Tears of a clown (II)

‘No way Bint, this is a brother in need who doesn’t even know that I exist. I won’t allow you to talk me into this one.’ He protested. ‘ But he knows that you exist, indeed you two have met once, that time we went to see their first born.’ I insisted. ‘Maybe we have […]

‘No way Bint, this is a brother in need who doesn’t even know that I exist. I won’t allow you to talk me into this one.’ He protested.

‘ But he knows that you exist, indeed you two have met once, that time we went to see their first born.’ I insisted.

‘Maybe we have met. But the point is that one meeting doesn’t make us friends, let alone families. You yourself have said that only families are invited to mediate ….’

‘But in the absence of that, one can go for trusted friends or elders in the society.’ I interrupted.

‘I am still neither. So I don’t qualify.’ Tahir answered rising from his seat on the dining table and walking towards the sitting room. So much for right timing, I said to myself. Earlier on I had waited patiently, making small talk while he ate his dinner. My hope was that once he’s had his food he will be more amenable to Fureira’s suggestion that he joins her uncle to mediate between her and her husband because his close friend Habibu was out of town.

‘You are wrong Tahir because you perfectly qualify as an elder. You are older than both of them. You are trustworthy and reliable and respected,,,’

‘Flattery won’t get you anywhere Bint, because I still won’t do it. I don’t even know why you considered offering me for the task.’ He interrupted.

‘Wallahi I didn’t offer you. She came here as soon as you left for work this morning. She said that Habibu had travelled and she feared that by the time he returned Faisal will be out of town too. So the best thing to do, according to Fureira was to get a substitute for Habibu as soon as possible. My first suggestion was to fall back on his relatives, just like I’ve said before, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She insisted that doing that will make him so angry the mediation may fail before it started. Then almost as if she had thought of it before coming here, she suddenly said: How about Alhaji Tahir? I gave her all the arguments against that but she wouldn’t listen. She kept saying we are a model couple so you had to be an exemplary husband and that is all she asks for in a mediator.’ I explained.

‘I see, so that’s how you got to be in this mess?’ he observed.

‘Yes and that’s why I’m begging you to please agree and do it. Next time I won’t promise anyone that you’d agree to mediate before I get your assurance on it.’ I pledged.

‘Ok, when are we expected to go there?’ Tahir asked.

‘Tomorrow evening’ I replied.

***********

Fureira had insisted that I come along when I phoned to say that Tahir will be there after Isha’i prayer. She opened the door to let us in as soon as we knocked the door, and immediately led us to Faisal’s sitting room after a brief greeting. Her husband was already seated along with her uncle when we entered. Pleasant as ever, Faisal had welcomed us as one would welcome some long-lost relatives. As soon as Tahir was seated, I excused myself and walked quickly out of the room. After about two hours of watching TV with her two children whom I found when I walked into her parlour, Fureira peeped in to say the meeting was over. Wiping the tears from her face, she probably thought I will hang around to hear her version of events. But I knew what it took to drag Tahir into the whole show, I didn’t want to delay our departure.

‘Ok, Fureira’ I said standing up. ‘I know things will be alright now inshaAllah‘ I added patting her on the shoulder.

‘I will try Hajia, though I had thought you will hang around with me in there. I begged you to come so you can give me moral support.’ She explained.

‘I’m sorry Fureira, I didn’t want us to be too many for Faisal.‘ I replied walking down the hall way towards the door. With the men already waiting outside, we had to bid farewell at the door, with Fureira promising to call me soon.

‘So how did it go?’ I asked Tahir as soon as we drove out of the house.

‘Just as I’d expected, emotional, tearful, the works. This is why I resisted it at the beginning because it is a very sensitive issue. Honestly it’s the kind of situation that only families should intervene in. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to say anything when Fureira introduced the problem to us. Apparently she didn’t tell him we were coming to mediate, she just said we were coming to visit and her uncle just dropped by unannounced. So Faisal believed her until she began to talk and you can see the shock written all over his face. Initially, he insisted that there was nothing wrong with their marriage that he was just getting busier and Fureira had failed to understand. While he was going round and round with spurious explanations, I got angry and just said to him ‘Look we are all married men here so don’t think you can fool us. What sort of work will make you keep away from your wife for two years, and while living in the same house too?’Before he could respond her uncle took over and said ‘If you are involved with another woman please tell us so we will know how to handle that aspect. After all Almighty God has ordained that you can have as many as four.’ Tahir quoted.

‘Oh, uncles and their polygamous notions. Why must they always remind men of this provision?’ I asked.

‘Because it’s only right to do so’ Tahir replied laughing. ‘I suppose that’s the part you don’t like’.

‘Yes it is, anyway so what did he say?’ I enquired.

‘At this point Faisal looked down at his palms, and said he wasn’t well’. Tahir answered.

‘What? He isn’t well for two years yet there is no sign of it? He still goes to work, travels a lot, built a mini Taj Mahal? I don’t believe that.’ I interrupted.

‘He didn’t say he is so sick that he can’t lead a normal life, no, but that the drugs he is taking to control it ‘leave him both psychologically and physically affected,’ his own words. He didn’t know how he could look at her and say that after only eight years of marriage, he couldn’t be the man he used to be. So instead of confiding in her, he decided to bury himself in his work, keeping long hours and falling straight asleep as soon as he gets home. As for Fureira he decided to make it up to her by giving her whatever money can buy, as long as it makes her happy.’ Tahir conluded.

‘Do you believe this?’ I asked

‘I was actually as sceptical as you are in the beginning. Until he opened a cabinet and brought out a number of drugs which are for all sorts of big men’s diseases, you know, high blood pressure, diabetes etc and they all have as their side effect declining libido. He told us how it hurts him more than anyone to know that he’s keeping her lonely but he couldn’t help himself.’ Tahir explained.

‘Poor guy, a victim of his masculine pride. Is there a loving wife who can’t understand this?’ I asked rhetorically.

‘I wonder, anyway we advised him to henceforth take his wife into confidence no matter what the problem is. We told him to be less dependent on those drugs and try a bit of dietary adjustment which could help his health. And we also counselled him to take things easy and lead a less stressful lifestyle. Then we urged Fureira to be more cooperative and understanding. She tearfully agreed to do so. And so all’s well that ends well and I hope they’ll live happily ever after, ‘ Tahir jokingly concluded, turning the car into our own modest driveway.