Jailbird
Episode 16
On the television screen Elaine is walking forward again.
ELAINE
That was not the only atrocity Mr. Chris Bawa committed that
night. Two hours earlier, before he smashed poor Adwoa into a
tree, Mr. Chris Bawa had launched a senseless attack on his
uncle, Mr. Ruben Essel. You all know Mr. Chris Bawa was an
expert in the martial arts GojuFist, and had been training
champions. He beat up that old man so terribly that the man spent
months in hospital, and it’s a miracle that Mr. Essel is walking
again.
Again, there are groans from the audience.
Elaine walks forward and perches on the arm of a settee. She sighs
sadly and looks horrified. Her voice drops several decibels lower.
ELAINE
Two policemen went to the accident scene to arrest Mr. Chris
Bawa. He turned violent and busted the right eye of Chief Inspector
Danso Cuger, who’s now blind in that eye. Mr. Bawa was taken
to court, trialled and jailed for ten years. Now hold, on, wait for
it. You just wouldn’t believe what just happened. The President
granted pardons to some prisoners, and Mr. Chris Bawa was one of
them. So, after just five years, that maniac, that brutal wicked
man Chris Bawa, is back on our streets a free man!
This time there are angry murmuring from the crowd, and a few are
seen getting to their feet and shaking their fists in anger.
Elaine is now standing in the lane between two rows of spectators.
She faces the camera once again, and her face looks shattered.
ELAINE
Tonight, like I said, we’re going to talk about jailbirds. Those
hardened criminals who’re released back into our societies and the
menace they bring to us. Let me first introduce you to one of our
speakers tonight. He’s Mr. Stan Bawa, older brother of Mr.
Chris Bawa!
The partition parts, and Stan emerges.
He is dressed in an impeccable black suit, and his face looks grim
as he walks purposefully forward.
In her living-room Effe bolts upright with shock, staring at her
television scream with stunned eyes.
EFFE
(hoarsely)
Oh, no, Elly! What do you think you’re doing? Jesus! You
know Stan hates Chris!
Elaine meets Stan halfway as the audience give loud applaud. She
hugs Stan and shakes his hand.
ELAINE
Welcome to Girl Vibz, Mr. Bawa. Quickly, before I continue, are
you happy your little brother is back from prison so soon?
Stan looks grim as the camera zooms in on him.
STAN
(in a furious voice)
I love this President very much. However, I must admit that in
releasing Chris Bawa, he’s done more harm than good!
ELAINE
(faking shock)
But he’s your brother!
STAN
(nodding)
Yes, he is, but I tell you Chris should’ve served his ten years.
Seeing him again, it seems to me he hasn’t changed. Physically
he has changed, sure, but his heart is still that of a criminal!
ELAINE
Wow. You take a seat. We shall come back to your reasons pretty
shortly.
Stan bends and kisses Adwoa Timtim’s cheek, and then he sits
down carefully.
Elaine faces the camera.
ELAINE
Some of you watching might be shocked that Mr. Stan Bawa feels
so strongly about the release of his brother from prison. But I
assure you, he has a very good reason. Chris is the son of world-
renowned Evangelist, the Reverend Doctor Brand Bawa, founder
and leader of Golgotha Heights International Church. He has three
children now. Stan, Diana and Chris. But there used to be four of
them. There was an older brother called Roland.
Effe stands up from her chair, horrified.
EFFE
Oh no, no, no, no, Elly! Don’t! Please don’t!
Elaine’s face is now a portrait on the television screen.
ELAINE
Roland was very much loved by everybody. He died many years ago,
on his eighteenth birthday. Chris, our devil boy, was then twelve
years old. Roland was the darling boy of the family. Even as a
child he was inventing great things. When he was seventeen years
old Roland won the African Young Scientist competition, and got a
full scholarship to continue his studies abroad. I heard Roland loved
his younger brother Chris very much, and they were seen everywhere
together. But then, on Roland’s eighteenth birthday, calamity
struck!
Elaine breaks off and walks back to the podium where she pours
herself a glass of water and sips.
The enthralled audience gaped at her, waiting for her to continue.
ELAINE
Roland and three of his friends were in a tree house which he had
built in the branches of an oak tree at the back of their house.
Chris was with them. The tree house was made from dry wooden
planks. Chris came out of the tree house and climbed down the tree
because he was hungry and wanted to eat. That was what he said
anyway. A few minutes after he got down, the tree house exploded
into flames. Roland and his three friends were still inside.
There are gasps of horror from the audience.
Steve and Afful are seen briefly shaking their heads with sadness.
A couple of elderly women can be seen dabbing at their eyes with
handkerchiefs.
ELAINE
(very sadly)
Roland and his three friends perished in that fire. Everybody
thought at first that it was an accident, but investigations revealed
that the door of the tree house was locked from the outside and
bolted. That was why the young men couldn’t get out of the house.
Chris was the last to come out of that house, so it was suspected
that he locked the house and set it on fire. Even at just twelve
years Mr. Chris Bawa was jealous of his own brother.
Many women are crying openly now.
ELAINE
Chris was too young to be tried, so he was sent to a delinquent’s
court and sentenced to two years in a youth institution. He came
out traumatized, because he was feeling very guilty, no doubt, over
Roland’s death. Things were never the same between him and his
family from then on. He was always brawling, drinking, smoking,
doing drugs and fornicating. He began learning GojuFist, which
made him more violent. He had many altercations with his parents
and siblings in public. Eventually he moved out of the house. And
the rest is history. He was released from prison on pardon by the
President. And today, he was arrested again, for attempted rape!
He is a beast! We have beasts in our midst! Watch this!
EFFE
(screaming)
ELAAAAAAINE!!
On the television screen is the video footage Elaine had recorded of
the police arresting Chris inside the Eden Hospital.
Luckily, it shows only the part where Chris is walking out of the
room, his hands handcuffed behind him.
The audience is applauding. Some are shaking their fists. Some are
cursing Chris loudly.
Suddenly the television goes off.
Effe whirls round, and sees Junior standing there, holding the
television remote.
He is wearing his pyjamas, and his face is awash with tears.
Effe had not seen him come in. She had put him to bed a long
time ago, and he usually slept deeply till morning.
His body is racked by sobs, and he can barely breathe.
JUNIOR
(tremulously)
Is…i-is th-that …Da-Da-Daddy? W-why are y-you wa-wa-
watching Daddy in…in…ha-ha-handcuffs?
Effe rushes to him.
She takes him in her arms even though he struggles fiercely to free
himself.
After a while he calms down, and weeps pitifully against her
shoulders.
JUNIOR
I want to see Daddy tomorrow morning, Mama! Please, please,
please!!!
EFFE
Ok, my prince! Alright!
Effe whispers silently to herself.
Chris, Chris, Chris!! Why are you doing this to me, to your
son?
JAILBIRD continues
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