But as he entered his office and started complaining about his reaction really took me by surprise. Although he didn’t apologize about causing the brutality we endure, his statement about our greatness after our sacrifice got me pleased. I saw myself as a kind of hero too, as a martyr of a good cause. He then started to show me the future fruit of this sacrifice on the peace in the country and resolving the crisis with the teacher. He affirmed that when the national opinion will know what happened, when they hear about the violence that these strikers use on a small group of peaceful people who just came to listen to their problem and follow their request, they will, therefore, stop bearing support to those protestors, and then we will now have the position of power.
He didn’t need to add more to make me forget the massage with hot water my wife administered me the previous night, and the unusual physical effort we were forced to do to save our life. I was letting myself be literally subjugated by the exceptional logic from the wise man mister minister was and started to feel guilty for showing shameful selfishness. He succeeded to change my mood without making a real effort; I was coming to ask verbal reparation and excuses from the man but I found myself guilty of misjudgment of the case. It takes much humility to come to this kind of conclusion; mister minister was a unique person. Those guys too disrespected and insulted him, but he didn’t complain about that, he instead took advantage of it.
Many other leaders would have sought revenge after this kind of humiliation but not him. He would instead seek for peace and calm everybody. Now that he was in a better position he would quietly end the crisis by bringing a resolution that would contain every party. Just for acting like this, for displaying such wisdom, such a vision, he deserved a Nobel Prize!
I quickly shared the mister minister’s perceptiveness to Christian as he came to office in the afternoon intending to pity me. He too found his mood rapidly changed from indignation to delight after hearing our boss affirmation. Then we both entered a serious celebration, this was a victory, something really rare during this period. As two of the most favorite mister minister’s supporters and disciple, we couldn’t stay without praising his lucidity and his ability to always find a solution in any complicated case he will face.
“This is definitely the week of good news Paul, guess what? I invited Caroline for a date and she accepted!” Christian added shortly.
This other good news made me happier than the previous one. However, a guilty feeling bothered me subsequently. This love affair that was starting was also a violation of one of our internal rules private relationship between members of the same department were highly prohibited, and as their chief, I had to sanction them. But this time around, I didn’t border myself of reminding him the rule or even advise him to act with much discretion; I simply judge this incoming romance like a little violation by an ordinary good and honest employee. Regardless of the number of colleagues that date before them without been sanctioned by anybody, there was not enough reason in my point of view to feel reproachable about any irresponsibility as a chief. I was convinced that Caroline will be a good girlfriend and eventually a good wife for him even though my opinion was influenced by the fact that she and my wife had the same name.
A little time later, Andre’s sudden arrival startled us and ended our cheerfulness. As usual, he’d surely previously bored Jasmine for long minutes after receiving bad answers from the girl, he’d then put down all his frustration on the handle of my door before entering my office without knocking as if it was a Chinese shop. It wasn’t hard to perceive that he and Christian had not a friendly relationship, matter of fact their obvious hatred was well covered by a kind of mutual respect they always displayed whenever they meet. Their characters were dissimilar, though Christian was quiet and gentle, Andre was disrespectful with people, a ladies’ man, and pretentious. This man was a mad dog, but as bizarre as it could be, he was also my best friend for a long time.
“Mister Paul, I hear you get your ass kicked yesterday,” said the latter before sneering like a hyena happy to see a lion defeated after a fight.
This mockery sounded like a nuisance to Christian’s ear and made him feel uncomfortable. But instead of reacting by words, as respectful as he was, he left the place to keep himself away from a man who can so easily make fun of somebody misfortune.
An embarrassing moment of silence took place after Christian left, and then Andre who was feeling a little ashamed decided to quickly turn the mood to a better one.
“Chill bro, let’s go have a drink somewhere, I guess you need that after getting your ass whoop, hahahaha.”
The same main reason that made me been his great friend was also the same reason that sorrows me the most concerning him if only he could expose his good side to people… He was the first victim of his bad behavior. Hopefully, I could feel his intentions of being friendlier with people after realizing the enmity provoked by his manners. But regardless of all the bullshit and the bad reputation he had, he needed to try hard to overcome the hate to love in colleague heart.
Thirty minutes passed, we were now quietly seated in a restaurant-bar situated a yard far from our workplace. The bar was one of those private selective places in the capital, most of their customers were rich and popular. Their main points of attraction were the discretion they assured to clients and the quality of their service. There was also a good ambiance and comfortable seat there.
It didn’t take us much time to be immersed in the noisy but pleasant atmosphere of the place. I was trying hard to hide and avoid being seen by any Caroline’s friend when Andre started to flirt with one bartender, a young girl with a huge bosom, she was not pretty but she had that little to appeal to the male gender. As I was now bored and left alone since Andre focused on the girl, I occupied myself by observing with discretion the other customers, but when I look to the door, guess who I saw? The young Caroline coming hand in hand with a man who at first sight seemed not to be the timid Christian! That was terrible! He was just from sharing me his happiness to date her some minutes ago, what a shame! I thought she was a serious girl judged by her gorgeous and gentle look; I was wrong. Why did I not check on her better before pushing my friend to flirt her! Why was I not more suspicious, she was a stranger! The unfortunate guy, he was surely somewhere thinking about her without knowing that the girl was in a restaurant with a different man.
I was shocked, but the worst was coming ahead. That man who was holding her hand lovely, that silhouette, that gesture, that elegance reminded me, somebody, I knew well. Hell yeah, he was the one: mister Agbwala! What the hell was he doing there flirting with this young girl in a restaurant?
This was unbelievable, and no it wasn’t a nightmare, I was not dreaming; I wished I was. The appearances had me troubled, so all these rumors about his infidelity were true! If only Andre could see what was going on that would have been the last straw! He who was the principal entertainer of those rumors, he that I always blamed for claiming that my boss was a womanizer would have laughed at me seriously if only he could catch this proof that was actually just near us. Hopefully, he was lost in seduction; occupy to seduce the young sexy bartender.
My eyes were focusing on them all the long. They sat at the restaurant side, shelter from people’s attention as if they knew someone could expose them, which made me more suspicious. It could also be to avoid the conclusion that I made that motivated their choice, who knows. Anyway, they got me inquisitive like never.
Two minutes later, I could no more see them; they were out of my vision, seated behind many obstacles. Trying to come closer could have exposed me, so I stayed at my place and visualize back the previous scenes, full of ambiguity and questions. The shock had me paralyzed; I was a captive in a prison with speculation as a company; it was mental torture.
The only thing left to avoid the worst was to keep Andre away. So I claimed an emergency at the office for us to leave the restaurant.