The formidable son-in-law

Chapter 3

"You do realise that we just saw a quack doctor try to heal your father. Won't you just wait till we get to the station and real doctors attend to your father?" A man advised the boy. 

"I agree with him. Especially this one that looks dirty and God knows where he came from," a woman supported the man. 

"But we don't know what's wrong with him and if it's an emergency," the boy defended John. 

"That's more reason why you should just be calm. Don't let them touch your father as they please," another replied. 

"Are you sure you can take care of him?" 

"With the little things I have here, I should be able to bring him back to consciousness. It's only normal that I givs him first aid, then…"

"He is only interested in the reward. You will be sorry when this man kills your father," someone else interrupted John. John looked into the boy's eyes. It was as if he was asking the boy his choice. The boy's eyes got red, and tears began dropping. 

John felt he must either be eighteen years or some little older than that. The boy nodded. He gave John his approval. 

John began taking care of the man. He did not look around. He shut himself away from the noise around. And it was this time that he realised that what was wrong with the man was not a normal sickness. He is having a cerebral infarction. He sighed. He didn't tell anyone. 

He removed the needles from the man's chest and placed them gently on the man's head. Even though John didn't notice, it was starting to get the interest of people around him. 

But because he could not hear them, he didn't know what the fake Doctor was saying. He wasn't hearing how the man was loudly cursing him and insult the man's son. 

"Could you just be silent please? You have done your oart, it didn't work. Will you allow someone else a trial?" The boy screamed at the doctor. Some of the men around got tired of the doctor's taunts and pushed him away. 

Even after he was pushed away, he didn't stop cursing. 

"Would you shut up?" The lady he had been creepily staring at snapped at him. 

"Who do…" he looked back and noticed who it was. He kept quiet and returned to his seat. He would randomly look back to check what was happening within the crowd. 

After five minutes, most people have dispersed on the request of John. It remained just one man who was very fascinated by what John was doing. He didn't say a word in fear of distracting John. 

"Wheew! I need clean water in a bowl, and a clean towel or at least a shirt," John ordered. 

"A bowl?" The young boy repeated. 

"Have this," a nursing mother who sat close to John offered them a small bowl. John looked up at her and smiled. 

"Thank you," the man's son brought out a cold water and gave John a nice shirt. 

"He should be waking soon, and he might be running temperature. So I need to help him," John said. The son nodded in approval. Everyone had eyes on John, but he didn't notice. 

And with a slow opening of the eyes, the man became conscious and luckily enough, he wasn't running a temperature. John smiled. He raised the man up, and sat him on the train's chair. 

"Dad, how do you feel?"

"Weak!" The man replied. The man turned around and saw John standing beside him. 

"Who is he?" 

"He is the one who saved you, dad!" The boy cried. 

"He did?" The man asked. People around them nodded in approval.

"Thank you very much!" The man said. John nodded in approval with a smile. He turned around. Picked up the needles he used and rinsed them. 

He checked around and saw a waste bin at a corner of the room. He walked towards it. He opened it and dropped the ones he used in there. 

He stood there for a while, not knowing how to ask the man for the reward. It will be insensitive of him if he should ask for a remain so soon. Truly he saved him, but then there are some things that are not good to do. And asking for the reward would be one. Even though he deserves it. 

"Brother," the man called him. John turned around. 

"Listen, you have saved me today. You have done well. You have no idea what you just did. I never knew such a thing was happening to me. And I got saved. Thank you very much," the man said. 

"You are welcome, and it's nothing really. Anybody could have done it," John replied 

"But no one did."

"Someone else tried but he only wanted to get money from us," his son corrected him. 

"What do you mean?"

"When i saw you fainted, I promised that anyone who saves you will get a reward. At first, John did not stand up but that quack doctor over there did. He rushed down here eagerly and rubbed you with some balms, before John came in," the son reported the doctor. 

The man stood up. It was this time that John saw him well. A man whose age he can't guess because he looks so old yet so young and agile. His broad shoulder is a proof of whatever experience the man must have had. A businessman who is concerned about his physical appearance and physical health. John wanted to know more about him. 

The man walked towards the fake doctor. He tapped him. 

"Is it true?" The man asked. 

"I have no idea what they are saying," he tried and ignored the man. The man nodded and smiled. He returned to John. He carried his bag, and opened it. Everyone around was surprised. Someone screamed at the sight of fresh dollar bills in the briefcase. They were surprised that the son despite knowing his dad had that much, did not try to protect the briefcase at all. 

The man brought out two padded bills and handed them towards John. 

"That's a hundred thousand naira. Thanks for saving me," the man said. John was not left out in the surprise. He didn't know maybe he should collect it or not. A man who can give him this much money might have some other uses. John was so tempted to collect the money, and at the same time, his instincts wants him to reject it and make an acquaintance of the man instead. 

"And also, here is my card. You can call me anytime you need anything," the man out his hands in his pocket, and offered John his business Card. John grabbed the card immediately, and collected the money afterwards. 

"Thank you very much sir. This is a life changing opportunity," he cried. 

"Well, it's only an appreciation for saving my life," the man replied. 

"And I think he called you John right?" 

John nodded. 

"That name is not very common around here. Once again, Thank you John," the man said. 

John returned to his seat speechless. He didn't bring the money out. 

"What? Are you done? Is he awake?" The lady beside him tapped him. 

"Yes he is. He is," John replied. 

"Alright. Congrats. Nice work doctor," she complimented him. John smiled.

"Thanks!"

"So did you like study medicine or what?" 

"Nope! Learnt it from my father,"

"Your father taught you that much about medicine?" 

"He taught me more than that actually," John replied more relaxed than he was initially. 

"But you didn't go to formal school did you?" She aske sand he nodded his head. 

*Well, for me, I attend Kingston College. My name is Jasmine," she introduced herself. He smiled. He had not heard of the school so he doesn't know how important it is. 

"Oh! Great!" He replied. He knew his one words reply would not make her feel comfortable, but he wanted to get down the train quick and leave as soon as possible. He can't say what act of violence some of the people in the boss might perpetrate towards him. 

And also, he was going to Merrydam for a particular job. He has wasted enough time getting to the train station, he can't afford to waste more.  He can't wait till the train stops, he get down and take a cab heading towards Merrydam.