The Night Shift Episode One

Dr Nat is 50 years old. He has being a medical doctor for 25 years. He has been married to his wife, Binta for 23 years. They have two children but they have all grown up and left the house to attend university. While Dr Nat was the quiet type who hardly talks, his wife, Binta was a nagging woman, a troublesome fellow. She could use her mouth to finish anyone. She likes gossips and she has refused to do any form of work since her husband married her. Binta’s children resemble her and she has turned them against their father. Each time they are around, they take turn to insult their father and their mother does nothing to stop them. They treat him like a piece of trash.

The family is rich because Dr Nat has worked for a foreign owned hospital in Abuja for more than 20 years. Interestingly, his salary goes into his wife’s account. Since he started working at the hospital, all the monies he earned went into his wife’s bank account. It so happened that when he was employed, he was asked to bring an account number for his salary and he submitted his wife’s own. Binta had vowed to make life hellish for him if he dared use his own personal account to receive his salary. Dr Nat obeyed his wife because he was afraid she would beat him. Yes, Binta often beats her husband. Sometimes, she joins hands with her children to beat Dr Nat. Each time Dr Nat wants to spend money on himself, he would always go to his wife to request for money like a child. When his fellow men ask him why he does not have his own personal bank account or money, he lied to them that he and his wife were operating a joint account. He was always ashamed to admit that his salary goes into his wife’s account.

This was how Dr Nat was living for the past 23 years. He was always afraid of his wife and children. He always looked like a houseboy despite working and earning a lot of money. He serves himself food at home because his wife and children always refuse to treat him like the man of the house. Many days, it was Dr Nat who comes home from work to cook while his wife relaxes and watches TV. Dr Nat was what many people would ‘woman wrapper.’

One day, Dr Nat was overwhelmed with emotions and he was crying in his office. He did not know that a patient was coming in to see him. The patient’s name was Chi Chi. Dr Nat tried to wipe his tears but Chi Chi had already seen him crying. He was thoroughly embarrassed. Even though Chi Chi was very sick and had come to consult Dr Nat, she could not do the consultation without asking the man what was making him cry.

“Good morning Dr Nat. I know I’m here for health checkup, but I just want to know why you are crying. What is making you cry this early morning? Please, you can talk to me, I’m a relationship counsellor and I can help you if you have anything disturbing your mind. Why are you crying? In my Igbo culture, it is not good for an elderly man to cry like this. Even as I’m looking at you, I feel like crying after I saw your tears. What is the problem sir? Share it with me because a problem shared is a problem half-solved.” Chi Chi said to Dr Nat, but he initially refused to open up to her.

“There is no problem. Please, come over here let me check your vitals. Don’t mind my tears, it is nothing.” Dr Nat lied.

“I insist you should tell me what your problem is. I might be of help to you.” Chi Chi said. After he saw that Chi Chi might mean well, Dr Nat sat down on his table and decided to open up to her. It was the first time he was telling anyone his family problem. He was always afraid to tell people because his wife might hear and beat him. But the problem is going beyond him, so he decided to share it with Chi Chi who seems to be a nice lady.

“If I tell you that my wife beats me, will you believe me? In fact, she joins hands with my two children to beat me. If I tell you that my salary as a medical doctor does not go into my bank account, will you believe me? If I tell you that I have been working for the past 25 years but I don’t have any savings of my own, will you believe me? If I tell you that my monthly salary as a senior medical doctor is N5 million, but I don’t have proper shoes and clothes, will you believe me? If I tell you that my wife gangs up with her family to treat me like a slave, will you believe me? I have faced a lot of problems in this life and all the issues come from my wife. Getting married to her was a great mistake.” Dr Nat said tearfully. More tears rolled down from his eyes. This time around, Chi Chi did not tell him to stop crying.

“Wow! I have never heard this kind of thing before. I never knew a woman is capable of maltreating a man like this. I think you should cry more, because crying actually helps to clear your head in this type of situation. But if I tell you that I can help you, would you believe me? If I tell you that I will be the solution to your problem, would you believe me? Would you allow me to help you out?” Chi Chi asked tearfully. She too started crying because of Dr Nat’s touching story.

“I will allow you to help me. Whatever you say I should do, I will do it.” Dr Nat said.

“Can you come to my house this night? Let us stay together and talk.” Chi Chi asked.

“No, ah! You want my wife to deal with me? If I try it, she will show me pepper. She does not allow me to visit people.” Dr Nat said.

“Why are you behaving like a child? You are not going to tell her you are going to visit another woman. Just tell her you are going to the hospital for a nightshift. That’s all.” Chi Chi said.

“That sounds like a good idea. But, the problem is that each time I come for a nightshift at the hospital, the next morning, my wife usually comes to check to see if I actually worked at the hospital at night. She always wants to know if I took the opportunity and visited somewhere else. That is the problem.” Dr Nat said emotionally. Chi Chi was surprised.

“Alright, I will come to the hospital to meet you. Just come to the hospital in the evening, I will also come here. We can now use your office. Or I will be admitted to one of the private wards as a patient. All you have to do is to come there and meet me. That way, you will not leave the hospital, and your wife will not know that you spoke to another woman. Is that cool by you?” Chi Chi asked. Dr Nat nodded his head. He started smiling because he liked the strategy.

Chi Chi is 40 years old and she is looking for a man who would marry her. She was desperate to get married as soon as possible. She sees Dr Nat as a great opportunity.

“Since his wife is pushing him away and treating him badly, let me grab him with two hands. I will coach him and make him to stand up for himself as a man. Then he will divorce his wife and marry me.” Chi Chi said to herself.

Later in the evening, Chi Chi came to the hospital dressed in a beautiful way. She was admitted to a ward because she claimed she was very sick. When she entered the ward, Dr Nat came to meet him. She looked so beautiful and Dr Nat could not resist looking at her continuously.

To be continued….

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