Ladder Rosary

Ladder Rosary

The Price of Adventure and passion By Koffi Amlado

Chapter 1

Jack was twelve years when he completed his primary education in one of the deplorable areas in Cote d'Ivoire; a French speaking country where his father was great cocoa farmer. For Jack determination and hard work, he was qualified to enter secondary school. He was brought up from a middle level endowed family where he hardly got required amenities for learning. He was then counted among the unfortunate students who scarcely got quality food to eat after school. He lived in town with family friends where his good days were nothing but gloom. Amanon was his father; he never loved him. No one knew why he demonstrated this awful attitude towards him. He made his little boy suffer excessively to the extent that he always moved lonely with problems he dared not share with anyone in the family. Despite problems he encountered in life, he had been very lucky in whatever he set up to do.

He studied assiduously so as his interest to books was just like that of Shakespeare. Everybody, including those of his neighborhood enjoyed his company, since he had been obedient to anyone who needed his service. Affable and flexible he became with those atrocities experiences he went trough, he hardly talked to people about his problems.

He learned from the past experience and had made up his mind to keep his secret, which is the best way to live without a challenge. Jack had friends whom he shared personal experience with, but he had been extra meticulous not to go into detail.

Friends, whom he trusted for so many bases, didn't like him for one reason or the other.

They found him extremely vigilante, intelligent and conspicuously attracted to beautiful young ladies than they do.

Bamezon was one of the big boys in the group who disliked Jack most.

He once invited him in his house and tipped off him not to attempt coming to their studies center anymore.

When Jack was optimistic to be supported by his three other friends, he was rather casted off scornfully.

Attah who seemed to be the greatest friend of him, said:

"Jack, how long should we continue telling you not to join us when we are having our own discussion? You supposed to be strained if you want us to do so. Anyway your spiritual cassava powder you do chew all the time in order to excel in the fortnight examination is not a surprised. We're only advising you to stay away from us; since we, the people of sacred heart of Jesus in Catholic Church don't have any connection with spiritual gari."

Ben, who was also a member of the club, bombed Jack with unscrupulous words. He said:

"It is about time we refused to talk to you about this old fashion bag you used to carry along. Everything about your dressing, together with this bag is a quandary. That's a fact; the shoe you wear is hardly polished. Jack, can't you see people of high quality you move with?"

Attah, again, took over the debate and said:

"Those people who care less about their physical appearance and read only books all day long are nothing but collo."

Jack saw himself as the only student with poor financial background.  He blamed his parents who brought him into this planet. He looked at his friends with special treatment and saw how good they looked in their splendid school attire. He looked at himself in the mirror and said some words of encouragement:

"Even those who complained of my poor status cannot speak the correct French that the teacher teaches all the time. They are the only people who get the lowest marks in class. I know for sure that God loves me more than them. Attah wears the expensive clothes but he had been asked to repeat the class while some of us, the poor ones, had been promoted without any impediment. I even know that the five fingers are not equal; but each one of them has its special work to perform. I know for sure that one day things will change for better. No one is born to be poor perpetually, and the good days shall open their doors to me one day."

After deep contemplation he went into his small room where there was only one mattress plus an old chock box in which he packed his wretches dresses in. He had neither chair nor table in that gloomy room, so he read his books while sleeping on bed. The room had no window and the roof linked when there was heavy rain. He once got all his books wet when there had been heavy one while he was in school.

Even though Jack wasn't financially sound, girls liked him for his seriousness in class and his excessive performance in academic work. Even if he had been doing well in all subjects, Mathematics was his best, so he dared not score less than ninety five in that subject. Teachers, especially the one teaching Mathematics, loved Jack. People wonder why such a reckless poor boy caught authority figures' attention.

One day while from school in the afternoon, Jack was seriously hungry that he couldn't attend to the usual greeting of his house master. He bought a piece of bread with the rest money he had and was hoping getting home early so that he could start biting it. His master furiously popped on him and deliberately seized the only bread he had for supper. Perhaps, the master judged him an insolent boy.

Jack couldn't do anything but locked himself desperately in his room with hunger and anger. He slept that night without even water for him to drink. That night, he couldn't revise his notes and slept as early as 6 p.m. He tried to sleep for an hour but he was just counting ceiling. The only friends who could've helped him are now foes. He imagined his predicament, sang gospel song and prayed to God through Holy Mary by counting his rosary while he was lying on bed.

Chapter 2

No sooner did Jack sit for the external exam than he passed with distinction. His father, unfortunately, had no interest in his excellent performance, so he asked him to stop schooling and to join him in farming work. Jack, though respected his father with much consideration refuted the proposal. Despite the fact that his father had tons of money to cater for him, he malevolently told him that he didn't have sufficient fun to support his senior secondary education. Jack tried as much as he could to persuade him in order to pay his admission fees, but his so called wicked father considered it not. Surprisingly, he deliberately sponsored a broad range of students who were academically good but lack of money to climb academic ladder.

Jack, all this while, full of notion, and hardly slept with contentment. One Friday morning, he decided to leave his parents without informing anybody in the family. He gathered a little money through basket weaving. He was such a person who could learn faster; so he was always curious at any event he came into contact with. The village in which they lived was so remote that one needed to stand on the road side for many hours before he could get car to travel. Jack, on that Friday, stood for an hour but could not get commercial vehicle except those government Toyota cars plying the road. He was lucky enough to be picked up by one of them which was having double front. Jack occupied the back front with another young boy. The boy looked a little bit gentle and sympathetic. While in the car, Jack tried to look at him closely, and could not turn straight away to look at his face, but he fleeting looked at him anytime the boy seemed somnolent. Jack saw that he was having a tribal mark on the left side of his cheek which gave him unique look.

They said no word to each other till they got to Abijam, the capital city of Cote d'Ivoire. Even though, Jack studied about Abijam city and heard a lot about it, he never visited the place before. He had neither family nor friends whom he is going to stay. He was just going there with the view to getting minor work to do so that he could get money to pay his admission fees. Sorry to say, things had not been easy for Jack when he reached Abijam. He roamed the whole city but could not get anyone for help. He was not even courageous enough to talk to people who could've helped him. He had a baby school bag in his left hand and a black polythene bag in which he put his pair of sandals.

He walked for hours without getting any specific place to sit. He ate nothing but two pieces of roasted plantain he bought near the police station. He spent four days sleeping at the lorry stations. He never got water to bath. He, at the last minute, skilled forbearance of life. That was the fourth day of his dilemma in Abijam city; he slept at the back of somebody's building. He was so tired that very night that he overslept and couldn't wake up as early as he used to do at dawn. Involuntarily, a pregnant woman woke up and poured urine on him through the window. He felt something on his body and was immediately awaken. He finally saw that he was damped with urine. He picked up his baby's bag and left the place instantly.

Three hours later, he remembered that the woman who sold the plantain to him was a little bit interested in conversation, so he decided returning to buy an additional one with an opportunity to talking to her into detail. Jack tiptoed to the place but saw a young lady in lieu of the old woman he met in the first time. He approached the lady with courtesy and she welcomed him with special eye contact. Someone could just confirm that their feeling for each other had reciprocated vehemently.

Jack looked at the beautiful chin and cheek of the lady closely. She was faire like a ribbed mango during dried season. She wore miniskirt, structured blouse exposing her round breast through the front curve of the dress. Jack's eyes were set on this breast for quite long and it seemed he had changed his mind of buying the plantain and to rather lure the lady instead. He never saw such beautiful creature before. The girl, who was also aware of Jack's interest of looking at her breast, stretched it forward which made it clearly big and shining like diamond discovered in the moonlight. No wonder, she used holy oil to massage the breast. It was so nice that all men who passed by, did glimpse at her before they continued their journey. In fact, that alone attracted customers to buy the roasted plantain so faster than when the old lady was selling it.   Jack would like to talk to her but he did not know where and how to start. The girl in turn, knew the track and asked him:

"Please darling, are you to buy some of the plantain?"

"Me! You! You! Asked me whether I!  I like plantain?" Jack stammered. The lady smiled broadly and said:

"You can sit on this bench and we shall talk in a very short time if you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all, dear sister. I can sit here as much as you want me to sit." Reinstated Jack with joy.

Jack sat behind the lady staring at her huge hips which he never saw in his life before. He deemed it quite expedient to ask of the name of the good looking young girl and said:

"Please beautiful one, can I call you Angelina?"

"No please, you can simply call me Juana".

Replied the young lady.

"That is an interesting name but I think Angelina might rather suit a beautiful lady like you, if I'm not mistaking. I am known by name Jack." Added he.

"I don't know whether I'm interested in your name. Men always perceived beautiful things in their own unique way. They're the only people on earth who know the right name for every beautiful creature, but not the ugly ones." Said she courteously!

Jack was careful not to hurt her in anyway and said:

"I'm sorry to come to that level, but I just remember Angelina, the American lady who visited our school some years back. She is as cute as you are. I'm just trying to associate her beauty to that of yours. I can even say that you're more beautiful than how she is. Unless I show you her picture she left behind before flying back to America."

"That's all song we hear from men. It's now difficult to understand men of today. They have their own deceptive way to mislead ladies". Juana lamented.

Jack inferred from her statement that she had had tons of relationships ever before; so he was no more interested in any further discussion, which will lead to serious relationship; but here is he knowing nobody to spend the night with in this big city of Abijam. He went into serious meditation for some minutes of five and decided to talk to the girl once again. He asked:

"How long have you been in city of Abijam?"

Juana quickly looked at him and said:

"Do I look like a village girl? I was born here and don't know any place but Abijam."

"I know! But I beg your pardon. I just want to enquire if you can assist me to obtain a place to sleep." Said Jack.

"A place to sleep!" Juana surprisingly asked.

"Yes. A place to sleep. I'm from a village. This is my first time to visit Abijam. Though I lived in Cote d'Ivoire for more than fifteen years, my parents never brought me to Abijam before. In fact the place is extremely nice!" Jack commented.

"Nice you said? And what is your ambition to visit a city like Abijam without knowing even a friend?" Juana asked.

"Juana, it's long story; unless I eat proper food and drink cool pipe water. I understand those in city enjoy potable water". Replied he.

"Do you need some to drink? Here you are."

Juana handed over sachet water to him. He collected the sachet and looked at it closely and said:

"This is proper water people call. When you drink proper drinks like this, you always get your skin smooth and fresh like that of Juana."

Juana looked at him passionately and said:

"How jovial are you? Such a nice man. I wish I go with you in that village of yours where there is total freedom and entertainment."

"You dare not imagine that. It could be utopia. Those of us who lived there for years found it a hell. There is nothing like neither listening to music nor going to night club. People sleep as early as seven o'clock and the whole town becomes cemetery exactly nine o'clock. Yes Juana, you've not yet answered my question. What about your parents, would they be happy to meet me?"

Jack asked with zeal.

"How may I know? Human beings are complex natures. Since I cannot dissert into you to find out what you are, it may be difficult for me to recommend you to them". Said Juana with smiling face.

"It's true, but I'm not any bad person. I just completed C E G."

Said Jack removing his ID card from his pocket to testify. Juana studied it carefully and said:

"What is it like CEG?"

Jack quickly answered her:

"Oh! CEG, that is Collège d'Enseingnement Général. That is French college.»

"I see! So from this level of education you've been asked to work in city of Abijam." Juana asked scornfully.

"_Not really so, my dear Juana!"

"_Please, don't dear me yet. Which Company do you intend working in? I mean, with this! The French C.C. or G! I imply what you have to certify that you know book in French?"

"_Ah! Juana may you surprise someone on earth with this cynical observation."

"_ How earnest are you, if I may know?"

"_ What about you, Juana, what is your last school attended?"

"_ No! Jack, you're mistaking. You should've asked of my level of education. I now understand how miserable village life is. They do not understand simple concept."

"_Not big deal. I know how advanced you are. You know a lot of things than I do. Perhaps, I only need you to assist. Thank you. Juana I need to sleep. click here to read the rest of the story.

About the Author

Koffi Amlado is an excellent freelancer, journalist, novelist and teacher. He published many substantial articles all over the word. His profession as novelist makes him popular and celebrity, in view of how children enjoy his legend. His tales are mostly based on moral value, and the themes are mostly supported by current affairs. Those who read him always call for more.

If there are no atheists on the battlefield doesn't that just mean they're smart?

You know, you have to cover all the bases.

I'd take a rosary, a horseshoe, some wafers and wine, Tibetan prayer beads, hell, I'd pray to the tooth fairy if I was trapped in a building surrounded by Nazis during WWII.

And you could be sure I wouldn't be walking under any ladders.

People under duress will say any of a million different things. They can't be held responsible for their actions if they're afraid for their lives.

What I love is the implication of the 'no atheist in foxhole' comment: 'Hey! Come to Christianity! The religion of people who are desperate!' It's like they're almost confirming Christianity's role as a pacifier...

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