RIPPLES!

I worked as a touring cashier in a large firm. This job exposed me to a lot of money. I used to turn this money by using them to import rice from the neighbouring countries. After deducting my gains, I always paid back the money into the company’s coffers without anybody’s knowledge.

Nemesis caught up with me when the customs officials intercepted my trucks during one of my operations. My men and drivers escaped but all my goods were seized. When I could not pay back the money at the expected time, the company invited me to face an investigative panel. At the end of the exercise, I was dismissed from the company.

At this time, I had got three children, one boy and two girls, who were twins. My wife was working in one of the government parastatals. Not long after I lost my job, I realized that my wife was being promiscuous. She was keeping late nights and attending parties almost every weekend. There was a time I saw her in a picture with another man, both of them were wearing the same type of dress. The picture was taken in a social party. When I confronted her, she claimed the guy was her colleague in her place of work. On a tip off from a friend some weeks later, I saw her with this same man at a beer joint very close to their office. This was after office hours at about 6.30pm. My friend had taken their picture. I waited in a vantage position close to their rendezvous and saw everything clearly.

When she got home that night, I confronted her with my findings. Instead of being apologetic, she blew her tops; she accused me of monitoring her movement. She said if I had got a job I would not be following her all over the place. She shouted on me calling me busy body and jobless man who could not provide for himself talk less of his family.

The illicit affairs went on unabated. On another occasion, my wife claimed she was travelling to her parent’s village over the weekend. She said she will take off after the office hours on Friday.

Something within me sensed she was not going to her parent. I therefore pre – empted her. I went to her office and waited at a restaurant opposite their office. At the closing time, I saw the staffs trouping out of the office. I saw my rival coming out as well and entering his car. Few minutes later, my wife came out carrying her travelling bag. She looked around and sighted her lover. She walked towards the car, open the door and entered. They drove out of the premises and sped out towards the out skirts of the town.

I became mad with rage. My mind went to the police emergency number I saved on my mobile phone. I dialed the number. The voice on the console answered immediately. I told him that a dare devil armed robber had just snatched my car and sped with my wife out of the town. I gave the registration number, the make and color of the car.

Few hours later, I received a call that the armed robber had been shot dead and the woman sustained serious injuries and was in coma.

Up till the time I am writing this piece, my wife has not recovered from her coma. Despite what I had gone through in the hands of these two adulterers, my conscience is still pricking me that I have overreacted.