THEY all sat under the umbrella tree very close to the open field, playing out some outdoor games. Okay, some played just directly under the tree, others played in the field, under the mild scorching sun.
Round a table sat Lord Lucas, Boogie and a few others, playing the knife game, the five finger fillet.
The five finger fillet is a game being played with a pocket or a pen knife. It is a game wherein, the player places his left or right palm down on a table with fingers apart, his other hand holding the knife, and then using the knife or other sharp object, he attempts to stab back and forth between his fingers, trying not to hit them.
The player has to always begin with a slow pace, and then increases it with each passing minute.
About three of them were playing, Lucas inclusive. The others watched with keen interest, having a wicked grin on their faces as they watched on, impatiently waiting for one to hit himself, and then automatically fall out.
Well, soon enough, one guy stabbed himself on the pinkie finger and there went an uproar immediately, it was a minor injury though, but in matter of minutes, the finger was already filled with the red substance.
“Hahaha, I knew it was you who was gonna drop first”, Sal, one of the men said mockingly, laughing stupidly and revealing his set of brown teeth.
The guy who has just been stabbed, hissed loudly, then he dropped the pen knife and proceeded to attend to his predicament, while Lord Lucas and the other guy, continued.
The game was tough, it lasted more than they had expected.
They were still playing when two maids approached their table, carrying a tray with wine glasses, and a bottle of wine.
Without disturbing their game, the maids served the wine and placed a glass at the front of every man.
After doing that, they left.
Out on the field, were the junior men in the confraternity, playing out their own game, being headed and led by some of the senior men, and the capo.
It was the mumblety-peg game, almost similar to the five finger fillet, a knife game as well. A game of skill played with a knife, usually a jackknife.
In this game, each player flip or toss the knife in a progression of moves such that, after each one, the knife sticks in the ground and stands erect, there are a lot of positions to playing this.
Each player performs in turn until he misses, resuming after other players miss unless one wins by performing all positions.
A small peg is always usually driven into the ground by a prescribed number of knife blows, and whoever loses, has pull the peg out with his teeth.
So, they played on.
Back at the round table, the two men were reluctant to loose, none was willing to fall out, they pushed on.
For fifteen minutes, they were still hitting their knives on the surface in between their fingers, going forth and back.
Unfortunately, the other guy hit himself, on his thumb, driving the knife deep into his finger, blood gushed out.
“Oooooooo!”, the onlookers exclaimed.
He dropped his knife immediately, game over.
Lucas simpered, no one dares contests with him, and go scot free. He dropped his knife as well and picked up the wine glass closest to him and sipped.
They began hailing him the winner, he scoffed.
“Lord Lucas, you never disappoint”, Boogie said laughing.
He said nothing, but only turned his gaze to the men playing in the field, and he began watching.
Then, one of the senior men heading the game, left the group and began walking up to the tree, where the others were sitted. He was Alan.
He got to them and bowed slightly before Lord Lucas.
“The Don!”, he saluted.
“What is going on there?”, Lucas questioned, his gaze still fixed towards the field.
Alan subconsciously glanced at the field and then lowered himself on one the seats.
“Arrrrr…, the game is going pretty well, just like the training it is, no hitches, nothing at all”, he said.
“Hmm, I see”, he replied.
“Ugh, that is Derek”, Alan said, “he has losed again. He is pulling out the peg a third time in a row”, he added.
They looked and saw the guy, a lanky looking guy bent over the ground and trying so hard to pull out the peg with his teeth.
“I think he is a failure, he is always loosing in everything, I have taken note of him”, Boogie supported.
At this juncture, a car drove into the compound and headed straight for the garage. It was a black Honda Accord.
It halted and immediately, Zach alighted, banged the door and began looking around. He was dressed in a black suit and very dark shades.
As he stood looking around, a young boy ran up to him.
“Mr Zach, good afternoon”, he greeted.
Zach turned to him and looked him over.
“Where is your Boss?”, he demanded.
“Just what I came to inform you. He is at the field, together with the others”, the boy replied.
Immediately, he briskly began walking towards the field, the boy followed behind.
“Are they back?”, Zach asked.
The boy shook his head.
“Not yet”, he replied.
He continued walking, as fast as he could, the boy still following behind, until they got to the location.
“Lord Lucas”, he called as he walked up to the round table.
Lord Lucas and the rest backed the side he was coming from, hence, he didn’t see him coming.
Abruptly, they all turned to behold him.
“Zach”, Lucas called.
“Your Lordship”, he bowed, “are they back yet?”, he asked further.
Lucas raised his eyebrows.
“Did you hear a thing?”, he asked.
“I think I did, a snippet though”, he said.
Boogie and the other men around the table had their eyes resting on him.
“Boogie?”, Lucas called.
“Boss”.
“Put a call across to them and let us know the progress made so far”, he instructed.
“Yes Boss”, he picked up the small phone lieing on the table and his eyes widened.
“I do not think it is necessary anymore”, he said and they all turned to him, “they are back”.