Dial - Season 2 - Episode 87

Episode 4 years ago

Dial - Season 2 - Episode 87

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When I entered the dining-room, Attah Panyin was eating with relish, whilst the Holy Man – I know preferred that term to any of his horrible names – was leaning back with a knife in one hand, and a green apple in the other.

Mansa’s back was to me. She was standing as she put oven-fresh brown bread on a tray in the middle. The Holy Man smiled as he sliced a piece of apple into his mouth, whilst Attah Panyin, formerly Okomfo Basabasa, stared still with his mouth wide open, staring at me with such stunned incredulity that he looked like a statue.

Mansa looked up and saw how rigid the former fetish priest was, and she turned slowly and looked at me. She gasped and almost jumped, and the basket in her had would have fallen and spilled its contents if the Holy Man had not reached out suddenly and steadied it.

“Yao,” she murmured, and when she smiled her face was a mixture of happiness and shadowed pain. “You made it. Welcome back.”

I smiled as my eyes held hers.
“Indeed, God is great,” Attah Panyin said, still unable to reconcile my new fresh lines with the aged face he had seen a day previously.

“Come and have breakfast, my son,” the Holy Man said, indicating a seat beside him. I took a seat gratefully and accepted a cup of hot cocoa from Mansa, who sat opposite me.
“I have a gift for you,” the Holy Man continued, and then he handed me a huge leather-bound Bible. “Meditate on it night and day, my son. Let it be the food your soul seeks.”

“Thank you very much,” I said gratefully.
The Bible was new, and had indented edges where clipped tips made it easy to open to the chapters easily.

“I take it you would like to go back to your village as soon as possible,” he said as he pushed the rest of his apple into his mouth.
I was biting into a fresh bread when he spoke, and I noticed the way Mansa winced suddenly, but she kept her gaze down. Looking at her, I felt a strong sense of pity, and a pull of empathy that I couldn’t really push away.

“Yes, sir,” I said softly, but I didn’t elaborate on the fact that I hoped to find Abena Adobea there, because Mansa was evidently hurting, and I had no urge to hurt her further.

“Good then,” the Holy Man said. “You will take Attah Panyin with you. God wants you to open a church in Yao Biko Krom. Attah Panyin is going to be the new pastor there.”
I laughed at that, and almost choked on the brown bread.

“Apuuutwea!” I said as I giggled insanely. “This man that plays with mambas buries people alive? A pastor?”
Mansa smiled, and the Holy Man burst into laughter, but Attah Panyin looked at me with abject misery.

“I apologize to you, Mr. Biko,” he said with genuine remorse. “Like Paul, my former life of being like Saul was tainted and evil. I’ve seen the light of God, and indeed I’m a new creation!”

I felt ashamed, and stopped laughing.
“I’m sorry, Attah, I didn’t mean to laugh at you,” I said gently. “I just couldn’t resist the jab. Sorry.”
“That’s okay,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t take any offence.”
We ate breakfast in companionable silence, and then the Holy Man took me to his huge study, locked the door, and entered into a prayer session for me that lasted almost two hours.

“You can go and get ready now, my son,” he said gently. “Tomorrow, you can leave with Attah Panyin.”

I walked toward him, and then slowly dropped to my knees in front of him and touched his feet.

“I cannot thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me, sir,” I said with real passion. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank you, with every fibre in my body. Forgive me, sir, and bless me.”
He put a hand on my head, and he blessed me, and then he helped me to my feet. That was when I saw that he had tears brimming in his eyes.

“I’m very happy you made it, son,” he said, and then he stepped forward and hugged me tightly.

I hugged him back, and then I left his study, shutting the door gently behind me.
Mansa was walking down the corridor with a basket filled with dirty clothing for washing. The moment she saw me she turned away suddenly and almost run along the corridor.
She opened a door on her right and went inside, slamming it shut behind her.
I hesitated for just a moment, and then I walked down the corridor to the door, opened it, and walked inside.