The Common Case of Damian Vongcir

By Uyi Eguavoen

THE COMMON CASE OF DAMIAN VONGCIR


After five years of working at Landmark bank, Damian Vongcir was at the height of his career. He was pleased with his job and his life, believing it was taking the path that was meant for it until a single event changed the picture. A banking relationship he had introduced had been used to defraud the government. The bank moved to protect its own reputation and he was to take the fall. All of his past glory and good deeds no longer mattered. He was the villain.

While he waited for his fate, his marriage which had been overshadowed by his timeless devotion to his work was nearing the precipice. At that point he began to harbour doubts about the career path he has chosen.

By a stroke of fortune his luck turned. He struck a big deal that sent shock waves through the bank. It was like bringing home the Holy Grail and suddenly he was loved again. In the revelry of his accomplishment he fell into a brief moment of reflection from which he found the truth that freed him from all his fears. He must then make an inevitable decision- between work and family, fear and happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491879184

Uyi Eguavoen

Uyi Eguavoen was born on December 15, 1982, in Benin City, Nigeria. He graduated from the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Regional Planning. THE COMMON CASE OF DAMIAN VONGCIR is his first novel. Uyi Eguavoen currently lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Book preview

THE COMMON

CASE OF

DAMIAN VONGCIR

UYI EGUAVOEN

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AuthorHouse™ UK Ltd.

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Bloomington, IN 47403 USA

www.authorhouse.co.uk

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© 2013 by Uyi Eguavoen. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/18/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7917-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7916-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7918-4 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

APPRECIATION

My sister Ade and my brother Kelvin Eguavoen.

And my friends Ugonwa Achonwa and Bunmi Ajiboye.

To my father who would’ve been so proud

CHAPTER 1

Damian Vongcir was jolted from his sleep as the plane touched down on the runway. But he kept his eyes closed and he could hear the indistinctive voices of the other passengers, cheerful and almost jubilant. The speed slackened as the plane expended the last of its throttle power while it taxied towards its bay. He felt a sense of relief because he knew he was safe. He looked through the window, but the morning mist blurred his view of the long plain of grass field stretching far like a savannah. Outside, the sun was still out of view, and far across the airfield another plane leaped into the hazy skies. Now at the end of his journey, he felt a rush of impatience through his veins. He couldn’t wait to see again the city he had loved so much. He picked up his belongings and headed for the exit door. He was glad he had fled from Lagos.

Moments later, he was walking through the rowdy arrival lounge, looking through the crowd as if he was searching for someone he knew. There was a line of professional chauffeurs holding up tiny placards and other bystanders who were probably waiting to welcome their loved ones. He walked past; pretending not to notice because he knew there was no waiting embrace for him to walk into. The lady at the clearance desk welcomed him and as he walked away she said, ‘It’s July 11 today’. Damian turned and she smiled as if she was being thankful. He never understood why she had said that. He boarded a cab and rode into the city.

Damian had been away almost two years and Abuja hadn’t changed; the warm air and serene streets, the ubiquitous green cabs, the familiar turns and corners that he remembered so strongly that it was like he had never left. As the cab hurried, he felt a rush of excitement to have returned to the place that had once been his life. He was almost nostalgic. In that moment he wondered if he had made the right choice when he gave up Abuja for Lagos-a city he knew so little about. But now he knew he must make himself believe he had no regrets, and that he was purely glad to be back.

As he walked past the front porch of his house, knowing there was no embrace waiting to welcome him home, he smiled and then sighed. In his heart he knew what he felt—that it wasn’t the sense of fulfilment of the successful pilgrim and neither was it the disgrace of the vanquished soldier. It was the timing of his return that pleased him. He had successfully evaded his parents who had travelled to Jos, their traditional home, for a family wedding.

For the last ten years, Abuja had been Damian’s de-facto family home, thanks to his father who was fortunate enough to work for the federal government, and with him the entire family gladly followed from Jos. Damian had returned because he desperately needed a moment of escape from Lagos, from two testing years of working at Landmark bank and he knew he could find it here. That night, he slept in his old room and it seemed to him nothing had changed.

Two days later, he drove through the familiar arched entrance of the University of Abuja. It was the first time he had seen it since his graduation almost three years earlier. For one brief moment, it seemed as though he had travelled back into time. The memories came back, striking and vivid, of the long hallways of the faculty building, the dome roof of the library complex and the double decked beds of the hostel residence, and all of the people with whom he had spent his school days. He was back in a place that held a fond memory in the story of his life and he had no doubt that much of that story would be retold.

The walls of the old auditorium still had their pale look but the surroundings had changed. There was a lawn bordering both sides of the walk-way to the entrance, so that it almost looked like a garden. He walked steadily, knowing that he was right in time to catch the opening speech.

Inside, Austin Lapang stood tall on the podium, hands proudly on the lectern. His grey French suit and concave glasses made him look like a twentieth century Pentecostal preacher. He was in his element—his predictably conservative leanings would be on show—and with the audience right in front of him, there was no better moment for him to give his take. He thrived on moments like these, and today would be no different.

‘A man’s memoir—our memoir—is set before us, like a plot written upon us. It’s there beside us and in front of us. That’s a man’s path, and for his part he searches for truth, like the one in his heart, a very simple desire: the pursuit of happiness.

‘There’s more to a man’s heart: his fears, his doubts and confusions, his weakness and strength; his beliefs and disbeliefs, his faith and illusions. Yes! They were all there too, all mangled together, taking their turns to torment him.

‘But the road isn’t his alone to travel. He is surrounded by the presence of his own kind, his accomplices, and conspirators in the plot. He needs them to love and to beware. It’s only a noble duty he must perform.

‘His only gift is life, the beautiful maze joyfully trodden with a blindfold. Its corridors are littered with countless tables of chance and possibilities, with an army of danger and pitfalls waiting at every corner. So he must beware and be brave, and never perturbed with thoughts of his grave.

‘Then again, there’s death—his curse and cross. It’s the black door to the unknown that lurks in his path. It’s the incurable wart that grows unseen with a plan to surprise—the change agent that smashes all feats and glory, all expectations and pride, all fear of defeat and failure. But if he lives the life of a valiant, he will only taste of it but once, and once is all it takes. Even with all of his precautions, there are no promises. Why should he be bothered when it’s not in his hands?

‘However, it’s not all gloom and doom because there’s also free will, which is rightly his to possess. What a privilege and a trick, an odd pair walking side by side in sublime camouflage. So he can decide, because choice is also an offering, like a pack of cards—kings and queens, hearts and jokers, the ace of spades. Oh, yes! They are all his to play to his delight and pleasure. But there’s a flip side to the coin, because nothing is actually assured on his table. There are no guarantees, and no certainties. It’s all con, and he’s the hapless victim who casts a die with a six unsure, and even when luck avails, it’s just a two-faced fairy with its magic and treachery.

‘His only love: women; his Achilles heel that will never heal. It’s an irony that can’t be resolved. A woman is the only creature that can make him unhappy, and still he holds no grievance against her. It has to be a virtue, one among his few. The truth is that he need not be bothered, because they’ve been there from the beginning and have always kept their place. Some things just won’t change, it seems, or maybe they are better off the same. But what does he care when he needs them for their touch and comfort? Women will always be a part of his life’s story; a story which is best told with hindsight that sadly offers no benefit.

‘Let’s not dwell on this. The day is young, and this tale shouldn’t be long. We must proceed at once.’

Damian listened intently with a suppressed smile on his face, as Austin had never truly come close to amusing him. He had always thought of Austin as an eccentric and oftentimes deluded intellectual, a chauvinistic exponent who deserved to be ignored. But in this very moment, he was convinced that he could have been wrong, because Austin suddenly became too difficult to ignore. And for the first time, as much as he hated to admit it, Austin had his admirable attention. It might have been out of curiosity that Damian had taken Austin’s words to heart, and one part was most difficult for him to ignore—women.

Austin was very much his old self, except for the delay and calmness in his voice, as if mellowed and burdened with age. In the last four years, he’d been the dean of the faculty of social sciences of the university and had made it a tradition of having the honour of the introductory speech at every alumni dinner. Damian had decided to attend simply for the reunion and the camaraderie with his old dear friends. And as he sat in the warmness of his return, in a false and failed attempt to be anonymous, he felt an unusual deep sense of satisfaction. Everyone he cared to see was here, and it pleased him, just as much as the six missed calls from Voke Ekaa that he saw on his phone.

Far across the aisle sat Frederick Bantu, and two rows away was Benedict Timjul and Eldoo Kowa sitting side by side, just like in the old school days. Eldoo was first to notice Damian’s presence, and she waved with a rosy smile on her face. Benedict smiled at him, too, and then raised his right thumb, an old gesture that nicely lived on. Damian gave a military-style salute and nodded his head contently. Damian heard his name whispered, so he turned around and saw William Weahyen, one of the finest minds he’d ever known. There was always that air of meekness about William; it was like a purity exuding from his aura. He never cheated; he always gave without caring about what he would receive. His charm always drew people to him, and those who got close enough literally became attached. He was the only male who had ever had that effect on Damian, and William was one of the reasons that made the 479-mile journey from Lagos worthwhile. Damian had always wanted to see him again.

All over the hall, Damian could see a kaleidoscope of familiar faces—some he could place, and others he just couldn’t be bothered with. But an exchange of short, friendly glances and smiles of recognition flew across the hall, and in one such moment he had caught the face of Emilia Otteh, an old acquaintance who reminded him of his ex-girlfriend Uju.

Damian was consciously relishing the thoughts of the school days when he believed all that was said and taught. Though life had since taken many turns and some of his views had become somewhat skewed, there were many things he was still sure of and others he just didn’t care about anymore. But he was in no way close to losing his faith on the grounds upon which he had always stood.

The evening progressed with other speeches and paper presentations, and much ado about planned school projects. But nothing could impress Damian more than Austin’s speech. It was nothing close to anything he’d ever heard from him back in his school-days classes, even though he had never paid that much attention to him before now. But on this occasion, Damian felt like a portion of his mind had been unveiled to a new light and it seemed he could suddenly see differently.

Moments later everyone gathered in the crystal hall for dinner. They picked a corner table for six—Damian, William, Frederick, Eldoo, and Benedict. Damian sat at the head of the table, more out of chance than design, and if he wasn’t so self-effacing, he might have attached importance to it.

As they sat engrossed in banter, William had stayed silent, seemingly in pensive thought as was always typical of him. Suddenly, his voice came through the melee of voices.

‘What do you make of Austin’s speech?’ he asked. His calm and assuring voice silenced everyone. For a brief moment, all eyes turned on Damian as if demanding an answer.

‘I haven’t given it a thought, William,’ Damian said. He had tried to be coy, because he wasn’t sure of what he should say. ‘How about you, William, what do you think?’

‘Vintage,’ William said, ‘best I’ve heard of him.’

‘I didn’t admire him then, and I don’t admire him now,’ Benedict said. Everyone laughed except for William and Damian. It was as if only the two of them could relate to Austin, except for Frederick, for whom no one could actually tell. He wasn’t always so open in his opinions, and in most cases it was best never to rely on it.

‘Can we please let Austin and his sermon be and just have a good time?’ Eldoo said. ‘We shouldn’t forget why we are here; I’m already getting bored.’ It was quite typical of Eldoo to banter in rapture, and she had never taken to ill-timed talk. She and Benedict had been together since their second year in the university and had gone on to tie the knot. They both spoke the same language and shared the same thoughts on almost everything. They were the same kind.

‘I know you’ve apologized for not making it to our wedding and almost certainly would want to do it all over again,’ Benedict said to Damian. ‘But apologies not accepted.’

‘Why didn’t you show up,’ Eldoo asked.

Damian blushed and held his forehead in his palm. He sighed and then smiled almost remorsefully. He was at a loss for words and was thinking of an escape excuse that wouldn’t be lamely apologetic. ‘I was occupied and couldn’t cut myself loose,’ he said.

‘Landmark Bank,’ Eldoo said almost disapprovingly. ‘It has to be.’ She suddenly turned on a sarcastic but friendly smirk, which she then replaced with a cynical smile on her rosy, happy face. ‘You’ve got to watch it, Damian, because you’re drifting slowly,’ she said. Benedict shook his head in a way that could easily suggest it had previously been discussed.

‘You’re one of our best friends, but you chose to stay away,’ Eldoo said to Damian. A look of hurt and disappointment crossed her face that demanded an apology. Damian felt guilty. But he wasn’t going to let it pass without taking a shot at his defense.

‘I was tied up in a difficult and awkward circumstance, but honestly I tried to make it to your wedding,’ Damian said.

‘It’s okay,’ Eldoo said, ‘you’ve always been too hard not to forgive.’

Damian was secretly stunned, as no one has ever said that to him before. He had always judged himself as the puritan who walked across the face of the earth doing good, or being seen to be doing so. And here he was trying to recall if there had been a time when he truly needed forgiveness from anyone. But again, what did it really matter? He was human, and so was everyone else.

CHAPTER 2

In his first two years at Landmark Bank, Damian had mastered the act of deception that even the vilest of swindlers would be envious of. Because it came in handy for his banking trade, it nicely served his purpose and he made sure it never found a path to his conscience. While he had so easily succeeded, it was never quite the same finding a shield against the punches that came with being a bank marketer, which had almost become the bane of his life. With a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology, learning the banking ropes was backbreaking. There was so much of its unorthodox culture he wasn’t quite cut out for: like telling lies to people and making promises he wasn’t sure he could keep. There was also the constant salvo of daily harangue at the office that had become ingrained that it had become the modus vivendi. It was partly because the drama was threatening to become unbearable that he needed a break from it all. It was like a tactical military retreat with a plot to regroup and attack the enemy.

While at the table, William had his eyes fixed on Damian with a subtle look of curiosity. He was trying to see through him. ‘You look defeated,’ he said to Damian. ‘It’s like life’s been taking more than it’s been giving.’ He calmly stroked his glass with his right forefinger and his curiosity switched to a look of satisfactory intelligence. It was a look he always used when he was so sure of himself. All eyes suddenly turned towards Damian, as if they were trying to see what William had seen. Damian was puzzled.

‘Please speak,’ Eldoo jokingly nudged Damian. A combination of a wry smile and a wince came across Damian’s face. He exhaled and adjusted slightly in his seat.

‘Sure life’s been taking and giving, but I can’t tell where the balance tilts,’ Damian said. ‘But I know we’re far from being even.’

‘You must identify the balance,’ Frederick said, ‘There has to be a balance.’

It was the first time he spoke, and Eldoo was the first to notice.

‘I almost feared you were never going to speak,’ she said to Frederick. ‘It seemed as if you weren’t here with us. I never could understand why you always seem to use your words with practical economy.’

‘I’ve heard that before,’ Frederick said.

‘Then hear it again and make sure to keep it in mind,’ Eldoo said.

‘You shall have your wish,’ Frederick replied.

Frederick seldom spoke, except when he was struck with an interesting note that was too hard to ignore. But he was always full of words when engaged in direct conversation. His reticence could sometimes pass for shyness, while at other times it could easily be judged as a façade.

‘If life should take more than it gives, there’s that danger that at some point it’ll become too much for us and we just might run out,’ Frederick said. ‘It has to be seen to owe us, because if it stops owing, we stop living.’

‘You almost sound like Austin,’ Eldoo said. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s slowly rubbing off on you.’ Her comment had clearly amused Frederick, and he began to smile.

‘I agree with you, Frederick,’ Damian said, ‘and I’m certain life still owes me, which means I’ll be living for a long time to come.’

‘What does it owe you?’ William casually asked.

‘Happiness,’ Damian said.

‘Oh my God, are you unhappy?’ Eldoo asked. It was just one of her usual dramatic antic, and everyone laughed in unison.

‘No, I’m not unhappy,’ Damian replied, ‘but I could use more of it, just like the rest of us.’

‘And what exactly will make you happier than you are now?’ William asked him.

Damian remained silent, as he had no ready answer. But he knew he had to improvise an answer. He leaned forward from his slightly slouching position and placed both elbows on the table.

‘To live without fear and illusion,’ Damian said.

‘How does one live without fear and illusion?’ William asked. He was eager and almost impatient as he waited for his answer.

‘For me, it’s being able to identify what matters; being able to tell the difference between the necessary and the important, and reaching that point where I can accept that victory doesn’t always depend on how much one schemes and plan,’ Damian said.

Eldoo sat back in her chair. For the first time that evening she looked sombre. It was as if she was struggling to relate to what Damian had said. Her chin rested in her palm, and her eyes were fixed on Damian. ‘That sounds humane,’ she said as she sipped water from her glass.

‘I hope that’s open to you at Landmark,’ Benedict said to Damian. ‘You should be living the dream by now.’

‘Well, I’ve never really given it a thought,’ Damian said. ‘Dreams are what we make of them; finding it is one thing, living it is another, and telling the difference is often the tricky part.

‘So are you living the dream?’ Eldoo asked.

‘I’ve never given it a thought,’ Damian replied.

‘You’re lying,’ she said.

‘I’m not disputing that,’ Damian said.

Benedict turned to Damian and said, ‘I think of you as the quintessential dream of many, and quite possibly most.’ ‘You’re a young middle executive in an A-graded bank with a seven-digit wage bounty, though you won’t readily admit it. Not to mention, Anthony Pepple is your boss. There are lots people who will give everything to walk your shoes.’

‘Well, I believe that almost certainly goes for some of us too,’ Damian said. ‘I’m in so many ways a lesser example to your success in the real estate business and there’s no debating the fact that there’re quite a handful of people that will crave to walk your shoes.’ Damian lifted his glass in a toasting gesture towards Benedict and Eldoo, and a bashful smile came upon their faces. Damian knew what their smiles meant. Modesty and privacy was one of their many virtues, and it had always been their habit to keep a low profile. Out of respect for their unspoken wish, Damian spoke no further.

For the most of the one hour they had