NYU Black Renaissance Noire Fall 2015 Volume 15.2 | Page 14

“I am fine, thank you.”
“Go and bring orange juice and put ice
inside the tumbler my friend. If you don
cook the fried rice finish, bring some for
me and Itohan,” Prince orders him.
I want to protest that I don’t want to
eat anything but Benson disappears
faster than a changed channel.
Prince is sitting by me now on the
same chair. His strong scent takes over
my nose and I cannot breathe well.
“Soon you will be speaking Italian like
white girls. And you will have so much
money that I can’t even be able to talk
to you. Make I treat you well now
so you won’t forget Prince like some
people I know.”
I want to tell him I need at least four
years to finish nursing school before I
start making money, but I don’t want
to argue.
“I will not forget you sir, I am a grateful
person. Thank you sir.”
“Ok o. That is what they all say; until
they start earning Euros and Pounds
and you hear them talking to Prince
as if Prince is a small boy in this Benin
City.” He hisses loudly.
He is moving too close to me, I
concentrate vividly on the Nollywood
movie showing. He stands up suddenly
and walks to the cabinet where he kept
his empty glass and pours more brandy
like water, then picks his phone from
the edge of the table and dials.

12

“Eh-Sylve, eh-Sylve where are you?
How long are you going to keep telling
me you are almost in Benin? The owner
of the documents is here waiting.

Ok o. See why I say you should stop
behaving like a cheap goat, if you had
taken the afternoon flight, you would
be drinking Hennessey with me now.
If this Benin-Lagos road doesn’t kill
you, nothing else will. Ok o,” he drops
the phone on the center table and
return to the spot near me.
“So is your boyfriend happy for you?
Is he planning a farewell party for you?”
Prince’s mood changes too quickly.
“I don’t have a boyfriend yet sir,”
I tell him.
“How can I believe that a beautiful
yellow sisi like you has no banker
or commissioner boyfriend in this
Benin City? Just say you don’t want
to tell me.”
All I want to do is go to school abroad
and learn more about nursing. I don’t
have time for boyfriends, and I want
to keep myself for my husband as my
mother always advised me. Efosa left
me because I wouldn’t even let him see
my underwear and I don’t even miss
him for anything, useless goat.
“I am saying the truth; I want to further
before marriage.”
“Won’t you have a boyfriend before you
marry? So you have never…” He doesn’t
finish his question because Benson
returns with a tray full of food and drinks
like a hefty izobo. I know what Prince
was going to ask, he is getting drunk.

Venice
Uyi asks me to choose another name,
“Itohan is such a typical Benin name, it is
not sexy,” she says. I laugh and say she is
too funny. She says “No, Itohan, I mean
it. You know this white people cannot
pronounce our name very well, you need
a name like Lizzy , Queen or Princess.”
I don’t want to disrespect Uyi, she has
been kind enough to let me stay with
her and Uyi says she is Matron’s “first
daughter,” with a smile. She is the big
sister here, whatever she says goes for
the other girls. She is the one Prince
handed my passport and admission
letter to. She is more caring than most
of the other girls who are always fighting
themselves and laughing at me, calling
me mungu because I am always laughing
with Uyi and calling her sister.