Chike and the River

11 Pride Goeth Before a Fall

Chike’s friend Samuel, alias S.M.O.G., began to teach him how to ride a bicycle during the holidays. Samuel had no bicycle himself but he could easily borrow one from a mechanic. This mechanic lived in one of the rooms in Samuel’s father’s house. During the day he worked under a tree in front of the house. Many people brought their bicycles to him to be repaired. Sometimes they wanted the brakes mended or a punctured tire repaired. Whatever it was the mechanic was equal to the job. If you passed by at any time of the day, you would see him in his brown, greased work clothes putting life into a damaged bicycle. Usually he turned the bicycle upside down with its wheels in the air while he worked on it. He had a signboard nailed to the tree on which was written his nickname-DOCTOR OF BICYCLES.

Besides the bicycles which came to him for repairs the mechanic also had about five or six of his own which he let out on hire for sixpence an hour. It was one of these that Samuel borrowed. He did not tell the mechanic that a learner was going to ride it. If the mechanic had been told, he would surely have refused.

The bicycle was for adults and was too high for Chike but he made rapid progress. If he sat on the seat his feet would not reach the pedals. So he adopted what was called the monkey-style; he rode standing on the pedals on one side of the triangular frame.

After about one week of practice Chike was able to ride long distances without falling down. He was even able to whistle a song as he rode along. Samuel was impressed with Chike’s progress and suggested that it was time he tried riding on the main road instead of the playing field. As Samuel said, the real test of a good cyclist was the main road.

Chike was a little doubtful at first but he agreed in the end to try one of the less busy roads. To his surprise he did very well. He was so pleased that he began to whistle the highlife tune “Nike Nike” and to pedal to its beat. He felt very proud of himself and wondered why people said that riding a bicycle was difficult. It is easier than eating okro soup, thought Chike. Just then a car came out of a side street and was making toward Chike. He lost his nerve and swerved into the curb, hitting an electric pole. The bicycle bounced back and threw Chike into a nearby drain. He came out dripping with dirty water. He had also grazed his elbow and knee on the cement curb. But the wound was not deep.

The bicycle, however, seemed to be badly damaged. The front wheel was twisted and its brakes were jammed. Three spokes were also broken. Chike and Samuel tried in vain to straighten up the wheel. In the end they gave up and decided to go and report to the mechanic. Since the front wheel refused to revolve they lifted it off the ground and rolled the bicycle home on the back wheel.

The mechanic was very angry. He said that Chike must pay for the damage.

“But I have no money,” said Chike. “Please forgive him; he has no money,” said Samuel. But the mechanic replied, “If he has no money, who asked him to ride my bicycle? Come and show me where you live. If you have no money your parents must pay for your foolishness.”

Chike begged and pleaded but the mechanic would not hear. He said, “You are wasting my time. Come on and show me your father and mother. If you don’t hurry up I shall take you to the police station right now.”

So Chike led the way and the mechanic followed, riding slowly on one of his bicycles. Chike was afraid of taking the man to his uncle. So he decided to take him round and round the town. They went up one street, down the next, and up the third.

“Where do you say you live?” asked the mechanic.

“I don’t know the number,” said Chike. “But it is over there,” and he pointed in front of him.

After a long time they were back where they started. The mechanic was now furious and was threatening to beat hell out of Chike. Because he was so furious he did not look where he was going and ran into a woman returning from the market with her purchases. Her enormous basket fell down on the road and the contents were scattered. She immediately took off her headcloth and tied it firmly round her waist, ready for a fight. She held the mechanic by his shirt and was shouting abuses into his face.

“I had twenty pounds’ worth of goods in that basket. Give it to me now.”

Crowds were gathering. Some people were picking up the woman’s things and putting them back into the basket. There were tomatoes, some dried fish, and small yams. But her voice rose higher and higher. She said she was not going home to prepare a meal from things picked off the road. She wanted her twenty pounds.

In the confusion Chike melted away and ran home faster than he had ever done before.