GhostsI am a Western educated manlaugh indulgently at the ways of my peoplefeel submerged in hazy nostalgiaIkenna asked too brightlymy skin supple and thick with the scent of Niveaour grandson who does not speak Igbolisten for the sound of doors opening and closingThe Thing Around Your NeckSometimes you felt invisiblesomething would wrap itself around your neckHe told you he had read a lot about African countries, their histories, their complexitiesThe thing that wrapped itself around your neck, started to loosen, to let go.The American Embassythe blood would be red, like fresh palm oilmaybe the red splash was really palm oilNo, that is double troubleshe hawked Ugonna for a visathe face of a person who did not understand herwho did not cook with palm oilTomorrow Is Too FarIt was the last summer repetitionGrandmama let only your brother Nonso climb the treestaught Nonso how to pluck the coconutsshe said girls never pluck coconutsmake sure Nonso went firstDozie was only a nwadiana, her daughters sonthe snake was called the echi eteka, Tomorrow Is Too Farsaying i laputago m, that he had betrayed herAnd you are weeping, standing alone under the avocado treeJumping Monkey Hillsomething common, like Chioma, or something exotic, like IbariUjunwa did not like the idea of eating an ostrichof course ostrich was an African stapleConrads Africans intertextualityId rather like you to lie down for meWhich Africa?women are never victims in that sort of crude way and certainly not in Nigeriashe wondered whether this ending, in a story, would be considered plausibleyou will be my personal contactand then he asks her to sit on his lapThe Arrangers of MarriageShes not my age mate.the name he entered in bold letters was AGATHA BELLI wanted something familiarSee how healthy they all lookspeak English, there are people behind youBiscuits cookies. Elevators lifts. Jug pitcher.Coconut rice, pepper soup.Good Housekeeping All-American CookbookWe have no culture, no culture at allhe did not know that I spoke Igbo to myselflight-skinned blacks fare better in AmericaI rang the doorbell and he opened the door, stood aside, and let me pass