Grandma
Granny Hoyan queried Choro and her uncle Mawdor;
“It is still dark what are you people quarreling at this time of the night? What is the matter?”
Choro
“Grandma it is not dark but very bright it is 9 0’clock in the morning I overslept due to exhaustion I am coming to your room.”
Grandma
“Then I am blind I cannot see anything everywhere is very dark.”
Choro
“I am coming Grandma you cannot be blind, you can never be blind. Poverty, there is poverty everywhere and my uncles are very wicked especially uncle Mawdor and he is very demanding.”
Grandma
“Don’t bother with my sight I’ll be fine.”
Choro
She is very kind hearted as she helped Grandma familiarized herself with the environment.
“Grandma I want to go back to school and fight the poverty around our family.”
Grandma
“I’ll do everything within my ‘chere’ business to send you back to school you are an ambitious, brilliant lass but my only problem is your wicked uncles especially Mawdor who hates you with a passion.”
Choro
“But what I can’t understand is why uncle Mawdor hate me this much? What have I done to him? She asked me to do everything for him but he is still resentful and malicious towards me and I don’t know how to please him.”
Grandma
“Don’t mind him my grand-daughter you have done everything on your part but he is prejudice towards you he hated your mother with a passion and has passed the same trait to you. But I promise to do everything within my limit and powers to send you back to school.”
Choro
She sells vegetables going around the market and neigbhourhood she met her friend Yagayon and was ashamed that she was not at school Yaga confronted her;
“Why are you not at school? I have not seen you for weeks now?” Yaga asked.
“Grandma cannot pay my school fees and my uncles refused to assist.” She sobbed.
“It’s okay Allah will help take heart.”
At Home
Grandma moved around the compound to make herself familiar with the environs but Choro scolded her;
“Grandma this is dangerous don’t do it again there are many dangerous obstacles around especially the well which is sometimes uncovered.”
“Thank you my daughter I’ll be very careful thank you again for your concern.”
Waljojo
He resides in the neighbourhood with his mom in a single parent household he comes around to help with household chores and grandma gives him tip which he always rejects.
“Grandma I am your grandchild just like Choro do you pay her services?” Grandma nodded negatively;
“Then don’t try to pay me if you do I’ll see it as discrimination.”
“Okay my child I’ve noted your point.” He greeted Choro and left.
Wal saw the well and also cautioned Grandma;
“Grandma Uncle have to do something about this well it can be dangerous to you and the children.”
“You are correct I’ll talk to my son Mawdor about it Choro noticed the same.”
Choro
She came along and greeted Wal whom Grandma praised as being very helpful to her.
“Am going to school Grandma but let me help you carry your calabash of chere to the road side.”
But before he could take it Wal volunteered to carry it along.
“Thank you.” Both Choro and Grandma said.
Uncle Mawdor
He saw Choro in uniforml ready to go to school and he questioned her;
“Where are you going?”
“Am going to school of course.”
“Go back home and take off that stupid uniform and do the household chores.”
Grandma protested;
“Mawdor leave my grandchild alone she is going to school what is your business with you? Are you the one paying the fees?”
“I don’t care who is paying the fees that is none of my business what I do know is she is not going anywhere and I’ll be damn if I allow it happen it can only happen over my dead body!”
“Then it is going to be over your dead body because my grandchild will go to school; wicked man why do you hate this child with a passion? She is not her mother.”
“But she is her mother’s daughter like mother like daughter!”
Uncle Mawdor went home took out Choro’ books and uniforms and burnt them to ashes. Choro yelled at the top of her voice and cursed her uncle Grandma went into tantrums and also cursed her son.
Stops Going to School
Choro stopped going to school and concentrated in the ‘chere’ production of Grandma which Granny sells at the junction while she also continued selling vegetables around the neighbourhood and market she also does manual work to support the family.
Uncle Mawdor
He is unmarried and serve as an errand man to land speculators who give him tip but he never contribute anything whatsoever to the welfare of the home Uncle Chernor even though not all the time supports the family but during feast days he do buy provisions and clothes for Grandma but not for Choro whom they all hate but at different degrees.
At the Cement Store
After selling her vegetables she would pass by the Cement Store and help do some manual job but Sheriffo the Store Attendant always cheat this teenager if he should give her D10 he would give her D5 but Choro is very wise and knows money very well she would calculate and protest;
“But Sheriffo my money is D200 and not D100 this is not fair it is a difficult job but I need it to supplement the income I take home for food please give me my complete money.”
Sheriffo
He pretended to very crossed with her;
“What the cheek! I am helping you and you are trying to disrespect me? Give me back the money there are many people around who are fighting for this job and never come here again.” She hesitated but Sheriffo took the money from her and ordered her to leave out of desperation she knelt down and begged for understanding;
“Okay give it back to me I’ll not protest again half a loaf it is said is better than nothing please I am very sorry.”
Sheriffo rebuffed and warned her strictly;
“Never be disrespectful again or else you are out of here it is a privilege I gave you not a right always remember that.”
Choro was relieved she thanked, prayed for her and left.
To be Cont.
