and made merry. He always said that whenever he saw a dead man’s
mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in one’s lifetime.
Unoka was, of course, a debtor, and he owed every neighbor some
money,fromafewcowriestoquitesubstantialamounts.
Hewastallbutverythinandhadaslightstoop.Heworeahaggard
andmournfullookexceptwhenhewasdrinkingorplayingonhisflute.
Hewasverygoodonhisflute,andhishappiestmomentswerethetwo
or three moons after the harvest when the village musicians brought
down their instruments, hung above the fireplace. Unoka would play
with them, his face beaming with blessedness and peace. Sometimes
anothervillagewould ask Unoka’sbandand their dancingegwugwu to
comeandstaywiththemandteachthemtheirtunes.Theywouldgoto
such hosts for as long as three or four markets, making music and
feasting. Unoka loved the good fare and the good fellowship, and he
lovedthisseasonoftheyear,whentherainshadstoppedandthe sun
roseeverymorningwithdazzlingbeauty.Anditwasnottoohoteither,
becausethecoldanddryharmattanwindwasblowingdownfromthe
north.Someyearstheharmattanwasverysevereandadensehazehung
ontheatmosphere.Oldmenandchildrenwouldthensitroundlogfires,
warmingtheirbodies.Unokaloveditall,andhelovedthefirstkitesthat
returned with the dry season, and the children who sang songs of
welcometothem.Hewouldrememberhisownchildhood,howhehad
often wandered around looking for a kite sailing leisurely against the
bluesky.Assoonashefoundonehewouldsingwithhiswholebeing,
welcoming it back from its long, long journey, and asking it if it had
broughthomeanylengthsofcloth.
Thatwasyearsago,whenhewasyoung.Unoka,thegrown-up,wasa
failure.Hewaspoorandhiswifeandchildrenhadbarelyenoughtoeat.
Peoplelaughedathimbecausehewasaloafer,andtheysworeneverto
lendhimanymoremoneybecauseheneverpaidback.ButUnokawas
suchamanthathealwayssucceededinborrowingmore,andpilingup
hisdebts.
OnedayaneighborcalledOkoyecameintoseehim.Hewasreclining
onamudbedinhishutplayingontheflute.Heimmediatelyroseand
shook hands with Okoye, who then unrolled the goatskin which he
carried under his arm, and sat down. Unoka went into an inner room
