Seydou: hello sir Mendouga: ah sacred Seydou. I see you in good shape today Seydou: not really sir Mendouga: what is going on? What could make you out of shape on such a sunny morning? Seydou: we are going to leave the city sir My father quickly put down the newspaper he had in his hands Mendouga: I don't understand Seydou: I'm going back to Garoua with my family. My children need some grounding Mendouga: but, why now? Seydou: it had to be. I've always been putting off this moment but now it's imminent Mendouga: I hope it's not because of the problem that there were weeks back huh Seydou: wailay! Sir nothing to do. I spent a lot of time here in Yaoundé I was as reliable as I could by your side. You are a good person sir. But, I also have a family that calls me. I want the best for each of my children My mother listened to their conversation. She hid herself and was even very discreet. She seemed to know everything Seydou was saying as words. Mendouga: in any case, I won't find another like you huh Seydou: it goes straight to my heart Mendouga: I'm coming! My father had gone up to his office and had come down with an envelope that had filled it well. He had given it to Seydou who for his part was happy Seydou! Thanks a lot. Sir, take care of your children. Watch over Gideon this child is an angel fallen from heaven My mother had come out of her hiding place. When Seydou saw it, he hid his envelope directly in his pocket. Sarah: Hello. What is happening here ? Seydou: I'm leaving Madam... Lowering her eyes She had had no sympathy Sarah: oh Mendouga: I will explain everything to you Seydou: I'll leave you. Have a good day Mendouga: thank you for everything Seydou. Best wishes Sara: goodbye Seydou was gone. He had gone home with his head held high. He was reunited with his wife and three children. Wife: my husband Seydou: I'm here Woman: how did it go Seydou: I spoke with the chef. 9a went well. He gave me this envelope His wife opened the envelope. She was shocked to see such a sum in her hands. Woman: oh allah Her husband looked in the envelope Seydou: oh Al-hamdu li-lah (expression of thanksgiving) Woman: He's a good man Seydou: he was disappointed that I was leaving. Luckily he gave me this before his wife arrived Woman: What did you tell him? Seydou: what I was supposed to tell him. We are going to live in Garoua with the children Wife: his wife was really mean Seydou: it works on everyone, you know. She's a well-placed woman Woman: she is lucky Seydou: we are as we are. We live on what we have. You have nothing to envy him. Life is like that Woman: Yes you are right. What do we do with this money? Seydou: we're going to keep that and already start counting it They were happy. It was a kind of thank you for all these years of loyalty. A few hours later, someone knocked on their door. Their daughter Khadîdja had left to open. Khadidja: are you coming to see dad? Hello She let the person in and rushed to her father's room to warn him of the visit. Seydou was surprised to see who was facing him Seydou: Mr. Mendouga? Mendouga: Seydou Seydou: but take a seat Mendouga: oh, I won't be long Seydou: is there a problem? Mendouga: none. Just, I don't know why you left. If I am certain of anything, it is that you will not go to Garoua Seydou: I don't want any trouble sir Mendouga: you will have no problem Seydou: Okay! Mendouga: I know that the atmosphere was no longer the same after what had happened with my eldest son Seydou: yes it was no longer easy to be looked at as a thug by your wife Menduga: I know. I just came to tell you that your choice is completely respected. I know you are a straight man He gave her a card Mendouga: on this sheet, there are the contact details of a friend of mine. He's looking for a driver and I know your abilities. He wants a driver on site who will be housed with his family Seydou: what? Mendouga: if you agree, he accepts you whenever you want. He moves around a lot, which is why he takes care of the family's accommodation. Seydou: what a coincidence Mendouga: It's not really a coincidence. He was looking for a faithful driver because the other had stolen from him. He hasn't found anyone since. They laughed Seydou: I will talk about it with my wife This one was in the corridor and listened to everything. She purposely left Mendouga: oh Aminatou Aminatou: Mr Jean Mendouga: how are you? Aminatou: yes, very good. I take this opportunity to say thank you for the envelope Mendouga: It's nothing. Alright, I'll leave you They had said goodbye. Mendouga, my father, had gone back to his usual occupations. With us, everything was going well. Life was as usual nothing had changed in everyone's behavior at home. Seydou had been taken on as a driver but he had made it a condition not to start until the next school year. The time that his children end up in the school where they were. Which had been the case. A year had passed and there was nothing new. My brother and I still didn't love each other more than that. My mother always had this rather unpleasant behavior with the people around her. A few months later, we were off to college. My brother was even worse. Worse than usual. It did not improve over time. Four years later While we were in the fourth grade, things were going to get even worse. My father had gone on a business trip for a week. A party had been organized by some of our comrades. They had voluntarily skipped class. My brother was among the disorderly gang. They had organized an orgy. There was everything at their mini party. Alcohol and other narcotics they wanted to test. My brother was with fifteen to seventeen year olds. It is true that Aristide was tall for his age. It worked in his favor to mingle with delinquents bigger than him. Their party had gone wrong. They were at a young second and the big brother of this one had returned unexpectedly. He wondered where that noise, that smoke, was coming from. When he entered his house, he noticed that there were young people in the middle of an orgy. Young people who didn't care and filmed themselves half-naked. The big brother of this sophomore was angry and he showed it. Except that while chasing his offenders, things had turned into a fight and a young girl in third grade had been seriously injured by a beer bottle that had been broken on her head. They panicked and many fled. Including, my brother. The older brother who had arrived in a hurry had informed her parents and had led the young girl to an infirmary. He had called our establishment to report the girl who had been recognized by the absence list. The accident was serious. So serious that the principal of the establishment had gathered all the students in the course to make a speech on the deviant behavior of young people. Principal: I know that today is not Monday. But, I wanted to bring you all together because a member of this establishment was affected. Young people had fun fleeing class to party yesterday. One of these young people whose only practice is truancy found herself affected and is still today in a hospital bed with loss of consciousness. Dear young people, if you are on these benches, it is for your future. Avoid skipping class for alcohol or drugs. It won't do you any good except destroy you When the principal had finished, we all left for our respective classes. My brother lived as if nothing had happened while he was present at this party The parents of the young Embolo Natacha had come to complain. They wanted to know all the young people who were at this party. But others were quickly gone. They didn't all know each other. My brother, until today had never been accused. His name had been crossed off the list of absentees. My mother had arranged everything with the general overseer. My father had never known about this story. It had passed just like many other such stories. This was a background from my childhood. Now you know everything about me. Who is this Sarah, my beloved mother? This Aristide, this business father and myself. Who are we really? We were the perfect family in front of several people. But, things were much deeper than that. Each family has its own particularity and growing up, I understood that.

Two brothers with different behaviors. Everything was going well until Gideon's big brother, Aristide blamed their driver. This had set fire to their house and caused a problem between the driver who had received a slap from the angry mother. When the driver came to pick us up, my older brother Aristide was not there. When she explained this to my mother, she didn't want to hear anything and just wanted to see her darling son. Seydou: Madam, I swear on what is dearest to me on this earth that I looked for your son. I was about to leave since you and your husband weren't responding. Sara: yes. We are busy people. If you are left with the simple task of picking up children and you do not arrive, then you are worth nothing Seydou: Madam, I respect you a lot. I accept your humiliations. You know why ? Sarah: I don't care about your life and your reasons. Poor mop Seydou had said nothing Sarah: let's get my child Seydou had taken over the wheel. He searched again and again. It was six o'clock when I heard the sound of my big brother's bedroom door. I ran in that direction Gideon: where were you? Aristide: you are not the Gestapo Gideon: You're weird sometimes. With Seydou we looked for you everywhere you were nowhere Aristide: you are the weird one. let me get dressed Gideon: what's on your lap? Did you fight? Aristide: it's none of your business Gédéon: through your fault, Seydou received a slap from mom Aristide: I did nothing Gideon: are you doing it on purpose or what? I came out of his room and called my mother. I had explained to him my big brother was at home. They rushed home Seydou was following my mother when she called him to the door. He was not allowed to enter his sumptuous house. In was just a driver for her Sarah: my son you gave me one of those scares Aristide faked tears. I did not understand anything Sarah: What is it? Aristide: it's Seydou. This morning he scolded me when I was eating my bread in the car. Coming home today he was angry and told me to get out of the car. Let him drop Gideon and come back for me after Gideon: what? It's wrong My mother didn't seem to want to listen to what I had to say. She had a look red with anger. Only God knows what was going through his mind at that exact moment. Sarah: he will feel me She had gone out to find Seydou. Poor guy, he didn't know what was going to happen to him. She left and entered immediately. She rushed to the kitchen and came out with a bucket of water filled with ice cubes. She poured it out to him as he sat in front of the fence. Sarah: I say no more. You're gonna get out of here tonight I was talking to my brother who came out of this story well Gideon: why did you do that? Aristide: I did nothing Gideon: everyday I really find it hard to believe that we are brothers Aristide: you're a fool huh. Who did you think your brother was? Do you think that since you're dad's favorite, I'm going to love you too much? Gideon: you are mom's favourite. Besides, unlike her, dad has no preference Aristide: leave me the camp or I will beat you now Gideon: I don't care. Who do you even think you are? Look at this My brother hit my head. I was so angry that day because of what he had done that I had made him even stronger But, when I returned to her, my mother arrived Sarah: hey ha Gideon: he started it Sarah: you want to kill me right? I didn't know what to say. She had brought us to our knees. Aristide was injured so he had not been punished. My father came home at six-thirty. He had found Seydou wet waiting for him. My father had come in with him, which infuriated my mother even more. Sarah: What is he doing here? Mendouga: who? Sarah: him there My father had found me on my knees and he had just asked me for a bottle of water. He had sat down. Mendouga: why is Seydou soaked from head to toe? Sarah: Who are you asking? Mendouga: over to you Sarah: let him answer you Mendouga: he explained everything to me Sarah: so you have your answer Mendouga: hey ha. Aristide where were you? Aristide: I have already explained. He left me and I had to manage to get back My dad just laughed Mendouga: Seydou has always been reliable Sarah: So it's my son who's lying? He's fired, he can carry his stuff Mendouga: he will not go anywhere. Seydou, I'm sorry about that. This must not happen again. You have your week take good care of your family. You can leave Seydou had returned home after this humiliation by our mother in front of us. Mendouga: I know each of you as if I had made you. Aristide, I'm not going to ask that a third time. Where were you ? Sarah: do not threaten me the child Jean Mendouga Mendouga: my patient has limits Aristide Aristide: I was with friends Mendouga: why did you lie? Aristide: I was afraid that I would be scolded Mendouga: is that what I taught you? At the age if you start like that? Do you know what it means to be accused unfairly? You don't know Aristide. I always told you here that... Sarah: what? You traumatize me the child with your cries My mother always used to defend my older brother. He was like an egg in her eyes. It was unbearable for my father. My mother did too much but she often didn't realize this mother hen behavior. Mendouga: hum! You have no more pocket money and lunch. You will often leave with the bread and everything in your bag My father had gone up to his room. Gideon: bleurk! sticking out his tongue My mother had followed him into the bedroom Sarah: I didn't like it Mendouga: what exactly? You ridiculed that poor gentleman in front of the children. He has children bigger than yours Sarah Sarah: so what? He thought about the stress I could feel? Mendouga: this is where we are going to spoil ourselves Sarah Sarah: Cabri is dead can he still die? You let him into my house Mendouga thin Mendouga: what is happening to you Sarah? What is it? Sarah: you know very well what is Mendouga: I've always told you that you don't raise a child like that. More of a boy. What exactly do you want to teach him Sarah? What are you training a future bandit. Your son there lies like he breathes. Only nine years old. It is unacceptable Sarah: I made the child there alone? Mendouga: I had a big day Sarah. The boss, the director. Can I have some rest? Sarah: you are not a victim eh Jean My father no longer answered him. He was calm. He didn't talk much and just acted. Unlike my mother who when she was somewhere, we had to know. My father was rich, coveted but very simple. When we sat down to eat, my father was not there. He was angry and wanted to be left alone. When we were done, we each went to their rooms. The next day, as usual, we headed to school. It was not Seydou who took care of accompanying us. It was another driver. My brother was quite calm. The whole week was quiet. Seydou returned the following week. My mother was avoiding her, she hadn't even apologized for her gesture. His wife had asked him to stop working for us. But, he was used to it and he was well paid, he had told her. His patience was remarkable. The following week, my mother secretly gave my brother some money. My father didn't know that. She yielded to all these whims. It was Aristide or nothing. And, a lot was explained / During her delivery, my mother had suffered a lot. She had lost a lot of blood and her life was at stake. There was something strong that bound her to my brother. It was like his life. When she found out she was pregnant with me, she wasn't very thrilled. Often she says that my arrival didn't let her take advantage of my brother. It was his opinion and nothing else. Days passed and there was nothing new. One day, Seydou came to pick us up at home. He told us that was the last time he was with us. J3 wondered if my father knew about this. It's true that he couldn't really be quiet anymore. He was in conflict with my mother. I had accepted the news. During the night, my father and my mother were talking in their room. She continued on this momentum that Seydou had threatened Aristide and that was the reason why the latter had lied. My tired father had accepted Seydou's resignation. He had given her a good envelope. But, what had happened? Why had he changed his mind a few weeks later?

Sarah: Wake up. you will be late Mendouga: you start again with your cries in the morning like that, honey Sarah: you know very well and just like me that these children are always late Mendouga: it's the age eh darling Sarah: except that it's starting to annoy me It is six o'clock in the central region more precisely in Yaoundé in Cameroon where we lived with my parents, Sarah and Mendouga or Mr. Jean Mendouga. And my big brother Aristide. My father is a very influential man with several businesses in his possession. He knows several personalities of this country to believe that he himself would end up a politician. His wife, Sarah, maiden name Morena, works in the tax department. Currently, I am eight years old and I have only one dream to be like my father. A man respected by all but above all, a good father. Always present and attentive. I get up as usual, always before my big brother who loves sleep. I rush to his room to avoid mum scolding him. Gideon: Aristide, you have to get up, mom will get angry Aristide: releases; You're always here bothering me. What's your problem if she scolds me? Aristide and I were only a year apart. It wasn't huge. My mother who was always in the square had given birth immediately without wanting it Sarah: what are you still doing here? Aristide: Mom, Gideon is coming to bother me. He doesn't even make me want to get up. He can very well go to the shower while waiting My mother began to squeeze my arm as she pushed me down the hall. Sarah: I always told you that if you get up you can go get ready. Why are you coming to disturb Aristide? Huh... Fear it more Gideon: I'm sorry mom it was... Sarah: Shut up. Go to the shower and try to tie your shoelaces well I don't want to see that as a kind Mom didn't like it when I went to my brother's room in the morning or at night before bedtime. She thought we were noisy when we were in the same room. Which wasn't completely wrong. My brother didn't like to see me he did everything to keep me in trouble. Of course, we were from the same parents. But, we were completely different. Very different even especially at the behavioral level. I rushed to the shower as my mother had ordered me to. I was taking my shower when my brother started to argue. Aristide: I want to wash I'm hungry Gideon: I came before you Aristide: yes but you had all the time Gideon: I haven't even been here for five minutes Aristide: I'm going to hit you huh stuip Gideon: ekie! Hmm type then. Because of you mom scolds me and what are you doing to me like that Aristide: you have your chance huh. Hurry up Gideon: stiippp My father who was passing by took the opportunity to greet us Mendouga: how are the children? Aristide who was yawning very loudly Aristide: yes dad I had heard him behind the shower curtain and I had answered him by swallowing soap suds without doing it on purpose. I hurriedly showered. Quickly, I left to get dressed and join my parents. Mendouga: ah, my champion Gideon: yes dad Mendouga: I see that you are very well there. Another day of attack Gideon: to be like you daddy Mendouga: that's my son My mother looked at us with disdain. Sarah: Go sit down for lunch. You are very nonchalant so you are quick Sometimes she was very tough. But, I know it was for my good. I had lunch without waiting for my brother who had just taken a toast because there was no more time. Before leaving, our father repeated his favorite phrase to us. Mendouga: work well huh. Only that pays off. Pay attention in class Aristide: Dad, every day? My mother burst out laughing Gideon: see you tonight daddy We had left to join the driver who was already waiting for us Seydou: hello children Aristide: sorry, we are in a hurry As you will have seen, my brother was very arrogant. He had no respect for anyone. It was the perfect shot of a rich kid... Gideon: hello Seydou. How are you this morning ? Seydou: my little one, it's fine We were in the car when the driver noticed that my older brother was putting bread crumbs everywhere. Seydou: Aristide, don't you have a handkerchief or something? Aristide: why? Seydou: my little one, look how you dirty the car Aristide: and then, there is a good why? What are you good for? Is it your job to keep the car clean or not? The driver no longer dared open it. Seydou had worked for us for several years already. He was keen on this job which was well paid in order to feed his wife and three children. He was a straight man who did well what he was employed for. He knew what he wanted and knew how to keep his cool. I shook my head at my brother's response. I found him so oblivious to several things. Gédéon: Seydou, you know, it doesn't matter My brother looked at me with fury then, he continued to manipulate his tablet. Seydou: thank you my dear He dropped us off at the entrance Seydou: see you tonight. Work well Gideon: thank you Seydou My brother had taken his bag and rushed to his friends. I had left a smile to Seydou who started to go home Seydou: this little one will go far... He said to himself as he started I had joined the classroom. I was the youngest. I had a good academic level that I had to skip a class. I was in the same classroom as my brother. But sometimes we were like strangers. When the master entered the classroom, he was still chatting with his friends. As if there was no authority in the classroom. Mr. Bikok: hello everyone Class: hello sir... Getting up Mr. Bikok: you can sit down. You had a good weekend ? Class: yes sir The teacher began to count to mark the numbers on the board. Then he asked if we had done our math exercises Everyone had done their exercises. We were pretty brave in that class. The middle course one was not that difficult after all. The teachers were considering offering the primary school certificate to several of us. But, my father was opposed to it especially for me. At recess, I went out to eat with my friends. Joy: I don't understand your brother huh Gideon: Me neither. Cédric: are you going to the fair? Gideon: no Joe: why? Gideon: I'm not interested Joy: with the girls we will come Cédric: I will also come Gideon: okay My mother barely arrived at her job. She often used to arrive a little late. Sarah: hello everyone Secretary: hello madam director Sarah: honey, what shoe is that? Secretary: Excuse me ma'am? Sarah: You heard me right. You should take some fashion classes huh She burst out laughing Sarah: you come to work here and wear Morguier's shoes? A colleague had burst out laughing in front of the ashamed secretary Colleague: wer Sarah does not finish me. How are the mortuary shoes? Sarah: brother, are we going to teach the staff everything? They walked into my mother's office. During their break, she had gone to join two of her friends in a restaurant. Sarah: my besties Lucy: look how bubbly you are... taking off her sunglasses Aicha: my luxury coconut Sarah: my luxury bamoun She kissed her friends Sarah: What do we say then? Aicha: my darling, it's been a long time Sarah: It's time. When you're a busy woman, it's really difficult Lucy: my darling woukouuu it can be seen that you are in great shape Sarah: Are you saying that? Look how you shine. you are nyanga Aicha: sorry, the nyangalitos leave me. I'm hungry. We order nor Lucy: famine leaves no one They had ordered, ate and told their lives. They tended to exaggerate a bit. Their friendship was a bit of a did you see me? Who had the most fun and interesting life? It was all about that. My mother was a very proud and arrogant woman. Everything for her and nothing for the others. She tended to forget where she came from. She didn't hesitate to put people down to trample them even more. In all of this, people feared and respected her. The driver had come to pick us up and as usual, my big brother Aristide was acting up. Gideon: good evening Seydou Seydou: hello champion. Where is your brother? Gideon: I don't know. I didn't see him in class Seydou: we will wait here That day, we had waited for over an hour. We knew that he used to come after a few minutes to the car. Seydou had gone with me to look in the establishment, but he was not there. We waited again and then looked in the surrounding streets. There was no trace of my brother. We had called on his phone and nothing. We had contacted my father but it was going to the answering machine. Same for my mother. We had then returned and that day, my mother was already at home. But, she had her phone turned off Gideon: good evening mom Sarah: where is your brother? Seydou didn't know my mother was there. So, to walk the streets with me, he dropped me off and decided to go back in search of my brother. Gideon: I don't know mum Sarah: how so? Where is Seydou? Gideon: I had just pointed the finger at the court My mother ran towards him. She screamed because he was already leaving Sarah: Seydou where is Aristide? Seydou: I'm going to look for it like that Sarah: I see that you are joking with me... By tying her loincloth around the pelvis Seydou: Madame, when I went to pick up the boys as usual, he wasn't there Sarah: say rather that you forgot it Seydou: what? Lady no. That's by no means what it's about. I went out to watch the scene Sarah: You are just an incompetent. If anything happens to my son you will see a mother's anger. We pay you well and you do anything Gideon: Mom, Aristide wasn't there. We looked for him, called him and he didn't answer Sarah: you close that for me and you go to your room immediately I had gone up to my room. Upstairs I had seen how my mother slapped the poor driver who could only accept. He suffered the humiliations of my mother for the good of his family. It was shameful.