No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe

you.”
    Mr. Mark stepped in, and then pulled up suddenly as if he had seen a snake across his path. But he recovered quickly enough and walked in.
    “Good morning,” he said to Miss Tomlinson, all smiles. Obi dragged another chair to his table and Mr. Mark sat down.
    “And what can I do for you?”
    To his amazement Mr. Mark replied in Ibo:
    “If you don’t mind, shall we talk in Ibo? I didn’t know you had a European here.”
    “Just as you like. Actually I didn’t think you were Ibo. What is your problem?” He tried to sound casual.
    “Well, it is like this. I have a sister who has just passed her School Certificate in Grade One. She wants to apply for a Federal Scholarship to study in England.”
    Although he spoke in Ibo, there were some words that he had to say in English. Words like school certificate and scholarship . He lowered his voice to a whisper when he came to them.
    “You want application forms?” asked Obi.
    “No, no, no. I have got those. But it is like this. I was told that you are the secretary of the Scholarship Commission and I thought that I should see you. We are both Ibosand I cannot hide anything from you. It is all very well sending in forms, but you know what our country is. Unless you see people …”
    “In this case it is not necessary to see anybody. The only …”
    “I was actually thinking of coming round to your house, but the man who told me about you did not know where you lived.”
    “I’m sorry, Mr. Mark, but I really don’t understand what you are driving at.” He said this in English, much to Mr. Mark’s consternation. Miss Tomlinson pricked up her ears like a dog that is not quite sure whether someone has mentioned bones.
    “I’m sorry—er—Mr. Okonkwo. But don’t get me wrong. I know this is the wrong place to—er …”
    “I don’t think there is any point in continuing this discussion,” Obi said again in English. “If you don’t mind, I’m rather busy.” He rose to his feet. Mr. Mark also rose, muttered a few apologies, and made for the door.
    “He’s forgotten his umbrella,” remarked Miss Tomlinson as Obi returned to his seat.
    “Oh, dear!” He took the umbrella and rushed out.
    Miss Tomlinson was eagerly waiting to hear what he would say when he came back, but he simply sat down as if nothing had happened and opened a file. He knew she was watching him, and he wrinkled his forehead in pretended concentration.
    “That was short and sweet,” she said.
    “Oh, yes. He is a nuisance.” He did not look up and the conversation lapsed.
    Throughout that morning Obi felt strangely elated. It was not unlike the feeling he had some years ago in England after his first woman. She had said almost in so many words what she was coming for when she agreed to visit Obi in his lodgings. “I’ll teach you how to dance the high-life when you come,” he had said. “That would be grand,” she replied eagerly, “and perhaps a little low life too.” And she had smiled mischievously. When the day arrived Obi was scared. He had heard that it was possible to disappoint a woman. But he did not disappoint her, and when it was over he felt strangely elated. She said she thought she had been attacked by a tiger.
    After his encounter with Mr. Mark he did feel like a tiger. He had won his first battle hands-down. Everyone said it was impossible to win. They said a man expects you to accept “kola” from him for services rendered, and until you do, his mind is never at rest. He feels like the inexperienced kite that carried away a duckling and was ordered by its mother to return it because the duck had said nothing, made no noise, just walked away. “There is some grave danger in that kind of silence. Go and get a chick. We know the hen. She shouts and curses, and the matter ends there.” A man to whom you do a favor will not understand if you say nothing, make no noise, just walk away. You may cause more trouble by refusing a bribe than by accepting it.