THE MAN THAT NEVER CRIES

'Congratulations Trisha you have a baby boy' was the first thing Trisha heard from the midwife who just broke the greatest news of her life. It was really a long our spent in the labor room. She's been there for almost 72hours in pain and finally here comes the baby. She looked at the nurses, they were all sad, why could they be, she's all covered in sweat not just the sweat of labor but this time the sweat of fear and anxiety, she looked so kin into their eyes like the crippled man at the 'beautiful gate' looked at John and Peter, waiting for relieving words from the nurses. "Is something wrong with my baby? Is he dead? Pls say somin'?"
These were the first words she'd speak since she was brought into the hospital 3 days before now, tears roll down her chick like the tires of a moving Buggati. Finally one of the nurses speaks 'He's not crying' she said. The nurses did all they could to make him cry, they gave him a slight spank, this strange baby will not cry, one of them even squeezed his legs, all these weren't tough enough for the baby, finally the nurses handed him to his mum who by now has a lil strength (out of fair of losing her baby) to hold him and try spank him herself. On holding the baby boy she said crying 'Pls baby, cry for momma' the boy looked straight to her eyes, he squeezed his face like he was gonna cry but then gave a lil grin, (this shocked everyone to dead). There's nothing left to do than to discharge Trisha and her strange baby. The nurses called on her brother 'Tess' who brought her to the hospital, he signed a few papers (as Trisha had lost her husband few days after she tested positive in a pregnancy test). And off they go with the strange baby, with Trisha in a sad mood over her baby's refusal to cry.
While in the car with her brother Tess, Trisha was uncommonly quite which made Tess feel worried 'he's gonna be fine' he said as Trisha have only being nodding her head to all Tess has being saying since they both left the hospital. Worried is an understatement for what Trisha is feeling right now. Several thoughts run through her mind as Tess drives them to their apartment. 'should I drown this strange baby? No Trisha! you cant do that! he's your baby, but what can I do with this kinda baby? To make matters worse his dad is dead' these are few of the thoughts she battled with as the baby keeps staring at her and smiles. 'I think I'm gonna give him up for adoption' she thought in herself and the baby chuckles just immediately after she had the thought like he is hearing all her thoughts, this scares her cold. 'He is a telepath!' Trisha screamed. Tess pulls over immediately 'what is it?' he asked. He is reading my thought? she replied Tess now scared too asked who she's talking about. 'The baby can hear me, he is reading my mind' she replied. Tess summoned courage, took the baby from her, 'calm down' he said, I'm here with you, it's gonna be alright. She cried so loud that the passers-by noticed thier lil blue volkswagen car, but then who cares since everyone also got one challenge or the other plus there is someone in the car with her who they can easily assume he's her husband.
It took Tess almost 30mins and several consoling words to calm Trisha down after which the engine starts and in less than 20mins they arrived Trisha's house. A three bedroom flat which was a marriage gift from her father-in-law. Trisha is still cold from the shock her baby boy gave her, so Tess turned on the warmer in her room to keep her warm. He also called a nurse who happens to be the gal next door to look help take care of her as he had to leave for work. 'Aww, he is so cute' says gal next door 'look at you, you've got a cute smile'. Trisha managed to fake a smile as the nurse looks at her sitting in bed, 'you have no idea' she thought.
Still in dilema as per what she will do with her baby who has being doing nothing but smile as he stares at her. I think I'm gonna keep this baby. The strange baby keeps growing with a lot of strange happenings around him. One of them is when he was bearly 6months, when are her left her in the room for kitchen just to serve her lunch, before she's back, there was a lil spark from the television set and she found her baby boy daling 911 on her phone. Before she could say 'jack' there's a reciever at the other end. 'hello, this is emergency center...' she hung up before the receiver could finish her speech. Another happened when he was just 2years Trishasaw her two year old baby boy pick up and chew a 5inche long scorpion which was about to sting him...

...Ted! Trisha screamed (that's his name), she ran to him with tears, carried him inside and rushed to the shelve to fetch her car keys and drove the boy straight to the hospital. He was immediately admitted into the emergency ward and was attended. 'This is impossible' the doctor thought as he couldn't find anything wrong with the boy whose mother just reported chewed a living scorpion. The doctor (who was shocked himself) told Trisha that her baby boy is alright. That's impossible said the helping nurses (two of them). The doctor turned to Trisha and said though you baby seem alright but we gonna have to run few tests on him because this is a very strange incidence that I have never encountered in my 18years experience. After a week Trisha is back in the hospital for the result of the test the Doctor had run. When she got to the doctor's office, the doctor told her that nothing is wrong with her baby. 'The tests results shows nothing strange about your baby, no genetic mutation, no toxin in his blood system. He perfectly alright, but then still strange. I can call on other experts to work more on your baby. Trisha now angry 'you will do no such thing, no one is gonna turn my baby into a lab rat' left the doctor's office with Ted in her arms, slamming the doctor's office's door behind her. And while on her back home she made up her mind to take Ted to the orphanage home as she can't cope with him any longer to make things worse her brother Tess (who she used to found solace in) is no more with her as he had been transfered to work in his company's branch in a foreign land, she didn't even bother to look at Ted this time for she knew all he would do is just smile at her again. Without wasting any time she stopped over at an orphanage named "TESCON ORPHANAGE HOME'. She cooked up some lies and after some days the deal was sealed to take Ted in to an orphanage home. The day came and Trisha dumped her strange baby into the orphanage crying, but guess what, Ted was just smiling and chuckling all the way. The amazed the director of the orphanage 'Most kids when been brought here would cry when they're guardians are leaving, this is strange' she thought in her mind. Trisha couldn't look into Ted's eyes for the shame, she gave him the hug that would eventually be the last from momma to a strange son.
Ted as usual will never run out strange happenings around him, he had a lot of them in the orphanage home which made the babysitter or what is she called hostile at him. But through out all the hostilities, Ted kept skilling, no pains whatsoever. He was locked up in a room for three days for standing up to the babysitter when she unjustly hit a gal, that was when he was 13. After the seventh day, 'he must have learnt his lessons by now' the babysitter thought. When she open the door to the room where Ted was locked, she was amazed to see Ted smiling at her, 'thank you for making me stronger' he said. She was scared to cold, ran and left him behind. No one has ever come in to make a move of adopting Ted. And so the boy grew gradually into a man. One fateful night in the orphanage, there was a fire outbreak, Ted was somewhere away from the hostel and when the role call was made, they couldn't find him, they sought for him but had to leave him behind thinking he's dead (now Ted is like 15 years old). The next morning, Ted opened the door (of a casket he used to hide himself in whenever he doesn't want to be disturbed, located like 200meters away from the hostel) and found out that everywhere is quite. He gave a grin as usual and left the home he had lived in for 13years...

Ted left the remnant of the burnt orphanage home with his usual smile without knowing where next he's going to, he's got no form of education whatsoever safe the informal he had in the orphanage. He went roaming the street of the city fearlessly. By now he is an adolescent with broad chest, deep voice, great bicepts, I also wonder where and how he got that, well thanks to his relentless effort on working out every morning in his personal hideout at the orphanage home. He worked tirelessly, and if you ask me why? I don't know either, Strange! Right? You shouldn't expect anything less than strange from Ted. Where was I before the digression? OK, he was roaming the street fearlessly and when the night falls, guess where he slept? Your guess is as right as mine. Did you say Dumpster? If yes, you are right. And if you ask about his feeding, well this is Ted he eats anything available ranging from thrown doughnuts to nothing, after all he's the man that fells no pain.
He kept working one day at a time. Where he got his skills I don't know, it must be one of his strange endowment. He fixes almost everything, this way he makes money one day at a time, he spends less and save more as he can go days without food.
Days turn to months and months turn to years. 5years after the orphanage, Ted finally got a job at a grocery store. Guess what kinda job. You guessed right, security guard it was, considering his strength and physique. He likes doing anything that brings him pleasure, in view of this, he never dropped his 'fix anything' job. One fateful day in the grocery store, there was a robbery attack and as the security man Ted had to take charge even when he was suppose to work in synchronization with two other guys, but they have been incapacitated by the robbers. There was panic everywhere, people were screaming out of fear, the robbers seemed to be in charge, Ted was Manning one of the side doors so this gave him an edge as he had access to the power switch box. He turned off the whole light of the store and drew a plan of attack all by himself since he can walk through the store blind folded. To cut the long story short, there were four armed guys (not heavily armed though) and he took them out one after the other and after the attack he engaged the switch again and everyone is safe. They all applauded him, and that was the first time he will get hugged by anybody. He felt loved and appreciated squeezed his face like he did when he was given birth to then burst into laughter. I think he enjoys doing that (that was the second time though), and maybe it is a reflex reaction. Anyway, one daily old man in his late 50s approached him from the crowd shopping in the store and advised him to pick up a career in the force considering his brilliant performance, they exchanged contacts and departed. He considered it for a while and decided to put a call through to the man. The man is a retired general, no wonder he could sniff out the talent in this 22 year old boy. Since Ted had no parent to do necessaries as per enrolling him into the school of force, this man became his father who went through all the pains needed to make his enrolment a success. 'Congratulations boy' were the words of his adopted father.
And in no time he's up and ready for his schooling as an army of his country. He had to quit his job at the grocery store but still held on to his 'fix anything' job, you can't just take that from him. The retired general benefited a lot from it as he fixes everything in the house since he moved in with him 6 months earlier. It was a little difficult for the retired general to say good bye as he's already fond of Ted, but for Ted, it was extremely easy for him to say goodbye as he feels no pain...


Strange happenings won't stop trailing Ted, even when he likes to keep is cool and stay on a low key. Contrary to what most of y'all think, he's a cool, quite, compassionate and easy going guy. Though he feels no pain, yet he's not cold hearted, this makes him probably the strangest man ever to thread the planet earth, as most people with his nature are always brutal and cold hearted. Well, Ted eventually got to the school of army and all is always fine with him, the lecture sessions, the hall, the dinning most especially his favourite part, which is the drilling. He is never tired of drilling, in fact he works extra mile like the popular Nigeria's pain killer balm ('aboniki'). He's never tired of training, he's always on the field at the slightest chance to be. Sleep, No! Eat, he only does that when pressed by his fellow comrades. They all admire his strength, courage, bravery, determination, accuracy, speed, calmness, gentleness, kindness and his potential brutality at the battle field if called on to defend his country for they've seen him handle various armoury ranging from sub-machine gun to a tank itself. He's just good at what it does.
He trains like a mad dog, his fellow comrades would've found it difficult to relate with him if not for the fact that they know he's peaceful and cool. He his loved by all, (OK that's an exaggeration) cos there's this guy who was the dethroned by Ted. They call him PK (Push up King), his real name is Trendo. He was the champion before with a record of 600 push ups at a stretch. But trust Ted who had hit that record since age 18. He didn't just break his record, he broke it convincingly at a particular challenge they used to observe amidst fellow comrades. He did 950 push ups carrying a particular lady called Tracy on his back. Ok who is Tracy? She's a 'nurse-soldier'. She's there in the school of army as a nurse. She's one of the health team attach to Ted's battalion. Tracy is also a hard working lady who by natural instinct get drawn to Ted cos of his commitment to the clarion call. She didn't limit herself to just nursing as she believed that a need may arise for her to handle armoury too one day at the battle field. So Ted dethroned Trendo, so he became his arch-enemy. Well Ted gat his shades on 24/7 so he saw no hatter. Meanwhile Tracy is feeling the hit of affection radiating from Ted who only did all he was doing out of a heart of friendship, he's would dare not loose guard of his feelings, he's too focused on being a true and dedicated soldier, and Tracy keeps hoping he will be more than a friend one day. Don't blame Tracy, blame it on Ted, his gestures were kinda extreme as he took her punishment several times, don't blame it on Ted either, blame it on his endurance and strength. He would do almost anything to protect Tracy. 'I think I like you, you know, as a friend' said Ted to Tracy one gracious evening (after their usual evening workout) which was the best moment of her life. 'Finally there's hope' she thought to herself even when Ted didn't say anything about dating her or asking her out. Ted continued 'you're smart, strong, focused, brave and you're just different from other gals' 'Thanks' Tracy replied, she had to hide her feeling, so that she won't seem cheap to Ted. She gave him a hug and left him. 'I know you not satisfied yet' she said swinging her waist in her 'kaki' as she walked away, leaving Ted behind to his personal drilling. To Tracy, It was a lovely evening as she and Ted talked about their childhood and upbringing, which is a sign that they were going somewhere. Ted didn't have much to say as he never knew his dad and grew up in an orphanage. Tracy had a few to say, 'Mum's dead, dad left so I grew up with my uncle, Tess by name'. That's the summary. They shared other personal information which I'm sure fueled their fire of love. 
After several moments of fun, Ted told Tracy he loved her and would like her to be his gal, that moment, Tracy couldn't hide no more she had to let go and express her feelings too by planting a deep kiss into Ted's lips almost immediately after his pick-up line. 'Wooo! I can't believe I just did that' they both echoed together like they've rehearsed that particular line.
The end has come to their training and now they are to face their final test, in a battle prototype when soldier teams up against fellow comrades. Ted was the leader of his battalion and Trendo  was the leader of his. While Tracy and her colleagues were also attached to both groups as it pleases their instructor. Fate had it that Tracy was assigned to Ted's team. During the course of the final exercise Ted's team was outstanding which wasn't easy as Trendo also had qualified comrades to face Ted's squad, Ted got shot several times in the act of defending the comrades he lead to battle and whenever Tracy or any other nurse comes to attend to his wound he'd say 'don't worry take care of him first (referring to any wounded comrade around him), mine is just a scratch, I'll be fine, if you don't mind, I've gat some people to kill' and off he'd go, this baffled Tracy a lot and couldn't comprehend where he got that huge strength and endurance from, he never rested until the last man on Trendo's squad was down, and whenever he got hit with bullet, he repeats his routine 'squeeze and laughter'.
The battle is over, Ted's squad won. And they celebrated the victory in the soldiers way.
Sooner than you think it's time to go home. Ted and Tracy had to say goodbye. Tracy cried her eye balls off their sockets, Ted as usual 'squeezed and smiled', which made Tracy gave him a kiddish hit on his broad chest.
'Pls never stop calling and sending me mails' said Tracy. 'Definitely I won't said Ted' and so they depart.
Back to the retired general's house, Ted was welcomed glamorously as the old man (now in his mid 60s) organized a lil welcome party for Ted. And after the party, the old man called Ted outside in the garden congratulated him and started a serious discussion about life after training. 'Now you need a woman son' the old man said. 'Actually there's this gal I met in school, she's Tracy by name' he said, he removed his necklace, opened the pendant and showed the old man Tracy's picture. It's a pencil work, by Ted himself, he's yet to show Tracy, he was planing enlarging it and presenting it to her at a dinner in her apartment right in the presence of her uncle while he proposes with a ring. 'Oh! She's such a beautiful young woman' the old man said. 'When do I get to meet her?' 'She will be coming over next month, I invited her for thanksgiving' he replied.
Soon it's thanksgiving day, Tracy was well dressed which was really impressing to the old man who won't stop talking about her after she left.
Finally, it's proposal day, Ted well dressed in a black blazers, and a ash color jeans, he rode in a black Ford which was a welcome gift from the old man, 4months ago. Tracy couldn't wait to see Ted as she's also fully dressed in a wine color gown. 'You're looking beautiful more than ever' Ted said as Tracy opened the door for him. 'Thanks hon' she replied with a hug and kiss. 'Uncle! Ted is here' she screamed from the sitting room. 'I'm coming, just a sec' Tess replied from inside. 'What will you eat or drink?' Asked Tracy. 'Let me do this before I lose my gut' replied Ted.
Tracy couldn't believe what she saw, as Ted unveiled the portrait of her picture he drew himself and now on his kneel with the ring. There on his kneel, Tess joined them, he was very shocked as Ted was reciting his lines of proposal. With excitement, Tracy looked at her uncle's face, which was saying something different from what she's feeling at that moment, Ted also noticed Tracy's abrupt quietness, so he looked up to Tess to know what's wrong. 'No it can't be, said Tess'. Tracy now crying, 'but why Uncle?' She asked and so did Ted. 'It can't be'.
Ted stood up, sweating like 'Christmas ewu(goat)' Tracy was more shocked as she had never seen Ted in such a mood, scared and confused. 'What's wrong, do they know each other from some where?' These were the questions that rushed to her mind, mean while Ted's facial expression kept growing worse by the second, from shocked to confused, then to scared. What could've scared the fearless, brave, courageous and ever smiling/laughing Ted? Tracy demands in her mind like she's consulting an oracle for a quick and reliving answer. Finally, uncle Tess asked Ted who his mum was, 'she left me in an orphanage' he said. 'And your dad?' 'I never knew him' he replied. 'Please, uncle tell me what's going on' Tracy said crying. 'Just old on baby, I'll be back' said Tess. He rushed into his room and brought out the picture of a pretty young lady, showed it to Ted. 'Do you know the woman in this picture?' Tess asked Ted. Ted, now shivering all over his body which made Tracy more scared. 'Can someone please tell me what's going on here' she demanded again. 'Baby please calm down' said Tess as he turned to Ted to receive the answer to his question. 'Yes, I... I know her, this...this is my mum' Ted replied 'and how come you have her picture?' Ted also demanded. Tracy now almost fainting 'That's my mum!' She screamed. Ted noticed Tracy was staring at his chicks, he touched his right chick, he looked at his palm, he was shocked at what he saw... TEARS ROLL DOWN THE CHICKS OF THE MAN THAT NEVER CRIES.
THE END.
Written by Princephelar