Bitter Honey is a Ghana-based series, centered around the Quartey family. Kojo Quartey; a taxi driver, his wife Aba; who runs a bank’s canteen, and their three children; Kuku, Abena and Maama live through a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. The Bitter Honey series tells the story of different bittersweet experiences that build their characters and teach them life lessons. Enjoy.
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“Those nosy neighbours are about getting on my last nerve!” Kojo thought to himself.
He was a househusband. Dealing with that was enough stress to handle but no, his neighbors will neither keep their conversations nor their noses to themselves.
He could almost always follow the conversations housewives have amongst themselves when their husbands are away. Whenever they spoke in hushed tones, he knew he was the subject matter. Sometimes they’ll be courteous enough to pretend as if they’re talking about “Brother Peter”, but that irked him even more.
He was angry almost every time nowadays.
He was only happy when there was electricity at home and the children had gone out to play. This was very rare. They were constantly indoors because they enjoyed reading a lot.
Today, they (the housewives next-door) offered him some of the fuufu they were preparing for their husbands. He was interested, but preferred his wife’s food above all else.
“Thank you, but I’ve already eaten.” He forced a smile and started closing the door.
But Vero (the most annoying housewife) pushed the door slightly and insisted, “You should come and sit outside with us. The lights are off, there’s plenty air outside.”
Kojo gritted his teeth, smiled and said bluntly, “I want to sleep.”
Before she left to join Suzie and Pat, she said, “Ok, oo… but you can come when you like.”
He clenched his fist behind the closed door to calm down. He had to find something to do during the day. He really couldn’t tell how much more of them he could stand.
This had been the most comfortable home he had lived in for as long as he could remember. But his lack of tolerance for his neighbors could very well compel him to move out.
He decided he couldn’t sleep through their loud chatter. He stepped out and walked through their sudden silence out of the gate. As he left the compound, he caught a glimpse of their sad glances in his direction. He hated them even more now.
Later in life, he would thank them for irritating him so much; because if he hadn’t walked out of the apartment compound at that moment, he might’ve missed the turning point of his life.
***To be continued***
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