Episode One
Miss Grace Soliloquy was most pervasive; anyone
listening to it would have been seduced by it. Grace began by elucidating in
great details about how children’s behavior these days was getting steadily
worse and worse, especially city children and most especially in Lagos. This
was because their parents were so busy working, striving to get ahead, that
they had no time to stay at home with their children, instead the children were
ignored until they finally get into trouble. Hiring someone to take care of the
children was extremely difficult. Some hired servants, who, as soon as their
employers were not watching, absconded with everything in the house. Lot of
them stole, even if just a little here and there. But the major problem was
that servants were so unreliable. As soon as they were a little bit tired, or
were criticized or scolded in the least. They ran away back to their homes.
Consequently, several of Lagos wealthy elites had requested Miss Grace to find
them dependable girls to be their servants. They paid good wages and moreover, even
paid in advance, as many girls as she could get would be placed.
Even though Miss Grace was not from my village, I had known Miss Grace since she had been a young girl. In those days, her beauty was known through my village and neighbouring one. But before any of the local youths were able to compete for possession, Miss Grace had already run off to Lagos with someone who had passed through with the medicine show. Much more later, when she finally came back, word had it that she had become thoroughly a “Lagos babe” with a haughty manner and pretentious lifestyle. She appeared to have become a lady of no insignificant wealth. Miss Grace went back and forth to Lagos often. Of the girls that went to Lagos with her, some came back even poorer than before while some disappeared completely.
After I gave word to Miss Grace, I could not think
of what to tell Amanda, my beautiful and most..............
Stay in touch for the next episode of "The cry of Amanda" next week. Please, drop your comments. Thanks.
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