Chapter 7: Palm Grove Quarters

Young master na old madam pikin, na only true son remain for this hundred-year-old Olatunde house.

Everybody dey fear young master. E no dey shout, but if e talk, even Chief dey listen. Dem say na luck carry am reach here—other sons don waka, na only am stand.

Compare to us wey life no get value, young master na gold.

Young master tall, skin fine like fresh bread, eye sharp like person wey sabi book. E fit sit for ground, chop with chief, play ayo with elders. Even the way e dey waka, na class.

Now, e own Palm Grove Quarters, where e dey stay alone, dem build am for three years. Everywhere fine, with different level, carved pillar, painted roof, winding corridor, rock, fish pond, everything for all season.

As I enter Palm Grove Quarters, breeze dey blow fine, palm tree dey line compound, everywhere neat, frog dey sing for gutter, moonlight dey shine for veranda. For here, you fit forget your wahala small.

Old madam and chief wife plan for two months before dem arrange full staff for the place: two senior madams, two first-class maids, four second-class maids, eight third-class maids, and twelve ordinary maids.

Na parade ground. Every level get their own uniform, get their own duty. As staff plenty, everybody dey hustle make young master notice am.

The two madams be Madam Morayo, old madam servant—sharp woman; and Nanny Halima, young master nurse—caring woman.

Madam Morayo get sharp tongue. Nanny Halima dey always dey smile, dey pet young master like egg. If quarrel start, na Madam Morayo go settle am.

First-class maid Fola na chief wife send am—sharp, sabi sew, fine like flower. I be the other first-class maid. Young master, dey joke with my name and Fola own, call me Ife—say I sabi cook and tea.

Fola be like TV star, yellow, eye dey shine. She dey sew cloth, fix young master collar. As for me, na kitchen be my office—tea, snack, anything wey go make young master smile.

Fola fine, smart, and lively, quick become close to young master, dey serve am everywhere. To bath am, change cloth, add perfume, na Fola dey do am.

If person see the way Fola dey waka, you go think say na young madam she be. She sabi use perfume, fit comb young master hair like say she dey do magic.

Me, na all the wahala work I dey do: food, tea, see guest, manage supply—plenty small small work. But I no dey complain. Any work wey dem give beast of burden, I dey do am well.

Even when I dey tired, I go hide am. I dey manage kitchen, arrange store, wash plate, still get time fry puff-puff for young master.

No too long, I don sabi everything young master like: e like blue Ankara, love cursive writing, dey enjoy harmattan breeze on top palm trees, dey drink Ogi tea, like four-color coconut cake.

I dey watch as e dey touch cloth, dey hum song. If e ask for Ogi, I go add honey, because I sabi say e like am. Every small detail, I dey keep am for mind.

Whether young master face up or down, I dey read am. E begin rely on me more and more.

Sometimes, when e vex, na me e go call make I bring tea. If e happy, na me go hear the first joke. Na so trust dey grow, small small.