Wounded Pilgrim 11

BUYING A SISTER LUNCH

Brother Eliezer just like the rest of the married folks after his wedding went for a honey moon for a period that was unknown. He was not seen for a period of close to a month during which Bartholomew would meet him from time to time and feel like asking him if he was in honey moon or not. But then he would think otherwise and revert to speak of other things.

Bartholomew now admired Eliezer’s married life to the core for it was one that meant they was someone to take care of small stuffs in the house. Apart from it all a married Eliezer always rushed to get to the house early it time whereas him Bartholomew had nothing interesting to rush to see in the house. In the house if he left in the morning without washing his dishes and even slept at a place he knew he would come find the stinking utensils.

Apart from small shortcomings in church and around brethren, Brother Bartholomew seemed to be doing quite well at work. He was now no longer the one preparing the reports and all that stuff that come along with it, but was now the one ordering others to prepare him the reports. He now had a company vehicle to move around with something he tried to keep a secret from brethren. If they knew that he had a vehicle then they would be asking him to take him to places like weddings and funerals. He still came to church on public service like others.

However some brethren still were able to notice his life was changing day by day especially from his dressing and how he carried himself around them.
“Brother Bartholomew when do you intend to buy me lunch?” asked Sister Elvina a single sister one Sunday afternoon after the church service.
“But Sister Elvina am not aware that I am supposed to buy you lunch.” He responded.
“Since when did a person have to request to be bought lunch?”
“Well sister am being very honest with you I didn’t have an idea about that”
“Never mind brother I was just checking on, you have confined to yourself lately coming late to church and leaving early except for today”
“Work issues are to blame”
“Oh better you with a job I don’t know what I can say for myself”
Sister Elvina was one of the relatively oldest single sisters who were very active in youth affairs and organizing activities in the church. She liked to tease brothers something which other sisters shied away from.

“I didn’t say how elegant you looked today” was an unprepared compliment from Bartholomew.
“Thank you brother, it is not every day that I get such compliments from brothers here in church.” She was moved by the compliment. “Actually the men out like conductors, our caretaker and others are the ones who like complimenting me.”
“Anyway why don’t I buy the lunch since you mentioned it?” he went on.
“But I wasn’t serious about it” she didn’t want it to get far. But he insisted that they go to some eatery nearby to get some lunch.
“But what would my friends think of me going into a hotel just the two of us?” she asked annoyingly.
“There is nothing between us apart from the lunch am buying you” he went on.
“I was just thinking of inviting my two best friends Grace and Hope so that we can …” she was becoming mischievous to him.

“Okay Sister Elvina why not simply organize another day so I can buy you and your friends lunch?” he was quick to pin her and she agreed to his terms and they entered at a Java center to order something. Knowing he was not well off that week he decided to watch her eat her chips and soda as he got himself busy on phone claiming he was not feeling like eating anything at that moment.
“I know you won’t mind if I keep change brother” she said when the waitress brought the balance of the order. He simply felt stubbed on the back.

Just then his phone was ringing. It was Brother Eliezer calling him.