, even as I opened up on the cans of worm that filled my life in the past.

“N.D, you knew what became of my life when they ejected us from our former place of work. I was still on that when my landlord gave me quit notice.

Time was ticking fast and getting very close to the expiration of my house rent. I don’t have strength for stress of searching for new accommodation. The money involved was another headache. I had been having sleepless night over the issue. Later I decided to approach one of the tenants and convinced him to accompany me to beg the landlord.

I knew our landlord to be a good man I believed that if someone should accompany me and beg him, he will accept. Besides, I never quarreled with him. I thought that they were manipulating him against me. So, I decided to hold a vigil to cancel whatever they have done.

On the appointed day, I and Mr. Kenneth went to see the landlord. He welcomed us cordially. May be because of Mr. Kenneth or may be my prayer has started working. I could not tell. Afterwards, Mr. Kenneth told him our reason for coming.

“Sir, I want to start by appreciating you for your fatherly care towards your tenants. You made your home comfortable and peaceful for everyone. That is why your tenants hardly pack out. Apart from the ones that have built their own houses. We recognize this and always appreciate you for it. However, the truth about life is that wherever people are, there must be misunderstanding. Father can misunderstand son, mother can also misunderstand daughter. But there can always be an amicable resolution. I am here because of one of your sons and tenant Iyk. I want to plead that you forgive him in any way he might have offended you. I was surprised when he told me that you served him a quit notice. That has never happened. I plead that you temper justice with mercy.”

“Thank you for your intervention. However, I am sorry to disappoint you. He must leave my house. I am an old man, what I sit on a chair and see, Kenneth if you climb an Iroko tree, you might not see it. Iyk is evil. I don’t want him to infest other tenants with his evil behavior. I would have ejected him from my house long time ago but I don’t want people to call me a wicked man. That is why I patiently waited for his rent to expire.”

“Hey , my enemies are at work,” I screamed out.

“Young man listen to me , you are the enemy of yourself. The last time we met, you were asking why I hated you. The truth is that I don’t hate you. I only detest your character. If you could treat me the way you did, I can only but wonder what you can do to other people. I called you on phone and informed you that my vehicle broke down in a dangerous place, a den of armed robbers . You promised that you were coming to meet me. I called your phone severally and explained to you that I desperately needed your help. You made believe that you were already coming to meet me.”

The landlord turned and faced Mr. Kenneth.

“Could you believe that all the while I was waiting for Iyk, he was in the next street with his friends, drinking alcohol and discussing. In fact, he was there till I came back. Iyk left me stranded in the middle of the road, if not that God sent me a Good Samaritan who helped me out. He contacted a toying van that towed the car to safety. Initially, I told him not to worry because my son was already coming to help. But the man insisted that it was risky to leave me alone at that spot. Now let me shock you. When I came back and have already confirmed that Iyk was in the bar, I called his phone again and he informed me that the car he boarded broke down on the way. He begged me to patiently wait because he will join me soonest.”

“What!” Mr Keneth exclaimed.

“Yes that is the level of wickedness that your neighbor can exhibit. Now let me ask you a question: If you were to be in my shoe, will you allow such a hard hearted man to live under the same roof with you.”
Mr Keneth could not talk.

I decided to ignore him because I had made up my mind on what to do. Every night, he would be disturbing the neighborhood in the name of prayers. I was happy that I have a prayerful tenant. I never knew that his heart is as black as charcoal. If he is living a holy life with all these prayers, will he not be a shining star? He claims that he reads the bible but he does not know that the prayer of a sinner is an abomination to God.”
He suddenly raised the tempo of his voice.

“By the time your rent expires, if you did not vacate my house, I will play a music that you will never be able to dance. A word is enough for the wise.”

I stood and shamefully drag myself out of landlord’s presence. I thought that the trick I played on him that day was successful. Little did I know that I had been sitting on a keg of gun powder. I made up my mind to quickly search for another accommodation because a man that can harbour such offence in his heart without revealing it can easily poison someone.

Watch out for the next episode