The good things of life are not
evenly distributed. This, Mrs. Tana was very much aware of. Unlike their
neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver who had been having very tough times, Mr. and Mrs.
Tana had recorded the best year of their marriage so far. Not only did the good
Lord bless her husband with a better job, she also got double promotion at work.
They completed the building in the village and also the one in the city. In
addition, the couple bought two brand new cars. It seemed for them ‘everything
na double double’ indeed.
Although the relationship between
the two families could not be described as anything cordial, they were
conscious of what was happening in their lives. The fence that separated them
did not stop any secret. The other day, Mrs.
Tana heard an angry creditor demanding settlement of a loan Mr. Oliver
had used to pay his wife’s hospital bills. Mrs. Tana got to know that Mrs.
Oliver was diabetic and that Mr. Oliver was managing to sustain his family on a
part time contract job. Overcome with empathy, Mrs Tana realised that life had
not been fair and decided to talk her husband into helping their neighbours.
Then, she remembered how ‘poor and proud’ Mrs. Oliver had been. “Anyone
expecting help should be humble enough to get it”, she thought to herself.
Eventually, she talked her husband into helping the neighbours but they agreed
to present cash and food items to Mr. and Mrs. Oliver at Christmas since
Christmas was only a month away. And at Christmas, their bonuses at work will
be more than sufficient to offer reasonable gifts.
On Christmas Eve, Mrs. Tana felt
it was necessary to approach their neighbours first in solidarity before
transporting the gifts. She knocked on their old rusty gate but got no
response. Another neighbor hinted that he had seen Mr. Oliver the day before
taking their three kids out in their rickety car. Not until Christmas evening
did the neighbourhood decide to force its way into Mr. Oliver’s compound when
an offensive odour was perceived. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver had committed suicide
together!
