Between Two Worlds

(from Chapter 28)

“My brother, so how are you planning to attire yourself?”

Jofri pretended that he had no idea at all what Obu was talking about. “Attire myself for what?” he asked.

“Ah, ah, the carnival, what else; your two countrymen with those silly English names should undoubtedly dress like the colonial masters to match their ridiculous mode of identification; Master David….hey- haw! Master William….hey-haw!” imitating the posture of an imaginary arrogant colonialist and pulling an imaginary moustache and beard to complete the act.

Jofri roared with laughter.

“So how are you dressing?” Obu asked again.

Jofri shrugged, “I haven’t yet decided,” he replied.

“Ah, ah, as for me, my brother, I’ll dress like my village chief.”

“Here in West Germany?”

“Yes! Ah, ah….”

“You brought some of the attire worn by your village chief in the hot Nigerian sun all the way here to wear in chilly Lauterbach?”

“Ah, ah, of course not….”

“Then how do you intend to dress like your village chief, Obu?” Jofri asked with a little laugh.

“Anyhow, my brother, ah, ah; I’ll put on this and put on that and say that is how my village chief dresses. Who can challenge me? Who knows how my village chief dresses except me?”

“You think that will make your village chief proud?” Jofri feigned seriousness.

“You think I should worry about that?” Obu replied, making a funny face, “My brother, ah, ah, he is in Nigeria and I am here in West Germany. Have you forgotten?”

Both of them broke into laughter. Then Obu ceased laughing abruptly and said, “By the way….”

“What?” Jofri snapped.

“If by the time of the carnival you are still wasting time, I’ll ask her to dance with me.”

“All right,” Jofri replied casually.

Obu flipped out. “My brother, ah, ah, did you hear what I said?”

“Of course…!”

“Ah, ah…and?”

“I said, all right!”

“Eh, all right you said? My brother, ah, ah, you mean I can dance with her?” Jofri’s apparent calmness astounded Obu.

Jofri chuckled. “If she will dance with you,” he replied.

Amma Darko is one of the most significant contemporary Ghanaian writers. Her novels include ‘Between Two Worlds’ (Sub-Saharan, 2015), ‘Not Without Flowers’ (Sub-Saharan, 2007), ‘Faceless’ (Sub-Saharan, 2003), ‘The Housemaid’ (Heinemann, 1999), and ‘Beyond the Horizon’ (Heinemann, 1995).

Editor’s note: This excerpt from ‘Between Two Worlds’ (Sub-Saharan Publishers, Accra, 2015), appears with permission from the author.