MY CLIENT MY FRIEND
Part 2
Women and death
My favourite client who was an upcoming artist recording his first album at my studio shifted to Livingstone after the strange sickness he was having but his health condition was now stable and we arranged that he comes to finish recording his album. He came to Lusaka and was lodging at some lodge near intercity as he continued recording.
One morning I went to see him at the lodge where he was lodging. As I entered the room I met a certain girl who was just leaving the room. When I saw a packet of morning after pills I knew what happened the previous night but I didn’t talk about it. The following day after his studio session he asked if I can export him to see someone. We went to a certain compound and to my surprise the person we went to see was the same girl I met at the lodge. I stood at a distance as they talked. Even from their actions I could tell there is something between them
“ I thought it was just a one night stand. Is he really seeing this girl?” I asked myself as I waited for him. Anyway I decided not to interfere in his personal life so I ignored and didn’t even ask him about the girl. But I became concerned the third time when the same girl came to the studio waiting for him as he was recording then they went together after the session. I know he is married so is he cheating on his wife with this girl? I decided to talk to him about it.
“ Boi, you’re married why are you cheating on your wife with that girl?” I asked him the following day at the studio
“ John, to me it was just a one night thing but this girl is into me. She has loved me and I don’t know what to do” he said.
“ you know what to do. Stop the relationship and focus on what you came for”
“ I wish it was that easy John. “
“ do you love her?”
“ Not really, it’s more of a sex thing “
“ Look , I understand that you’ve left your wife and maybe you can’t live for weeks without sex but you’re not being fair to that girl because she is seeing it from a different perspective. She is in love with you”
“ so what should I do John? You seem to be the master in love issues”
“ if you can’t stop the relationship because of sex then you must tell that girl that you’re married so that she does it willingly.”
My client laughed at what I told him. He challenged me that if he tells her that he is married the girl may leave him and I kept on telling him how unfair it was for giving her false hope when he actually knows that there is no future between the 2 of them. We almost started arguing about the matter so I just made a decision
“ I don’t want to see that girl at my studio. Don’t you ever bring her here. Whatever you do don’t do it in my sight” I warned him.
“ John, am your client and I have paid to record. Whom I come with is not your business “ he was right at this point I felt like I lost the battle. Let me just mind my own business but the more I kept seeing that girl I felt bad because I was a family Friend to everyone. His wife was like a sister to me and I felt like am betraying her if I allow him to cheat. Moreover, this guy is not just a client he is also my friend. So I decided to bring up the matter after some days. I reminded him about what he used to go through and how I was there for him. I was the only friend who was there when he was sick. But again we talked and talked and didn’t agree. Until I made a tough decision
“ I give you 2 days if you won’t tell that girl the truth, I will tell her the truth myself” I told him
“ John, can you really do that? Are you serious? ” yes I was serious. After 2 days I made an appointment with the girl and I told my friend that I was going to tell her the truth. He didn’t agree but he couldn’t stop me either.
I met the girl at Cairo mall in town. She came with another friend. It was not easy to break her heart.
“ am sorry for being the carrier of bad news. I just want to tell you that your boyfriend is married. He has been lying to you “
She didn’t receive the news very well. She became angry and even started blaming me until her friend came to my rescue
“ Brenda , this man is a good man you can’t blame him. He has done a good thing to open your eyes”
“ am not telling you to break up with him. Am just telling you the truth so that whatever, you decide to do you do it willingly “ I told her. She immediately called my friend to confirm
“ hello, is it true that you’re married?” she put him on loud speaker
“ yes, babe. Am sorry I didn’t know how to tell you “ he answered
“ but I asked you and you refused . I will stop taking the pills so that am pregnant you will see” she hang up and walked away. She was very upset she didn’t even say bye. I remained with her friend for a while
“ I know she is upset but talk to your friend. If she decide to become pregnant she will just make things worse. My friend will soon go back to his wife in Livingstone and she will remain alone” her friend promised to talk to her and thanked me for telling her the truth. I never saw that girl again.
My client finished recording his album and he returned to Livingstone while his producer remained mixing the songs. This incident didn’t affect our friendship at all. We continued being friends and After a month his album was ready. we arranged that I should take it to him as I had a show in Livingstone. Me and 2 other big artists were hired to perform in choma and Livingstone. The show in choma went well then we proceeded to Livingstone. As we waited to perform we went to see my client who was very excited to be visited by 3 big artists. Even his neighbours were surprised to see us. While there I gave him the master copy of his album and he went to bath as we waited for him in his house because he also wanted to join us at the show. His wife was not there. My fellow artists were going through a photo album while I was busy watching a program I found on TV.
“ hey John, who is this girl?” the other artist asked me. I looked at the photo and I told him it was the wife to my client.
“ what? This is his wife? Oh no” he laughed
“ what do you mean, do you know her?”
“ Oh yes, I do. I know this girl” then he started laughing such that we all became anxious
“ just tell us , how do you know her” the other artist asked him
“ I remember, this girl. I had a show at NIPA collage and she came with her friends. “ he said while looking around to see if my friend was there . We kept quiet and we could hear waters from the shower so we knew he was still bathing
“ then what?” I asked . I knew where the story was going
“ yes, I did it. I took her out and I spent the whole night with her” we all laughed and I was not surprised with my fellow musician because I knew him and I had no doubt But I was surprised to hear that the wife to my client can do such a thing. Suddenly my client came in. “ hey guys. Have you seen my wife? She is not just here” he showed them the same picture and they pretended like nothing happened
“ woo. She is beautiful, well done bro” after that we went to she show. When coming back I kept thinking about his wife and weather what my fellow artist said is true. To test this I asked my client where his wife went for school and weather she also loves music.
“ she was at NIPA and she loves music very much. Sometimes she goes to concerts with her friends “ he even told me her favourite musicians and I knew that what the other artist said may be true but I didn’t say anything. I just felt guilty because previously I was stopping him from cheating on his wife but hearing about his wife going out with musicians made me confused. “ maybe it happened before they got married “ I encouraged myself.
After some months I had another show in Livingstone and I arranged to meet my client because we were planning to do a video for one of his songs. I went with another friend who wasn’t a musician just to escort me. When we reached his home we didn’t find him. He told us to go to his parents home. By then I was a close family friend and I knew most of his relatives and where they lived. We sat outside waiting for him. I saw people walking in and out of the house. Something was happening. It seemed like a family meeting and we heard voices shouting and quarrying. Suddenly a young boy came out running. Shortly my client came out running after him followed by his mother. He had something in his hands
“ please he is your brother, have mercy don’t kill him “ his mother shouted as she followed him
“ he is very stupid. I will kill him. He can’t do this to me. After all have done for him he disrespect me and sleep with my wife “ my client shouted as he tried to persure the boy. They all ran out of sight. The is crazy. I knew that my client had a young brother who was in grade 11 and he was the one paying for his school. He was usually not home because he was in boarding school. Now hearing that the same boy was sleeping with his wife made me sick. I could believe what I was hearing. Even the person I was with was very surprised.
“ I think we have come at a wrong time. Let’s just go” I told my friend . So went away and didn’t see my client for some time. After some days he called me and he confirmed that yes, that’s what happened and because of that he was shifting back to Lusaka with his wife. In his talking he was blaming his young brother more than his wife.
“ I want to be away from these people. I can’t stand seeing the boy. So am coming to Lusaka and we will do the video when am there” he told me on phone. I didn’t ask or say much about this issue as it was too sensitive
After a month or so. My client moved back to Lusaka and we continued with the music. We did a video of one of his songs. I featured in the song and video and even his wife was there. We then started promoting his music. My studio was not doing promotions. It was just a recording studio but because we became friends I used to help him promote his music. Connecting him to DJs and taking him to shows so that he can perform also. One time I slept at his place after coming from a show. My client went to sleep and left me with his wife at the living room. As we talked I thought about what have heard about her and couldn’t believe she is that kind of a person. We talked about music and she looked very decent didn’t show any sign of doubt until she went to sleep. That day I made a decision
“ whatever my friend does I will never be concerned or interfere in his personal life” I told myself. Weather he has a girlfriend or sleeps around its not my business. From that time I just focused on music and whatever happens to him I didn’t want to involve myself. Even if I hear that he is sick I will not panic. So life continued and we kept doing music with my client.
“ John, you hate me now days. What have I done?” he asked me one day after noticing the distance I gave him.
“ am just busy boi. Don’t worry you haven’t done anything wrong?” I just didn’t want to be too involved in his crazy life.
“ How are you going to write a book about me if you’re not close?” we used to joke that I should write a book about his life.
One day , I was performing out of town then I received sad news that my client is DEAD. I was shocked coz a few weeks I spoke to him and he was OK. As I wondered whether the news was true or not his mother called me and confirmed that he passed away.
“ your friend has committed suicide. We are taking his body to Livingstone where he will be buried” I didn’t had chance to go to his funeral. By the time I came from my show the burial had passed. But I arranged to meet his uncle to hear more about his death.
“ I hear he committed suicide, what really happened?” I asked him.
“ I can’t tell you much details but yes, he committed suicide”
“ Did he leave any note or message?”
His uncle told me my friend left a note when he poisoned himself but he didn’t want to tell me the details because its a family issue.
“ am a family friend and you know I was there for him, at least you can tell me something about his death” I told him.
“ Well, the note was destroyed because they didn’t want people to know but I read it before they teared it”
“ what did it say, or just give me the summary of his message “
“ TODAY I LEAVE THIS WORLD BECAUSE OF MY WIFE. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DEATH” he refused to give me much details but confirmed that he killed himself because of his wife.
“ did anything else happen apart from the issue of his young brother?” I asked
“ John, a lot of scandals were happening in your friends life” he said as he went away. The same week I met his wife but I feared to ask much about his death because the note said she was responsible for his death. I just gave her my condolences and wished her well.
Oh my client, my friend. Its hard to believe you’re gone. Till we meet again.
MHSRIP
JC. Motivations
