4 CHAPTER FOUR: SANDY’S BAR

Sandy's Bar, Kebbi Creek

July 11, 2002, Friday, 19:37

Thick fumes of nicotine assailed Caesar's nostrils as he walked through the beaded curtain into the dimly lit bar room. His eyes automatically scanned the people present. Most of them he sensed were regular drinkers with a sprinkling of the once- in- a- whiles. They all looked well to do and he suspected a lot of them were oil workers, men from the rig drinking off the stress of work.

He noticed that they all looked curiously at him when he came in. He knew they were having difficulty placing him. Even though he had clean cut good looks and a neat and tidy appearance, he didn't appear to be a banker. That complex bankers have that they must be immaculately dressed and polished at all times was absent in him.

He didn't appear to be an oil worker either. He didn't have the rugged looks of the men on the rig and he looked too young and carefree to be one of the corporate staff. His well pressed sky blue shirt, matching denim trousers and black ankle length boots were worn carelessly in the manner of a man who does not know the worth of what he is wearing. Even the way he slung his bag over his shoulder was juvenile. Caesar ignored their stares and went straight to the bar.

Two young ladies were perched on high stools, sipping brandy. They wore black evening gowns that were slashed to the hips and the V in front dipped dangerously to the navel. Their cosmetic beauty could not hide the hard look in their eyes. Pros, thought Caesar. He blanked them and hopped on a stool to face the barman who seemed surprised at his action.

"A dead bottle of stout, please", he said pleasantly, wondering why the barman was wearing dark glasses in such gloom. He spied a nametag on the breast pocket of the white shirt: Ani L. Assem.

"Coming up."

As the barman went to collect his drink he noticed that the two bimbos were watching him intently. He turned in his stool to back them.

His drink arrived and pulling a fat wallet from his back pocket, extracted two hundred Niara notes and passed it to the barman who's eyes nearly fell out of the sockets.

"Keep the change." He said breezily.

There was a grateful mumble of gratitude and Caesar waited for the bottle to be opened and took a swig. The bitter black liquid was delicious. He was suddenly aware of a presence behind him and the scent of a costly perfume engulfed him.

"Hi, there" greeted a saccharine coated voice, "Can you buy me a drink?"

Caesar turned slowly to face her. One of the bimbos stood near him. She had a bold expression on her face.

"Sure, but why not?" he said smoothly, "Drinks are on the house. Anything you like."

"Anything?"

"Anything. You and your friend."

The two ladies immediately beckoned to the bar man and he watched amused as they ordered a bottle of Remy Martins. They gushed their thanks, flashing their eyes seductively at him as they did so.

"The pleasure is entirely all mine." He said blithely.

He turned away from them and concentrated on his bottle of stout.

He glanced at his watch. 19:37. There was still time. 20:00 was the appointed hour. He hoped he had not come all the way to Kebby Creek on a wild goose chase. He did not want to imagine how much of an idiot he would look if that happened. Not that he wouldn't say he didn't have it coming.

He did not have a pleasant trip. Finding Kebby Creek, some obscure town in Delta State was more difficult than he imagined and he was behind the wheel of his Benz for more hours than he wanted. When he finally rolled into town he was pissed, tired and hungry. He checked into the most expensive Hotel in the town and had dinner at a restaurant in the building. He then grabbed forty winks at his hotel suite and later on set out to find Sandy's Bar. The mysterious caller was right again, the bar was easy to find. The first pedestrian he asked gave him specific directions that were perfect.

Now it was a quarter to Nine and Caesar was beginning to feel a bit daft. Supposing the whole thing was a wild goose chase, a nasty practical joke to make him look stupid. Maybe someone in the office was behind it. Not many people liked him there.

A lot of them may derive some joy in making a fool of him. Or worse, supposing it was a set up. The conspirators would see him walk in with a bag and assume it was the N80, 000 and decide to wait until he decided to leave the bar then strike. Maybe shoot him point blank and collect the cash, which were in fact some excellent counterfeits. If that was the case then he must have been a complete nutty fruit cake to get caught in that kind of trap especially in a town that he didn't know. This train of thought made him angry, confused and nervous and he didn't fancy any of these emotions.

At about a quarter to ten two men walked though the curtain and he recognized the taller one immediately. Alex Uzezi was an old time school buddy, whom he had not seen for some years now though they had been maintaining verbal contact. He was a tall reedy fellow with a pair of spectacles perched precariously on his beak like nose. He watched as the men chose a vacant table and made themselves comfortable. He made up his mind quickly. He would reacquaint himself with his old friend and his companion and leave the bar with them. Any would be assailants wouldn't dare attack him in such company.

Picking up his drink and bag he sauntered over to where Alex and his friend were sipping their beers. They looked up sharply when they noticed him in front of their table.

Hello, Alex"

"Well, Well, look what the wind blew in. Caesar!"

Caesar winced. Alex had not forgotten the old name.

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He got up to give his old friend a manly hug.

"Tony meet my friend, Caesar 'Caesar' Clark."

The two men shook hands and all sat down to resume drinking.

"Why do they call you Caesar?" asked Tony curiously. He looked young and nerdish, though he didn't wear glasses.

"It's my real name" Caesar said quickly but he was too late Alex had already taken the cue.

"Well no one really knows." Alex began mischievously, picking up the tone of a snotty British history narrator," legend has it that he came into this sinful world though a Caesarian operation."

"Alex!"

"Others say that after his first date with a girl his friends, including my humble self, demanded a feed back. His reply was this: I came, I saw, I conquered."

Tony roared with laughter while Caesar glared evilly at Alex but he wasn't finished yet:.

" But I prefer it backwards: I conquered, I saw, I came."

Tony nearly fell of his seat laughing while Caesar adopted a long-suffering expression on his face.

"Do you want to know how Alex ruined his eyesight?" Caesar asked Tony breaking into his Cheshire Cat grin.

"No he doesn't " said Alex hastily.

"Oh yes I do. Go on."

"From pornographic movies. At a tender age he would sneak out at night to watch them on video or whenever his old folks are out. TV radiation ruined his eyesight. I begged him to stop watching all that filth but he wouldn't listen. The poor fellow is as blind as a bat."

"That's not true " Alex protested "I can see very well.

"Only when you see a female. Alex has a Ph.D. in female anatomy."

"You don't mention?" Tony said surprised.

"Don't pay any attention to what he is saying, Tony. Anyway, Caesar I'm now happily engaged to a very sweet girl so don't think I'm in the same boat with you."

"You! Engaged? I'm not sure if you've ever even had a girlfriend before. How did you manage? Through an advert?"

"No, just by my level. I'm a top man in Shell here. Girls are fighting over me."

"You don't say!" Caesar exclaimed sarcastically, "The poor girl must be struggling to keep a hold on you."

"She doesn't need to do that. I love her". Caesar nearly choked on his stout. "Could you repeat that again? I think my ears are malfunctioning."

"You heard me the first time."

"Tony are you responsible for this" Caesar asked accusingly, turning to the young man who was grinning from ear to ear. He raised his hands in protest.

"It wasn't me."

"Alex listen" said Caesar earnestly, "You are not in love. You might be in lust or even in lunacy but definitely not in love."

"Because you are incapable of love doesn't mean others aren't."

"I was in love before. The bitch broke my heart like a cheap china plate."

"That was a long time ago. You were all wishy-washy back then. Ever since she left you've turned into cube of ice."

"It safer that way."

"That's what you use to kid yourself. You know anyone who believes in love will find it. Anyway it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

"Who's been wishy-washy now?"

"Tony, do you believe in love?" Alex asked his friend.

"No, but I believe in lust."

They all laughed.

"Lets drink to that? Suggested Caesar "Here's to lust."

They all clinked their glasses together.

Three hours passed unnoticed as they drank liquor, ate pepper soup, discussed females and exchanged expensive jokes. Later on the waitress came to their table and Alex insisted he would pay for everything.

She was tipped heavily and Caesar still gave her some extra notes. She beamed happily at him before waddling away to another table.

"I think she likes you" remarked Alex.

"You mean that fat, smelly hippo with knockers like melons?"

"The way you like them, eh?"

"Yeah."

They laughed again.

"Let me take you to my place, Caesar" Alex said with a yawn, "I want to show off my fiancée."