Scene 1.
The presidential villa.
David's room.
It is decorated with pictures of male footballers and wrestlers.There is a portrait of David on a table.victor enters the room .He is wearing a black suit with a white handkerchief in his hand.with sadness in him he walks around the room destabilized. He takes David's portrait ,places it on his chest like he is embracing it and walks out of the room.
Scene 2.
Victor's room.
The room is richly furnished and decorated with national flags positioned at every corner.victor walks into the room with David's portrait still on his chest.the telephone rings from a side table close to the bed.
Victor:(Goes to the side table,takes the telephone and answers the call) yes...no...not now.i just came back from my son's funeral.i am not in the mood to see any sympathizers today. Not even the governors or ministers.Do i make myself clear?..(Drops the call, sits on the bed and looks at the portrait) why? Why my son? Why David? You had everything.you lacked nothing.i provided you with all the good things of life.you attended one of the best schools in the world.you travelled around the world.you lived a luxurious life.why didnt you stay with me?why did you do this when you knew i had just started recovery from your mum's death after her brief illness three years ago and why on your birthday? fourteen days ago,in the morning of your birthday,i sent for you to come to my room for your birthday gift but i got a report that you had died on your bed after drugging yourself.i rushed into your room that morning and saw you lying on your bed like a log of wood with pills scattered around.you were lifeless.How could you put me in this condition of sadness and pain! How dare you! (with anger he throws the portrait and it hits a flower vase off a table to the floor,making a loud noise as the portrait and flower vase smashes into pieces.victor discovers a folded paper on the table which must have been placed under the flower vas. He takes the paper,unfolds it and looks into it) David! This letter was from David!David wrote it to me.(Goes to the window and begins to read the letter) "Dear father,I chose to use the past tense in this letter because i would have been no more after writing this letter. I am grateful for you provided me the best. I say thank you. But I have never been happy even in the luxurious life you provided for me. Behind my smiles was unhappiness. I lived an unhappy life in order to protect your position in the society. I lived an unhappy life to save your status. I lived an unhappy life so you can be happy. I could not live that part of my life that gives me fulfillment . I knew you wanted the best for me but you wouldn't understand my happiness.I knew it would be a nightmare if i had told you what i was . I was scared of what you would do if i had told you what i was.i had seen your reactions against people of my kind. I had heard you talk against them with hatred from the deepest part of your heart even if they did you no harm.i just could not face you and tell you what i was and i didnt want you to find out yourself because i wont be able to stand in your presence. My situation got worst when you won the presidential election.your first agenda was implementing a law against people who were like me.for the past twenty years of my life i had been in the closet for you to be happy. I had overheard you say to a friend that the best solution for people of my kind is to commit suicide and if you had your way you would send them to hell yourself. Those words echoed in me and my heart began to beat faster than usual. I took your advice,I ended my life.i just could not tell a passionate hater of people of my kind that i was homosexual. Thanks for the advice,dad. Atleast I was not there to get spanked by you.love you,dad.
Your late son,
David". (Victor falls to the floor and weeps).
The End.
By p'che obasi.
You can send your article(s) to Ghenghenblog@gmail.com
