Johannesburg, SA, January 2004

"Funso called from London, England," Paola said, not giving any impression to his voice.

"Really? That's interesting. Who was she calling for?" replied Kenny as flatly as he could, keeping his voice low. Paola took a sip of his regular hot chocolate, and looked in Kenny's direction, "Who else, Kenny you keep pretending as if there is nothing between you and Funso, you like hiding behind a finger, don't you?" Kenny used his index finger to scratch the right lower part of his head, no one could be sure whether he was reacting to the unfolding discussion where his lies are about to be exposed or he was reacting to the grey hair that seems to be increasing in his lower temples, giving him major concern. Just as Paola thought he had nailed Kenny and was about to expose him, Kenny sat up and said, "I really do not know who is telling lies in this house, Funso is my cousin not my girlfriend. I am a Christian and I do not believe in the idea of polygamy, concubinage or keeping a mistress or mistresses. I am married and even though my wife is far away, it does not change the fact that I love her. What is the advantage anyway, of keeping a girl friend 5,000 miles away? If I am interested in extramarital affairs, I will go out and get one right across the street, stop pestering my life."

"People really do not care how much you know until they know how much you care," Paola teased.

"What does that mean?" Kenny slightly erupted. "I mean what do you mean by that? I hate it when people make jest of my integrity."

"Did I hear you say integrity? Does that word exist in this time and generation? This is why I argue with you. You are in the 21st century but you act like you are still in the Stone Age. Integrity died more than 40 centuries ago. No one in this age can claim to have an iota of integrity. Kenny stop deceiving yourself." Paola said, determined to let Kenny know he is not in his school of thought on many issues.

Riiiing-Riiiing!! Riiiing! Riiiing-Riiiing!! The phone rang. The double ring tone is an indication it's a long distance call. Kenny guessed it must be Funso calling back. He did not want to give the impression he was genuinely interested in the call so he was reluctant in answering the phone call or picking the hand set. Riiiing-Riiiing!! The phone rang again. Paola could not but laugh, "You will miss your mistress again, pick this phone." Kenny really thought it was Funso calling, he ignored Paola's sarcasm and went to pick up the phone.

"Hello, can I help you", looking unimpressed he gently dropped the phone, as he walked back to his lazy chair where he was 0reading.

"Its your call. I think it is from Nigeria or Kenya, I can't figure out the caller." Paola has genuinely been expecting his brother to call from Nigeria, as they have a business proposal they are working on so he quickly took the phone. "Hello Michael, what's up?" He queried to the phone. "I guess this is a wrong Number," still holding the ear piece to his left ear and holding his chocolate cup on his right hand. Then with his voice increasing he bellowed to the phone "I said wrong number, O ooo goodness me, there is no Patrick in this house," and he slammed the phone down.

Speaking to no one in particular, "People like wasting their money, you call a wrong number and I politely tell you that it's a wrong number and yet you are insisting it cannot be a wrong number. If you don't have value for your money and time, don't I have value for my precious time?" Then, stretching his right hand with his half-filled chocolate cup towards Kenny, he said, "Oh, Mr. Integrity are you also bearing Patrick? You never can tell." He walks in the direction of their spacious kitchen, grabs his cup of hot chocolate, takes a long sip and says to Kenny, "I think you need your dinner or this mining job is getting the better part of your sanity. I also hope its chocolate that you are drinking and not alcohol. The way you slam the phone on people, tease reliable friends, get irritated, and agitated on small issues nowadays gives me concern."

Kenny and Paola are not only flat mates, they are good friends. They met at university in 1976, in their native land. They studied the same Engineering course and both graduated as average students with second class lower degree. In 1977, Kenny claimed he had a dream that changed his life and since then he portrays himself as one of these born again people. He is politically conscious, with an in-depth analytical mind. Not only is he very religious, he is also a self-styled commentator on government issues. Paola on the other hand is referred to by their colleagues in the University days as 'Complex Engineer.' They gave him this nickname because he will query anything on earth. He is always looking at events differently. A brilliant middle-age man, but he himself is troubled by his restless mind. He was always drinking coffee to assist him study at night during their University days but when their paths crossed again in the working field at one of the refineries in Nigeria, Kenny prevailed on Paola that if he has to drink beverage he should either change to tea or chocolate because of the nicotine content in coffee. Paola argued against that idea for many years, but eventually preferred chocolate to coffee. He once told Kenny, "though I argue that something has to kill someone and if it is my lot that coffee will kill me so be it, but I think that is a foolish thing to do, I do not desire to die young, so why should I deliberately kill myself Prematurely,' that was 1981 during their National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). Since then Paola has changed from drinking coffee to drinking chocolate. However, he can drink up to ten cups a day and Kenny is concerned that another bad habit has been formed. Drinking such quantity of chocolate will mean too much sugar in his blood stream. The fact that he encouraged him to change from coffee and he did, makes it difficult to complain yet again. But Kenny is either driven by his faith that does not help him keep quiet or his life policy that,' 'whatever I learn, whatever I know I must pass on' which is one of his favorite sayings. He believes that if you share what you have, you expand yourself. It is his way of building capacity.

This evening Paola was on his eighth cup of chocolate, Kenny could no more constrain himself. "Paola" he said, some people pass through the University, but they never allow the university to pass through them. Unfortunately, my friend you are one of them. Or how can I explain that you will know what is dangerous for you and you will be doing it?" Paola knew right away that Kenny is on to either another condemnation or looking for an avenue to engage in his political cum intellectual discussion. Even though he enjoys his discussion, many a times, he finds Kenny, unnecessarily a talkative and very loquacious.

"Kenny or Mr. Integrity," Paola interrupted, I took today off work so that I can reduce the stress on my life. I am not a womanizer. I am not an alcoholic. What education do I need again? What knowledge did I not get from university? What behavioral pattern do I display that gives you an impression that I did not allow the university to pass through me, Mr. Professor? Speak or forever keep quiet."

"Call me any name, I will tell you what is on my mind. The amount of chocolate you consume everyday is too much. But that is not my worry, it is the corresponding amount of sugar you...