Engagement Party
Story By Thiyam Ningol, Africa

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Even though he was not invited, he got the information. The birthday party was actually planned to be an engagement party. He was prepared to gate crush and attend the party by any means and get drunk.

“I know he lured Shally with his wealth, the wealth he earned with the sweat of other people. He took the advantage of Shally’s naivety. That fat punk, the hollow cylinder of a body. I will have to look at Shally, a long last look before she ties the knot with the cylinder’-John had been talking to himself.

He and Shally were going steady, at least he thought. No doubt he had to break his promises quite often to Shally as he had to work sometimes up to late hours. He was a store keeper in Walter’s factory. Walter became a millionaire at the age of 26 when his father suddenly died and took full charge of the factory. Several times Shally had come to the factory waiting for him. On one such occasion, Walter invited Shally out while waiting for John, later it became a routine. Finally it turned to a fare well for Shally and John.

Walter knew all the universities in Canada because he had passed through all of them. But still he had no degree. Hardly had he completed a semester in any university. Instead he loved working in the McDonalds and grew bigger. So when he was called back to become the new Managing Director of a prospering factory, he said an official Good Bye to all the universities.

The party was held at Sea Breeze. Formal dresses. Strictly only invitees. The decoration was superb with an African touch in every angle. On each side of the sidewalk, hollowed out and carved pineapples with a flickering candle in them were arranged in rows. In the main courtyard itself, an artificial forest of palm trees was erected. Under each tree, there was a round table with 8 seats. In the high table, there was a specially decorated Divan. Behind the Divan, on the back ground, there was a screen depicting an ocean with the full moon just emerging from the surface of the ocean.

Just before Walter entered, a long red carpet was rolled out; the trumpet blew; the drums thundered; the whole orchestra joined and the crowd cheered. The hollow cylinder rolled in.

The party hadn’t started, but Walter was wobbling, his purplish face was shining with sweat beads on the forehead. He was dead drunk. From nowhere the angel came out. Shally looked stunning. Even the most experienced makonde carver had never created such a perfect figure. She approached slowly towards Walter and gave him a feather touch kiss on his left cheek. His fat hand grabbed Shally’s slim waist and they walked together towards the high table. The innocent look on Shally’s face was gone. It was adorned with an artificial rubbery smile.

John’s stomach started rumbling with anger. He fought it back with the chilled tonic water. He came to get drunk but after seeing Shally, swore not to touch alcohol that day, at least for Shally’s sake.

The M.C. was screaming on the microphone. John absorbed in the past thoughts of their (his and Shally’s) sweet memories. The loud applause woke him up. He saw the glitterings coming from the diamond ring Walter was holding. Walter tried to bend on his knees but could not. Instead he proposed by standing. The diamond ring slowly glided on the tender finger amidst the blinding flashes from the cameras. John lost Shally forever.

The cake was cut and was supposed to be feeding each other, followed by tender loving kisses. Walter could not find Shally’s mouth, instead the cake was pushed into her nostril.

Shally took the piece of cake with her own hand, chewed with disgust.

Grand Dinner was served. It was time for the dance floor.

Everybody’s eyes were on the couple. John thought he spotted his favourite singer artist in the crowd. Now the microphone was in her hand. She, the singer, gracefully walked in the corner of the dance floor and started hypnotizing the crowd with the sweet melody of Mariah Carey’s “Hero”. John closed his eyes and desperately tried to forget Shally by listening to his favourite singer.

Suddenly he heard the “blues’ have turned into “RAP”, the saxophone was coughing like a trumpet, the drummer had missed the rhythms, and it was sounding like the African drums alarming the start of a war. Everybody was hahaha….huhuhu…..hehehe.

John opened his eyes and looked around. He also could not control from laughing at first.

Walter opted to dance without moving his legs. He was literarily drooling saliva; his eyes were closed, his head swaying in his own tune. The necktie had been loosened. One side of his shirt had loosened out of his trouser. The fat, which was around his waist, was whirling like an oversized hula-hoop, non stop. A dark shadow appeared around the front of his trouser zipper which quickly extended towards his right leg and gathered a small pool around his shoes. John’s angel was crying frantically in the centre. Her rubbery smile had disappeared. The mascara from her eye lashes had smeared on her powdered face. John could not tolerate. He stood up, walked towards the centre of the scene and gave a dizzying slap to Walter, took Shally’s hand and pulled her towards him. The singer gathered herself back and continued with her melody.

From the impact of the slap, Walter fell and swam in his urine pool while John and Shally danced embracing each other with the tantalizing melody“ Here comes my Hero”.