By Amie Sillah The Conspirators The trio met at Mam’s Boutique and discussed their next move. “Now that he is in our grip and Neneh is out of the way; he needs a nanny, what is our plan for that?” Mengeh asked. Dor “We cannot perform that role but we can hire someone to do it, that person has to be Neneh’s age or younger, she cannot be older. The game plan here is to seduce and drain him empty before finally discarding him and vanish.” Mengeh She thought hard and asked Mam; “Can your sister Lolly not fit that role? Mam “I am not sure as she was trained by my mother in the village and she got into ‘diarra’ and became too religious for my liking. She has now veiled herself, all the same I’ll try hence it is a good opportunity to uplift herself. Our people say ‘turi safara du boiye gamange.’ (Calling the name fire does not burn the mouth.) Dor “Discuss with Lolly and if positive send her to me to work out the detail.” “A deal!” Mam posited. Mam She called Lolly to her bedroom when she arrived home; she called her pet name Lo and she is very surprised. “Don’t be surprised I call you to know about your plans as you came from village to city in search of what?” Lolly “The village is very dry and poverty is killing us, I am thinking big to travel outside Gambia to hustle and make big money to put our family on top and to fulfill dreams of a mother.” Mam “Now you are talking but how do you intend to achieve such a noble aim?” Lolly “I want to sharpen my tailoring skills as well as hair dressing, therefore I want to find a workshop where I can learn both; after saving enough then I’ll try a chance of going abroad to be a nanny to some rich Arab family.” Mam “That is a lovely idea but what about if I tell you a better plan that you can become rich overnight if you are ready to pay bond. But the only hitch here is your strong faith.” Lolly “I am very ready sister, the veil is just a camouflage to be able to do what I like and society would not judge me.” Mam “Smart girl, that’s what we are also doing. Gossipers don’t mind their business and are always going around to get what they can gossip about. We can do business, I’ll send you to Aunty Dor who will give you further direction.” They take the ‘take five salute’ and she left for Sisy Dor’s abode very satisfied with herself. Neneh She suffers every type of humiliation as villagers gossip about her. Jonsaba She was talking to Sibo and stopped when she saw Neneh coming and she threw innuendoes at her. “She is a foolish woman I heard she was caught red handed in her matrimonial bed making love with their security man.” Sibo “It’s a lie! After all what Ken did for her and her family? This evil woman is an ingrate!” Jonsaba “Perhaps Ken was not very good in bed! Ha! Ha! Ha! I also heard she was divorced empty handed.” Sibo “It serves her right, she is patronizing, pompous and over bearing, she will drive her car past us without greeting; ‘kow kow suuf rek! (Up -up come down!) Neneh stood, watched them caricature her person, shook her head and left very depressed. Village gossip changed the discourse over and over again, each opponent adding pungent item to make the odor unbearable, being village elite in the midst of poverty had made villagers envious as most of the women want to see her family downfall. Lolly She visited Dor and she briefed her. “Ken is very rich but naïve and unassuming; he divorced his wife Neneh who was our ‘friend’ very flimsy, arrogant and bluffing. He spent a fortune on Neneh and her family whom he uplifted to middle class in a village setting. The plan is this you’ll pretend to be what you are not and your camouflage is just perfect, you fooled your crafty sister with it. What about a naïve fool such as Ken. Continue in your hijab, you’ll be connected with spiritual people of your type and they’ll all go out to confuse Ken all the more as we suck him dry. You’ll act as his nanny until he builds up his confidence in you, then we’ll come up with the next plan. The proceedings: 70% goes to us the aunties and 30% is yours; is that a deal?” Lolly “It is okay with me but you have to discuss with my elder sis Mam.” Dor “That is not a problem as you’ll meet the three of us.” Quartet Meeting Lolly met the aunties and the deal was formally instituted. Mengeh “We know each other; Mam is a wolf I don’t trust her let us take an oath.” Mam is crossed with Mengeh but Dor concurred. “Lolly is your sister and you live together what about if both of you decided to betray us? We are not naïve as Neneh, look at how we have decided to pay her.” “What are we waiting for? Let us administer the oath ourselves.” They all took an oath then Lolly left. The Trio Mengeh raised the question of how to share the 70%. Dor “24 -24-22” ratio share Dor, Mam, Mengeh.” Mengeh “Equal share or no deal, why should the duo have 24-24 and I 22? Any justification?” Dor “Who brought the target into the game? Me! Who will play the main act? Mam’s sister Lolly; what did you bring to the table Mengeh, greedy pig?” Mengeh “Who brought the idea of framing Neneh to the table? My humble self, who saw the opportunity for an entry point to fuel discord? My humble self. What have you to say about that?” The duo thought hard and say; “You have a point, let us share it equally 23-23-23!” They made the ‘take five salute’ drank champagne, shook hands and left. To be Cont. ]]>
