ALWAYS CHECK UNDER YOUR BED (A Tim’s Stories’ original and true story)
There was this woman that was married to a man that was a twin. They lived in a two-bedroom bungalow in an average part of town. Her husband was a farmer while the woman was a full-time housewife. They lived a modest life and were very happy with each other. They were liked by everyone in the neigbourhood, especially one elderly man of about seventy.
The couple were loved, no doubt about that but that elderly man showed more love and concern towards the couple more than anyone else. His love and care were even greater to the lady. Everyday, when he came back from farm, for he too was a farmer, he would bring fruits and vegetables to the lady. Sometimes, he brought fresh palm wine to her since he was also a palm wine tapper. In return, the lady gave him her delicious meals whenever she cooked.
The lady was heavily pregnant. Therefore, she associated the man’s kindness, generosity and magnanimity to her condition as a pregnant woman. Little did she know that the man had an ulterior motive. Soon, it was time for delivery. She was rushed to the hospital and delivered a baby boy, but it was a still birth. The lady wept and wept and mourned his dead son for weeks. Her husband did all he could to console her, but she was simply inconsolable. She had hoped so much to carry her baby in her arms since it was her first pregnancy.
Time heals everything or most things. A few months down the way, she managed to heal and put her past behind her. She and her husband started working for another pregnancy, and soon, she was pregnant again. Her joy had been restored and she and her husband rejoiced and started hoping that once again, they would be given the opportunity to carry their own child. However, that was not to be.
Three weeks later, she had a very painful miscarriage and lost the pregnancy. This time, nothing could console her. It wasn’t easy for her, and that was the beginning of her troubles.
She had three miscarriages within a year, and she could not tell what was happening. She and her husband went to numerous sangomas and babalawos all to no avail. There was no solution to their problem.
One day, a neighbour told the lady that a powerful man of God had come to town and people were flocking to see him. The man of God gave accurate prophecies of both the past and the present. Her neighbour encouraged her to go there and maybe she could get an answer to her questions. She discussed the matter with her husband, and she was given the greenlight to go see the new man of God.
Two days later, in the evening, she went to see the man of God just like everyone else. They were all standing in a line, waiting for the man of God to call them inside for prayers, counselling or prophecy. As the man of God was walking into his makeshift office, for he had not established himself fully, he paused when he saw the woman.
“What is your name, my daughter?” He asked compassionately.
“My name is Kalista, Sir.”
“You are very troubled; I can see it. Someone cannot come to my house and remain troubled.”
“Yes, Sir. Please, pray for me.”
“No, my daughter. There is no need to pray for you. Just go home and clean the under of your bed.” He instructed.
“What?”
“Yes, you heard me. Go home and clean the under of your bed and your troubles will be over.” He repeated.
“Just that?” The woman asked, confused.
“Yes, just that. Now, go.”
She went back home and told her husband what she had been told by the prophet and her husband was terribly vexed and disappointed. He warned her never to go see the man of God ever again, but the lady kept thinking about what she had been told.
The next day, after her husband had gone to the farm, she removed the mattress from their bed and leaned it on the wall. When she did that, she saw something moved…(To be continue)
