The Priest Vow – episode 13

THE PRIEST VOW.
Episode 13.
By Amah

I needed time to pray over this prison visit.
I don’t know what to expect but I was at peace in my inner man to proceed.

I took off after two days, it was another long drive but I wasn’t worried and I also wanted Anna to feel free.
Gumi was behind bars and won’t hurt her but even if he happens to be free he was not to be feared but loved.

I assured Anna that she was safe because God is always going before us to make every rough way straight.

I drove until I got to the prison yard.
Anna came down but I asked her to remain in the car with Joel while I go in first.

I wasn’t dressed like a Reverend or a priest. Ever since i moved to my late mother’s city I appear as an ordinary man before people because that is who God wanted me to be at such a time.

Nobody knew I was a priest in the city.
How will they even see me as one when I live in the same house with a woman.

It sound very absurd.
 I miss being a priest. I miss officiating in God’s vineyard.
Yes, I miss the outreaches to hospitals, orphanage, prison and elderly homes.

Those days I used to visit Tagbo and many others in prison. We will sit around a table and talk like we have known all our lives.
I was called to gather and not to scatter. I was called to build and not to tear down and I was called to become a servant and not to rule over anyone.
My calling is to serve mankind and I have followed every step of my duty diligently not because I was stronger than all or more spirit filled but because of the abundant grace God bestowed on me.

“Good day officer, my name is James White. I’m here to see a prisoner….his name is Gumi.

He looked up at me for a while and asked me to step aside and remove my face cap.

I removed my face cap and stepped aside.

“I almost mistake you to be him but you look very fresh, young, calm and disciplined. unlike Gumi, looking like an uncirc-mcised barbarian. What do you do for a living?

He asked still staring at me suspeciously.

“I’m a cleric sir.

“I see.

That was all he said and asked another officer to come and take over.

Another prison guard came and did the search.

I went back to the first officer who was filled with question.

“What kind of visitor? Business, lawyer, colleague, friend, relatives or clergyman?

He asked me. I breathed in before replying.

“Relative sir.

They showed me a place to sign in and I did.
I was ushered in and asked to wait at the visitors waiting hall.

I sat, waiting for the one man that was terrorizing many people.
The one man that was a drug Lord, the man that Anna and even the officer mistake to be me.
though some of Anna’s story doesn’t add up but I chose to ignore.
I still wonder how Gumi will hit her with a wood after she announced her pregnancy to him. She was supposed to fall right where she was hit but instead she end up being knocked down by a speeding car on an express way.
 That did not add up but I feel she was telling the truth.

I sat looking all around the waiting hall after asking God to take control.

There were other relatives and friend visiting their love ones in prison. They were seated in the hall, talking quietly.

Gumi seem to be taking forever to come out but I wasn’t in a haste. I will wait forever if that is what it takes to meet Joel’s father.
Anna said Gumi was my older version, we shared same resemblance but I look very young while he looks older.

I’m curious to meet this man and as time goes my anxiousness grew.

After sometime I saw a man in chains, in an overall prison cloth. He was lead by an officer who pushed him forward like a dog on a leash.

He looked around the hall as he tries to figure out who came to see him.
The officer pointed towards me before pushing him forward again.

As he stepped forward, I flinched in shock.
I can see a clearer picture of him.
And yes, Anna was right.
Gumi looks mean, hærden and has a rough dread lock. The most important thing is that I shared almost same resemblance with him.
He looks older and fat too and had a long scar that run through his forehead and below his eye lid.
He has a scorpion tattoo on his neck and wore a single earring on his left ear.

He frowned and grind his teeth on seeing me.
I guess he was dumb founded just like I was.

It was a striking resemblance if not that Gumi was very rough in his appearance, and even fixed a gold teeth up and down, people will he was another of my version or maybe my older twin which I never had.

He may commit a crime in a place before disappearing and if I unknowingly cross the crime scene I could be arrested mistakenly for Gumi’s crime because of the resemblance.
But our differences were much and very obvious.
Gumi was a fat thug and had full long bear in his face which he waved together.

He stared at me suspeciously before taking a seat beside me.

” Who the hell are you?

He asked with a hærdened voice.

“James…. James White and I’m here to see you… Gumi.

“I gat no business with you man, get the f-ck off from here.

He barked at me but I remain seated and instead of him to get up he stared with a shrewd face.

“Why… why.. the hell do we look alike… where are you from, how did you get to me white?

“Call me James. Somebody lead me to you Gumi. A girl you picked from a nightclub, dinasaur night club… You both got entangled and she became pregnant. after telling you about her pregnancy, you hit her with a wood….I guess there is more to the story that i…

Gumi interrupted with a hushed voice.

“Kita…. Kita that was her name. she died because of her stubbornness. I remember that girl…she was a common wh-re. A pr-stitute with no sense. I wanted her to be mine but she went on sneaking around. I’m a busy man and don’t want any girl to tie me down with a child and she thought she can. She was enjoying all the benefit that she was getting from me and thought a child will keep me all to her. I warned her not to mess around with me…I did warn her. She came with the news that day and I told her to get lost with her pregnancy story but the stupid girl wanted to try my patients. I was angry and the first thing that got into my hand was that wood. I grabbed it and smashed her empty skull but she did not fall there, suddenly she ran off like a crazy person. I guess the beating got into her brain and she took off and kept running. I was kind enough to go after her but she launched to the express road. I stood and watch from a distance as a car knocked her down and I took off. That was the end of her, when I checked back later if her dead body was still there it wasn’t, it has been taken away probably to the morgue. I really did not know why she decided to run off like a crazy…mad woman and succeeded in finally killing herself. But that is in the past now. She is long dead…is been over three years. Are you a lawyer, you want to prop me further for killing her? Listen man… I’m already in prison and serving a life sentence for different charges leveled on me and I’m hoping they will give my lawyer a listening ear so that my punishment can be lessened. I don’t like it here but I don’t have a choice either and I never meant no get Kita killed. If you still want to add that to my charge then fine… get it done with. Do I look scared to you? I laugh in the face of danger…. hahahaha.

He began to laugh loudly, expressing his two golden teeth.

” I’m not a lawyer but a cleric and I’m here to let you that there is no sin too big that God can’t…

He interrupted me, getting up on his feet.

“You expect me to sit here and listen to this thrash. I’m not gonna waste my time listening to some preacher. Go and look for another sinner not me. I dinne with the devil himself…we eat in the same table. God is too busy with the good and righteous people like you, he will not have my time. Get lost man and let me be…

An officer announced that Gumi’s time was up and he needs to return to his cell.
I quickly stood up and said.

“Kita is alive and she has a son….your son.

He paused and looked at me.

“Then that’s good for her. I don’t care and The news do not move me either. Tell her to quit pr-stituting herself and take care of her son. Marry her or make her your wh-re. Whatever you like do but don’t come here again looking for me. Get lost fresh, fine preacher boy. Ladies will love you…. k-ss my ass nonsense…hahahaha.

He pulled out his middle finger at me before the officer came to take him away.

Gumi was very rude but I wasn’t offended.
He will be a hærd nut to crack and I will crack him not by my power but by the Lord’s.

I signed out and walked to join Anna in the car.
And we drove back home.

TBC

⬅️ PREVIOUS episode