Poetic-Verses
EXCERPTS FROM MR DEVIL
JOY SUN
DEDICATION
For Double Darkness
Sometime around the year 2000AD, I lived at #12 MCC Road Extension in Calton and attended THE DEEPER LIFE DIAMOND. I also, though a teenager aged 12 was a sophomore student running a degree in Applied Chemistry at the University of Calton or Calton City State University. I was also variously Kids' State Choir Master for the Deeper Life in Calton and also a youth leader posted to the State Housing Estate to run a home cell unit for the Deeper Life Diamond. It was here I met a "cocky" mulatto boy who never knew pure white men had been, though earned tanned flesh laboring in Africa (Afflicter Land). He was from Great Scatteron and the child of a negro father who had died in Syracuse, New York. His mother was one Mrs Dukers from the Netherlands and he had a sister by the name Selina. Although I taught him most of the skills he now knows, he always humiliated me and ran to go live in America et al. As his home cell teacher, I taught him the value of truth and not slighting anyone just because one had a "fair" skin, and wouldn't even get to his "costly" home if I wasn't mandated by the church to visit my home cell members. But I noticed he was always aggrieved whenever I came around, feeling that a black boy had come to steal his "bread",, "soup" or whatever. Since he graduated from Kings' College, Loston, and had seven (7) Alphas in his high school education, he always vaunted. I didn't like the attitude and always corrected him hinting that "men had been". Although I wouldn't have said this, I have to to help put him in perspective: I once gave two 20 litres filled gallon of gasoline to his mother, Mrs. Dukers Etukudo, since her constant problem was lack of electricity and gas. While I visited, Mrs. Dukers who taught German in the Literary Department of the Faculty of Arts in the University would be endeared to my fluency in the English grammar. She would have started a complaint like "What the hell! There's no electricity!", when I would chip in "Ma, don't mind the Power people because they don't mind whose ox is gored." She would be impressed (on several occasions) and ask: "Joy. Who are your parents?" It wasn't necessary dropping the bomb about my identity. It was too risky doing so. So, I'd mention one Regina Effiong, a pseudo-mum. And she would then ask of her background and educational attainments, and I'd say the "widow" lady was a Geographer. It was one day here I had to ask the lad of his prospects. He veered from Fine Arts to Architecture while I suggested ASTRONOMY based on his apparent gifts. One day, he did what made me quite unhappy although I forgave him. I had come from a very long journey, either from Choir rehearsals, and being I preached a minimum of five to three time in class in school and buses, with the fact that my pseudo-mum and sibling never fed me, I stopped by and greeted. He always bought bakemeats, steak and bread from the reputed HIGH QUALITY BAKERY at Mary Anne Road close to his home in Calton. When I wrapped on the door he had a loaf of bread with him and frowned. To him, I was a begger, a negro and an intruder. He then took his loaf of bread away and went into his room and never came out again. It was 7pm or 19:00 hours and it began to rain heavily. Knowing I was an "intruder", I had to run in the heavy rain back home, drenched, cold, sick and with a fever.
I was however happy because he had started raising money to return to the States and would do that by primarily engaging his artistic skills. I tried to chip in an idea or two, but his ego ruined it all as he always felt I was an intruder. One day, we sat at his home, after I had been unceremoniously and casually welcomed. We discussed prospects again. He had to bring his Architectural card board work. It was here I shared with him just one of my numerous future inventions, the E-CANOE/ SKY WAVER, which could travel with a thousand to ten thousand passengers from continent to continent safely within five minutes. Apart from suspecting it wasn't possible, he looked at me and thought I was mad or had some demons. One other good thing he did for me was give me the American Colleges and Universities magazine (The AC & U magazine) which he got from me one day in the most embarrassing way. He would then travel to the States not knowing who prays to make most things possible, even when his mum, relatives, the Deeper Life, Diamond rescinded the whole idea. I had simultaneously won a prize in poetry that year and was invited to the US. I liked it that he encouraged me to write poetry, but was often reduced to nothing with this idea of his that some black boy was talking to him. When I couldn't make it to the States, the International Society of Poets, the ISP, asked me to pay for a hand crafted costly plaque - a bowl and a medal. My guardians refused to provide the money. He was already in the States, so I made two requests to him viz: 1. To get me a little book titled AS A MAN THINKETH, which he did and for which I have always remained eternally grateful. Then, 2. I asked him to pay for the trophy hoping I would raise money to pay back the debt through his sister, Selina. I still remember. It was at Jahaz. I did get the money and went to pay back but had the abuses and threat of my life and a near incarceration case just because the exchange rate that morning varied by a dollar. I still love Glory Littlesons, Selina and Mrs. Dukers Etukudo whatever name they go by now.
But something happened one day in this his heaven of a home where he usually banked me off. His mum and Selina where in a discussion. He was probably in the room. The discussion was something like "what is the meaning of the word 'Ekpo'?" I having mastered the Aphekhians language and knowing they were strangers had to play soft. I chipped in that it meant "Ghost", when funnily enough Selina answered "Devil." I did confirm that the word "Ekpo" itself borne by Caltoners and Caltonese and most Great Scatteroners meant "Devil", and that others like "Okon" meant darkness, and particularly, "Okokon" meant "Double Darkness". We laughed as Mrs. Dukers asked, "Joy, so people bear 'Mr. Devil' down here?" My retort was "yes"!
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EXCERPTS FROM MR DEVIL
EXCERPTS FROM MR DEVIL
