Koboko

CHAPTER ONE

The Rain Man

It was a Saturday morning, the night before was pretty rough, the sun seemed to come up so early and I had to resume my investigation. Previous days seemed to be more confusing than the latter, but I had this strong belief that something was just going to pop up somehow.

After the early morning chores which was observed religiously by my family members, I went to visit a friend and colleague of mine, Solomon Grumpy. He was also in on the investigation.

From his house, we went to our popular joint where we settle down to collate ideas and match them up somehow until they didn't really add up. Madam NaSo Cabaret was indeed the ideal place where people peeled in and out to get suitable drinks and liquor. Some would hang around to eat what was available while others just took themselves out to have some fun and mostly share information over a bottle or two of soda.

We would sit at the extreme end of the cabaret where no one would actually bother us or even notice us and then we'd pool ideas of recent happenings in Nigraville until this fateful day.

A young man in his early 30s walked into the cabaret and approached the counter. He took a stool and made himself comfortable. Even ordered a mug full of chilled beer and ran the contents down his throat, one heavy gulp after the other.

Solomon Grumpy was the first to notice him enter the restaurant. ‘I know everybody in Nigraville, but I've never seen this man before’, he muttered.

“Are you sure about this?” I inquired.

OH how I loved Solomon Grumpy, careless and fearless. He was so extroverted and melancholic. “Yes, I am very sure NC.” and he stood up and approached the new guy.

Could I really stop him? No, I couldn't. Even before I could say a word or two to stop him, he was already settling down beside him.

I could only observe as they talked, laughed and shook hands as Solomon Grumpy returned to our spot while the man left the cabaret with a hearty wave to Solomon Grumpy.

“Fill me in, bro. What the heck just happened?” I curiously inquired.

“First of all, he's not our koboko guy, and secondly,  he's just visiting.”

“Really? That was all you got for the 46minutes you were with him?”

“Yeah. But the information worthy of note is the Rain man.”

“The Rain Man?” I asked soaking myself in a delicious mystery that's about to unfold.

“Yes! He said he was looking for the Rain Man in Nigraville. Actually, he was told he could find the Rain Man in Nigraville.”

“The Rain Man?” I asked him, trying to get clarification, maybe, trying to get involved in this swirling mystery yet to unfold. “What did he need the Rain Man for?”.

“Whatever he needed the Rain Man for was not stated by him. However, I did tell him I'd look into it for him and we'll get in touch soon.”

“You did what?”

“Don't worry. It's probably those rain maker mysteries that has to do with stalling the rains since an important event would take place or making it fall if there had not been rain in the land. You understand it better.”

“Do you think they're related?!” I asked in disbelief. He was actually signing up for trouble, but if he was right, I'd have worried for nothing. “So, what is the plan? Aren't we delving away from the koboko mystery into something else?”

“Don't worry, everything would play out right in due time.” He assured and carelessly lost his grip on the bottle of soda he was banqueting from. The bottle traveled towards another stranger who was sitting just adjacent to us.