‘Eno, and what calls at this hour of the day?’

They want me in Cape Coast.

‘Does my friend want to go and see how much the city has changed since we went there to meet the new Wesleyan Chairman, twenty years ago?’

My sister, do you think I have knees to go parading on the streets of Cape Coast?

‘Is it heavy?’

Yes, very heavy indeed. They have opened up my grandchild at the hospital, hi, hi, hi. . . .

‘Eno due, due, due. . . I did not know. May God go with you. . . .’

Thank you. Yaa.

‘O, the world!’

‘It’s her grandchild. The only daughter of her only son. Do you remember Kojo Amisa who went to sodja and fell in the great war, overseas?’

‘Yes, it’s his daughter. . . .’

. . . O, poo, pity.

‘Kobina, run to the street, tell Draba Anan to wait for Nana Amfoa.’

‘. . . Draba Anan, Draba, my mother says I must come and tell you to wait for Nana Amfoa.’

‘And where is she?’

‘There she comes.’

‘Just look at how she hops like a bird . . . does she think we are going to be here all day? And anyway we are full already . . .’

O, you drivers!

‘What have drivers done?’

‘And do you think it shows respect when you speak in this way? It is only that things have not gone right; but she could, at least have been your mother. . . .’

‘But what have I said? I have not insulted her. I just think that only Youth must be permitted to see Cape Coast, the town of the Dear and Expensive. . . .’

‘And do you think she is going on a peaceful journey? The only daughter of her only son has been opened up and her baby removed from her womb.’

O . . . God.

O

O

O

Poo, pity.

‘Me . . . poo – pity, I am right about our modern wives I always say they are useless as compared with our mothers.

‘You drivers!’

‘Now what have your modern wives done?’

‘Am I not right what I always say about them?’

‘You go and watch them in the big towns. All so thin and dry as sticks – you can literally blow them away with your breath. No decent flesh anywhere. Wooden chairs groan when they meet with their hard exteriors.’

‘O you drivers. . . .’

‘But of course all drivers . . .’

‘What have I done? Don’t all my male passengers agree with me? These modern girls. . . . Now here is one who cannot even have a baby in a decent way. But must have the baby removed from her stomach. Tchiaa!’

‘What . . .’

‘Here is the old woman.’

‘Whose grandchild . . .?’

‘Yes.’

‘Nana, I hear you are coming to Cape Coast with us.’

Yes my master.

‘We nearly left you behind but we heard it was you and that it is a heavy journey you are making.’

Yes my master . . . thank you my master.