A sweet sensation of nothingness filled the air as I opened my pot. I was home alone. I had been so engrossed in work that I forgot Julie had taken the day off. The previous day she had walked into the section I called office in my two bedroom apartment. Sir, I humbly request to be relieved of duty tomorrow. Her words struck me like the piercing of a nail through the flat surface of a wood. My pen which had continuously romanced the clean white sheets on my table for about an hour suddenly stopped. How will I survive without Julie? I thought. I got a hold of myself and I looked at her. Why? I asked. The word came out sharp and quick.
My mum has been ill and she asked to see me. Oh! Sorry about that, tell her I send my regards I said. I was quiet for a while; silence clouded the milieu and the thought of Julie as a messiah crossed my mind. It’s been six months since she resumed duty as my house help and I had never had a reason to do anything else outside my desk. She did things before I requested them. It was like she knew my every need and met them. Take two days; I said. Not wanting to give an impression that I couldn’t live well without her. My stomach grumbled as my lids surveyed the emptiness of my aluminum pot. There and then I asked myself; what was I thinking? I mean what devil made me relief her of duty for two days? With my hands on my bald scalp my eyes rested on the heap of garri enclosed in a transparent container. I eaved a sigh of relief; what an escape route! Garri to the rescue I thought.