The Foreign Bastard

Charles Ndubueze Akuneme

Description

Koko is a migrant worker who thinks that he is clever enough to outsmart his employers and other people who do business with them. But the issue of culture shock or difference, a different civilisation, lifestyle and level of technology will certainly implicate him and disrupt his effort.
The Foreign Bastard is the verdict of the foreign environment he finds himself in, as he gradually navigates his way to survival and adaptation.

Sujets

• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse UK
• Date de parution: 27 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823080385
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Foreign Bastard
 
Based on a True Migrant’s Story
 
 
 
 
 
Charles Ndubueze Akuneme
 
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™ UK
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403 USA
www.authorhouse.co.uk
Phone: UK TFN: 0800 0148641 (Toll Free inside the UK)
UK Local: (02) 0369 56322 ([phone] from outside the UK)
 
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Charles Ndubueze Akuneme. 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  01/27/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8039-2 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8038-5 (e)
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
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
Characters in the Foreign Bastard
Dedication
1 THE SIGHT OF WORK
2 THE COST OF LIVING
3 LEO IN A CAGE
4 A METHOD OF MADNESS
5 SITTING UP
6 WORK RULES
7 A LIFE ON THE LINE
8 A RISKY AFFAIR
9 LEO AGAIN
10 HIDE AND SEEK
11 THE MERRY GO AROUND
12 ORDER!
13 A CRAZY WORLD
14 DREADFUL WORLDS
15 A CLASSIC STORY
16 A TIMELY ADVICE
17 A POT OF MERCY
18 THE HOT ZONE
19 A LEGEND FOR REAL
20 HASSLES
21 ISSUE
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 CONTAINING A DRAMATIC SITUATION
30 AS COOL AS COOL CAN BE
31 A WICKED REST
32
33
34
Characters in the Foreign Bastard
Manager Sean - Site Manager
Syd - Asst. Site Manager
Fat Bastard - Hardliner Foreman
Dave - Laid-Back Foreman
Andrew - New Manager
Will - New Foreman
Trevor - Andrew’s Visitor
Koko - Security Guard
Leo - Koko’s Colleague
Hutch - Later Security Guard
Big Jim - Elderly Forklift Driver
Crazy African/Maza - Another Forklift Driver
Vidas - Forklift Driver (Eastern European)
Blarus - Forklift Driver (Albanian)
Tim - Sacked Security Guard
John - Sleeping Security Guard
Garth - Labourer/Pail Loader Driver
Dedication
To my parents, Daniel and Elizabeth, of blessed memory, who first started the migrant trail, my big sister Cynthia and her husband Anene Nwakibu.
I also thank my wife Lilian Adamaka, her brother Melum Anyacho, my friends Bob Reeves, Terry John White and his wife Debbie, who informally adopted me as a son.
Tony Wakiki Akuneme, Eddy Jesus Akuneme, Dr. Ikwuoma Akuneme, Cletus Ikwuwunna, of blessed memory, Patricia, his wife, Mrs. Oluchi Nnawugo, and so many others.
 
RESUME : Koko is a migrant worker who thinks that he is clever enough to outsmart his employers and other people who do business with them. But the issue of culture shock or difference, a different civilisation, lifestyle and level of technology will certainly implicate him and disrupt his effort.
The Foreign Bastard is the verdict of the foreign environment he finds himself in, as he gradually navigates his way to survival and adaptation.
AUTHOR : Charles Ndubueze Akuneme was born to Daniel Nkemakolam Akuneme and Elizabeth Ogbenyealu Akuneme, of Ubogwu, Awo-Omamma, Oru-East, Imo State, Nigeria.
He attended Government Secondary School, Owerri, Imo State between 1977 and 1982, and Holy Ghost Juniorate, Ihiala, Anambra State, Nigeria, between 1982-1983.
He graduated from the former Imo State University (now Abia State University, Uturu) in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in English Language and Literature.
I saw Biafra is his first novel (2004) and Black Girl (2008) his second.
He also published a short story titled Chidi The Handicapped Boy (2005).
1 THE SIGHT OF WORK
A t last, all the expectations of the foreigner came to an abrupt end. Then the daunting prospect of total failure played ceaselessly on his mind getting further into the depths where he also wondered if he could ever feel or find signs of life. Or reassurance. Again there, he forlornly strove to see what, if anything, could help him survive the onslaught. And if he ever held a job or had any means to sustain life, that would, without a doubt, offer him a fairly good lifeline, as well as a decent peace and place among the living. Without the slightest, odd thought for tomorrow, or bother, as to dwelling on things he couldn’t simply change. Without having so much to think about or fear for, too.
At the heart of the life led in the metro lay grave individuality. The foreigner, it must be said, faired fairly better, as riding his luck made up for all the bottlenecks or oddities, as well as made all the difference. Did it matter, therefore? All the restrictions!
Wherever it was, the place of work presented life, including its grim aspects, afresh. Then, as well, the people therefore represented virtually all the nuances of life and living that the outside world equally stood for or defended stoutly.
The security hut, shimmering in the late morning sun, hardly stood for anything serious or gainly, except for the endless daily registrations. And banter. And F-word!
Presently, a man in a pair of steel, toe-capped boots strode vivaciously towards it, and, then, finally made a personable appearance within it.
“He called you a foreign bastard!” That was the site manager making an indictment and, in the process, referring to an incident concerning a delivery trailer driver. “I mean”, Manager Sean pursued vigorously, “If you wanted to be funny, you’d report him to Race Relations! And no one would blame you for that! Nor for a court action, if you so wanted. It’s very serious; so, so very serious, I tell you,” he said. For a brief while, the security guard in the middle of all this seemed shell shocked, and therefore dumbfounded.
“Is that what he said?” He managed to ask, sounding as well like an idiot.
“Yes! It’s not a gamble, I assure you. You could get him into a whole lot of trouble, if you want”, Manager Sean prodded further, his eyes glistening.
“Upon all I did for him”, Koko, the security guard, began to say, laidback wise, “I told him how to reverse, then I guided him carefully into the loading bay”, he bitterly recounted.
“You tell me that! He said you were an idiotic banksman who did not have a clue about his job. Anyway, I said I must tell you. Never mind”, Manager Sean intoned with both angst and reconciliation, patting Koko on the back. As he turned to leave, his gaze fell on a graffiti rendition of Hitler’s Swastika audaciously posted against an old, dirty wall nearby. As he curiously regarded it, especially the obviously irrelevant inscription-C12-below it, his countenance tightened, somewhat. Just then, Leo, an Off-duty security guard, came bounding up.
“Aren’t you going to go home, or have you no home to go to?” The site manager heckled, his harsh and incisive tone unmistakable. It stung Leo like a wasp, leaving him dumbfounded. “Eh, sir, he’s waiting for our manager,” Koko rose quickly to his fellow’s defence.
“Are they a couple, or travelling mates, or something of that sort? I don’t seem to get the point here. Someone, help me, please,” Manager Sean showed indignation at a regular feature of most foreigners, albeit not in the least willing to be taken for a ride. “No Sir; the manager will send him money for a train ticket”, Koko impressed. “A train ticket! Why is that?” Manager Sean patiently demanded.
“It is because buses don’t get to this part of the U.K. from his place”, Koko explained.
“Blimey!” Manager Sean swore, “I mean, this is not an inquisition, or something of that sort. Buses certainly get to this place from anywhere. Unless you mean to talk about a much quicker mode of transportation, or the distance from which he commutes”. Manager Sean said. “We will see to that, sir,” Koko sought to douse the tense moment.
“Go on the internet; get connected by travel website. A whole load of things you can do. This is the U.K., by the way”, Manager Sean made a parting contribution.
“Man, you are in soup”, echoed Koko, as his mate began to enjoy a momentary respite which Manager Sean’s leaving offered. “You don’t say! While I was in the canteen, some workers contributed food for me. They thought I was poor, or hungry. Or something like that,” Leo intimated.
“Or in a real trouble they cannot fathom. You heard what he said. They don’t like seeing you hanging around after your own shift. Here, time is money. You needed to have heard what he was telling me before you came in, “Koko made a momentary pause in the course of his speech.
“What’s that? Anything serious?” Leo’s curiosity greatly belied his apprehension.
“Relax! Nothing of that sort; he was telling me about what that stubborn delivery trailer driver said”, Koko gave an audacious hint. “What about?” Leo asked, equally displaying apprehension by his furrowed face. “Do you mind him? Upon all I did for him! He had to call-he had the gut-I mean-to call me a foreign bastard”! Koko said.
“A foreign bastard! Leo re-echoed, shocked. Imagine that! I was petrified. Tell me: was I responsible- was it my fault that those tractors and cherry pickers and dumpers were strewn in his way?” Koko wallowed in self pity or deprecation.
“Never mind him or them. We know why we are here. As such, there is no amount of sh-t we wouldn’t take. The tortoise that was embroiled in shit inside the pit for two weeks, sudd