(Act
I Scene 4)
(It’s
been a glorious service, the title of the sermon, ‘Holiness’ leaves an imprint
on the entire congregation; the President is undoubtedly filled with the Holy
Spirit. On their way home, Mary and Deborah discusses about the service)
Deborah:
today’s sermon was touchy; I was moved to the extent that I feel tears forming
in my eyes
Mary: wow! So you feel
it too?
Deborah:
of course, the President is really filled with the Holy Spirit.
Mary:
Yes, that’s the automation when you
maintain a good relationship with God and live a holy life. He even made
mention of it in the sermon.
Deborah:
(affirmatively) that’s true. Did you
notice the assistant general secretary too?
Mary:
Bro Peller, what about him?
Deborah:
He is spirit-filled too and his english accent, oh my God
Mary:
(not moved) that’s not a new thing,
all the executives are spirit-filled. More so, he is a Communication and
Language Arts (CLA) student and I think you being a UI student should know
that.
Deborah:
(shakes her head in disagreement) you
don’t understand, as in he’s also cute. I long for his touch with those
well-manicured fingers.
Mary:
(looks at her disgustingly) what! Sis
Debby and you said you were touched by today’s sermon! You better ask for forgiveness,
because by having that thought, you’ve committed fornication.
Deborah:
(feeling remorse) God forgive me!
Thank you sis Mary, You’re such a darling.
Mary:
you’re welcome my good friend.
Deborah:
(teasingly) Holy Mary!
(They
both laugh. While laughing, the transformer beside New Glory Baptist church at
Agbowo starts to spark and they run separately towards their homes)
(Curtain
falls)
(Acts II Scene 1)
(Elijah’s
room, Mary is seen playing candy crush and after some minutes, Peller comes in)
Mary:
(soliloquizing) I must complete this
level 750 today. Imagine! I have been trying this level for almost three days
and I couldn’t complete the requirements before the lapse of time…yes! I have
the bomb to blast that stupid block... (Hears
a knock at the door and pauses the game) who is it? (When the knock comes again and she does not get any response, she tip-toed
to the basket full of plates and cutleries, picks up a knife and moves to the
door in readiness to stab the anonymous she assumed to be a daunting daylight thief)
Peller:
(opens the door and shouts) Boom!
Mary:
(shocked, she drops the knife she’s
holding) yeee!
Peller:
(sees the knife and laughs) coward!
So you want to stab me to death before?
Mary:
(just recovering from the shock)
Naughty brother! I almost fainted. (With
serious look) Don’t tell me you’re here to scare Elijah like that.
Peller:
(Sits on the chair) I’m bored and I
feel I should come here to relax my nerves.
Mary:
(smiles) then let’s help you out (Places Ludo game board in his front, and
sits opposite him) let me teach you how this is done!
Peller:
(teasingly) I don’t like thrashing
pretty ladies much; I’ll just lash you thrice.
Mary:
(Smirks) so Ibadan guy want to beat a
Lagos girl, ugh? (Both of them laugh)
Peller:
(throws the dice) first six six! (He throws it again and makes another double
six) dis na just the beginning (he
throws the dice once more and he makes a six and one) I told you I don’t
like thrashing beautiful ladies.
Mary:
(not accepting defeat throws the dice)
this beautiful lady is not a neutral either.
Peller:
(surprisingly) six five, not bad! You
know…
(As
he’s speaking, the central spotlight fades and the other lights follow suite)
(Lights fade)
(Act II Scene 2)
(In
a small room beautifully designed with wallpapers, a standing fan dances
joyfully as the power supply beats the rhythm, beside the fan is a small shelf
full of books and compact disks. A spotlight comes on to reveal Mustapha and
Mary watching an Indian movie titled ‘Anjaan’ on Mustapha’s Laptop)
Mustapha:
These Indian actors are something else; I mean how can you get shot twice in
the chest without dying?
Mary:
who knows, the chest must have been made of Iron. (Shouts) oh! Raju Bhai has been shot.
Mustapha:
(smiling) don’t panic baby girl, his
death would only lead to an Intermission, I know Indian storyline for that.
Mary:
(pauses the movie) how come you love
Indian and Korean movies like this?
Mustapha:
it’s because they show real action when it comes to their action movies and the
sense of romanticism in their romance movies also calls for attention.
Mary:
hmmm, I also love romantic movies but only if it is Nollywood and Hollywood.
Mustapha:
wonderful! But you need to see Boys Before Flower (BBF), My Eternal, Mara and
Clara and…
Mary:
(Cuts in) those are Korean movies,
aren’t they? (Shakes her head) a guy for
that matter! Why do you love movies in the first instance? You’re ridiculous!
Mustapha:
(in defense) why won’t I like love
movies, it’s not as if I won’t marry anyway. In fact, I don’t just know the
reason behind your hatred for Korean movies, a pretty girl like you?
Mary:
One man’s meat is another man’s poison you know.
Mustapha:
(nods his head) play the movie, let
us keep watching.
(Elijah
coming from a programme decides to use the toilet and he hears the voice of
Mary in Mustapha’s room. He knocks)
Elijah: (knocks and enter) hello!
Mustapha and Mary: Sax
lord you’re back!
Elijah:
(ironically) No, I just come to say
hi before going back on stage. Naughty guys! (They all laugh)
(Lights
fade)
(Act II Scene 3)
(At
Mama Alakara’s shop at barika, Mama Alakara is seen discussing with Elijah)
Mama
Alakara: (Cuts in) you see that’s the
reason I can see beyond my position. Wo
mi, ti oju ba ni suuru a ri’mu-You see, if your eyes can be patient, they
would be able to see the very tip of your nose.
Elijah:
(confused) E ba mi break e down maami ‘meaning break it down for me ma’
Mama
Alakara: what I mean is you’ve not been patient enough in observing things
going on around you. I’m suspecting Peller is making a move towards Mary and
whatever it is; I know it’s not with a good intention. You have to caution your
cousin, I’ve heard a lot about his atrocities from his former landlady at
Agbowo area.
Elijah:
(smiles) mama! They attend the same
fellowship on campus, which must be the basis of their closeness.
Mama
Alakara: Elijah! Elijah!! Elijah!!! How many times have I called you?
Elijah:
thrice ma.
Mama
Alakara: this world is not dirt-free as we assume it, people are not what they seem
to be; people you see around are but illusions, they’re immaculate in
appearance and inhabit all kinds of filthy dirt within.
Elijah:
(Convinced) I will be observant from
now on.
Mama
Alakara: Trust no one but you, shining bright is a deceit like the golden truth.
Elijah:
(fuming with anger) if it happens to
be true, I’ll strangle Peller to death.
Mama
Alakara: (laughs) if you allow your
anger to consume you, then you’re not a man. In the shield of patience justice
justifies the just.
Elijah:
(nods affirmatively) thank you ma,
you’ll live to your full age. You’ll eat the fruit of your labour.
Mama
Alakara: Amen. Before I eat that, my son should enjoy my labour (put some bean cakes inside a black nylon)
have this.
Elijah:
(smiles) thank you mama, I can’t wait
to devour this (salivates)
Mama:
(laughs) wobia!-Glutton!
(Lights fade)
(Act II Scene 4)
(Barika
area, street 2, Mary on her way to buy fresh tomato and pepper meets sees
Peller in front of his residence and they start discussion)
Mary: (singing ‘Excess love’ by Mercy Chinwo)
Your
love is kind,
Your love is patient;
You fill my heart,
With
so much peace and joy,
You’re
amazing,
You
make my life feel brand new
Call:
Jesus you love me too much oo
All:
Too much o, too much o, excess love o.
(She
sings the song unconsciously till she hears a voice join her in singing; she
looks up and sees Peller applying polish on his shoes in front of his residence)
Peller:
(mimicking Mary’s voice) Jesus you
love me too much oo, too much o, too much o, excess love o.
Mary:
Oh God of mercy! Is my voice that bad? (They
both laugh)
Peller:
You need to see how angels will dance if this sonorous voice could join the
other choristers in praising God.
Mary:
with this bad voice? C’mon stop flattering me.
Peller:
which bad voice? You sound like Mercy Chinwo herself. By the way, where are you
hopping to?
Mary:
I’m going to the other street to get some fresh tomatoes.
Peller:
all right, you have to go fast then, this scorching sun is not good for your
type of skin.
Mary:
ugh? When did you become a medicine student? (They both laugh)
(Lights fade and Curtain falls)
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