Liberian Literary Magazine Promoting Liberian literature, Arts and Culture that if anyone wanted to see him they should follow him to his fish-trap. I was directed to the place, a makeshift shed, where the old man spent the night when it was not convenient to return to his village. He was accompanied by his grandson, a child of ten. The little boy was the first to see me. He ran to tell the old man. When Bleng saw me he called,
“ Kai friend, where is your shadow?”
“ Old man, it is not all the time friends must know what you are doing.”
“ You are right.” The old man agreed.“ Some people who pretend to be your friends are the very ones who help to spoil your palava.”
After the usual greetings, the old man offered me a seat. He wanted to know how Buu ' s old lady in the swamp was coming on.
“ The old lady had a misfortune for some reason,” I informed the old man.“ I understand that
Buu permitted a novice to attend it.”
“ What a pity,” Bleng admitted.
“ The fool cut the heart of the tree too far back and she refuses to leak.”
The sand reader grinned.“ When I was making palm wine, I never permitted anyone to go up in my trees. Everyone in this country knows this. Some people got bad luck and when they go up in a palm wine tree, they cast an evil spell on it.”
We soon got to the problem which brought me to the old man. The first thing I did was to reach in my bag and hand Bleng a big bottle of cane juice.
“ Old man,” I told him,“ my heart is heavy. I love Tene too much. God knows it. I have slaved all my life for her. I can ' t sit down and see another man get her.”
“ Of course not.” The crystal reader agreed with a deep voice.
“ Bleng I beg you, do it for God ' s sake, make all the strong medicines you know to make
Tene ' s heart turn towards me alone.”
I noticed old man Bleng commenced thinking very seriously. His ears began to move up and down as if they were being pulled by some mechanical device.“ Gortokai,” he raised his head,“ for true, the palava don ' t reach a man ' s kinja. We got to put fire behind turtle ' s behind to make things move. I can try to help you, but this will tost you plenty money.”
“ Old man, I don ' t care what the cost is, if I get Tene, I am willing to enslave for myself for the rest of my life to pay you.”
“ Young man, are you serious about this woman?”
“ Yes.” I assured the old man.
“ The things I need to make the love medicines for you are difficult to obtain. For instance, I need right away, a braid of Tene ' s hair, a piece of her garment, three of her toe nails, a piece of otter skin, particularly from the breast section, some gun powder and other odds and ends.
But some of these I believe I can get locally. The immediate needs are the hair, nails and garment.“
“ I think I can get you these easily.”
“ That ' s how I like to hear a man talk. I see that you are brave my son, how long you think will take you?“
I pondered over my reply.“ In seven days. You see Bleng,
I cannot trust anyone with a mission as delicate as this. I must go myself.”
“ Weil Kai, my son, as soon as you can bring the items I need for your job, I will fix Tene ' s heart in such a way she will eat out of your hands.”
I felt relieved for the first time in days. I asked the old man about his fee, and how he wanted it paid.“ Kai, I like you as my own son. I understand your Problems. When we get our hands on all the things I have asked for, I will want an advance of sixteen dollars in America money.
When the work is finished and you are satisfied, I will demand an additional sixteen dollars and wave the balance. Some people pay me one hundred dollars for jobs like this.”
I thanked the old man for his generosity, handed him fifty cents and bid him goodnight. I reaffirmed my promise that I would see Bleng in seven days. Back in Suehn, I met my landlord, his wife and my friend Buu sitting on the veranda with some of Kema ' s concoction.
I could just imagine what they were talking about- me and Tene of course.
I wanted to avoid them and go straight in my room, but this was not feasible. Buu had seen me. He called,“ Kai, come here and join us! Your landlord has found something new to add to the Kema concoction.”
“ And what is this new invention?” I asked.
“ A big secret,” my landlord said with a broad smile. I tasted the stuff and found it even superior to Kema ' s brand.
“ Come from old man Bleng, I suppose?” Buu inquired inquisitively.
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