Ikenga was from a poor home. As soon as he finished his secondary education, his father called him and said, "I've arranged for you to go and learn a trade. You..."
"Dad, you know I was the best graduating student in my class. Many of my mates would be going to the university, including Somto who's not very bright", Ikenga interjected.
"I know. You're going to learn electrical work. I've observed you from childhood. You're going to do well in that profession".
"Oh! I even like it".
This was why Ikenga left the village and travelled to Aba town to live with his uncle who was a trader. His uncle, Emeka hardly stayed one full week in Aba before travelling back to the North where he was selling second hand clothes, leaving his wife and two children at home.
In less than two days, Ikenga realized that feeding issue in most homes in the town was a different ballgame from what obtained in the village where food was in abundance. In the village, you eat and say you don't want to eat again. But in the town, your food would be measured, and even at that, it wasn't the usual "three square" meals.
To worsen matters, his uncle's wife was such a miser that she could not lose sight of a grain of rice. She dished out a ration as if it was an appetizer before the main course. Whether you're satisfied or not had nothing to do with her.
He got confronted with the challenge of hunger. The pocket money his father was sending to him wasn't much, and so, he was constantly struggling to manage with the little he had.
But luck came his way one day as he met one of his school mates and childhood friend, Osondu. Osondu who was also living with his own uncle took Ikenga to their house in government quarters.
"If only you could come to our house during mealtimes, you can be sure of food", Osondu promised when he heard Ikenga's story.
Ikenga could not afford to visit in the morning or afternoon time because he must be at the workshop at the right time, where he was learning the electrical work as an apprentice. It was only in the evenings that he could come around for dinner.
He jumped at the opportunity so, every evening he would stroll to Osondu's house, a distance of about two kilometers to have at least, one good meal for the day.
The breakfast he took at his own house (whenever it was available) was nothing to write home about, and the lunch, which was financed from his pocket money was just to keep body and soul together. He always longed for the dinner at his friend's house.
But one day as he came for the usual dinner, Osondu was not smiling. He took a second look at his friend again still, his face was squeezed. It was as if a strange spirit was inside him.
Shocked, he asked, "What's the matter?"
"Don't ask me, just go away", Osondu replied without mincing words.
"What are you saying?" Ikenga couldn't believe his ears.
"Yes. Go."
"What happened?"
"Junior said you stole his electronic toy. Everyone in this house has heard about it".
"You're joking. You know it's not true".
"Junior said you came this afternoon and walked away with his toy".
"Please, don't say that again. What would I do with his toy?"
Osondu's uncle, Mr Udo overheard the exchange of words and called the two friends.
"I've heard what you're talking about. Do you think your friend could do such a thing based on what you know about him all this while?" Mr Udo asked Osondu.
"Yes sir", he replied emphatically.
"Osondu, I?" Ikenga asked with a voice that suggested he was already crying in his heart.
"Yes", insisted Osondu.
"You know that if you say "no", this argument will cease besides, you know there's no way I could be here in the afternoon because I was at our workshop".
"Ok. Don't worry. By tomorrow I'd have looked into the matter", Mr Udo said and dismissed them.
Ikenga left for his house with hunger bitting his tummy. He couldn't eat and, sleep eluded him that night. He didn't visit Osondu's house the following day, and henceforth, in spite of his need.
Mr Udo privately interviewed Junior who was barely four years old to know truly if he saw Ikenga in their house that afternoon. From how the boy was responding, Mr Udo knew Junior was just making an unfounded accusation from his childish mind. Besides, two days later, the toy was found in their house.
Mr Udo felt embarrassed by the problem Junior caused. He took a step. He didn't send someone to go and call Ikenga, he went himself to invite him. He brought him to his house and apologized for the false accusation, blaming it on Junior's immaturity. He begged him to continue coming to their house as usual.
"I've always loved you from the first time I saw you. You must be a very good boy". He said.
Osondu also pleaded with Ikenga to forgive him for betraying his trust on him.
And so, the fractured friendship bond was repaired.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-laying-on-a-bed-in-a-room-4Lo06el3E4w
