LETTERS TO VAL

I had woken up that morning and after rolling round the bed lazily, a useless habit I had trained myself to adapt to, I finally cleaned my eyes, said a short prayer, did my bible study and went to brush my teeth. I was determined to wash all my clothes that day because for heavens’ sake, I had kept a nonsense pile of dirty clothes and suddenly I had felt too not lazy not to wash them that is if you understand what I mean.

I however washed the whole pack of clothes and went ahead to spread them outside to dry as the sun had decided that day to come out from its hiding and sincerely, I felt like a genius for being able to choose the right day to wash; I felt like I controlled the bodies that be. Fresh right?

I began to spread my clothes, while humming a song I was listening to via my cousin’s phone and soon enough, a tall fellow passed by and I thought to myself how cool it was to be tall. But, then, I also said within myself, it wasn’t easy work to be portable like I was. Haha! I concentrated on my chore and before I knew it, the tall person passed again and this time around he didn’t just pass as in pass and go, he was passing and approaching me! Heavens! It was early morning and I hadn’t even taken my bath and someone was already walking to me!

Problem is, I am quite nice and before long, my teeth were shining as I exchanged pleasantries with the person and soon learnt there was a party going on in the lodge that night to which I was cordially invited. I hated parties, but, he was polite and because he kept pleading that we attended, my cousin and I decided to show our face at the party that night and, that was where it all began; I got a new friend!

Soon enough, I was welcome at his place and I started feeling quite comfortable with him because he knew how to express himself in the most polite way and was very careful with his choice of words lest he hurts the person he is conversing with....

Thing is, I suddenly got used to him and started visiting without any reason so that in just five days, we had become really close. I like to think of him as my elder brother, basically bcos I don’t have one and he just fits the picture of an elder brother. We have a lot in common and though I haven’t told him, I feel his wife is going to be one very lucky woman because she will be having the honour of marrying someone as cool as he is and I'm so not missing their wedding at all. For what kwanu?

I'm going to miss him and as he is leaving later today, I feel like an integral part of me is leaving. He is obviously going to miss naughty me too though...

Ok, this one is for you, Val. I would have written something much more professional, but, thus is straight from my heart, very undiluted, “You are a nice person and Veeqy is so going to miss your company, even though she has only been able to have it for five days. You have graduated and I'm just starting up. I pray for all the best things that life has in store for you and because you are a nice person to be with, you will only encounter nice things  as  you step into the world to show them that Geology aint what we all thought it was...have a great life, Val!”

AMARACHI 1

       

 

  I have always wanted to be a part of those people who made others feel at ease with life and make them laugh naturally. It’s not like I have to always pretend to be who I’m not, but, it comes naturally that self contentment, coupled with the joy of the others around me makes my day worth the stress. I’m the second child in a family of five; four girls and a boy, with a beautiful mum and the gentlest of fathers. My family is quite the receptive and agreeable kind. But for my elder sister whom my distant cousin says should study law instead of pharmacy for her consistency at strong arguments and my little sister who scares my cousin with her shrill but beautiful voice and her rare gift of writing which is very endearing, my family is quite the ordinary one. Daddy works in the staff quarters or preferably, staff building of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state as an administrator. I still feel that the job suits him perfectly well. Although daddy owns an old model Mercedes Benz, the pride in me each time I sit in the back seat or the front seat (as the case may be) is quite unequaled and unparalleled. My elder sister and I both study at the school, so, most times, we go to school with daddy. You might not understand my pride till you actually trek the long distance from your house off campus to school and back every day.   My family is really simple, no extravagances or extra comfort. We live by our means.

                 My mum is a former entrepreneur. She actually had to stop her business because at a point, one very confused motorcyclist chose my mum to learn how to hit people and after that day, mother’s walking step changed after a whole series of treatments and bandaging and, she finally had to close down her business. I felt like punching the motorcyclist every single day that I watched my mother in pain, but, as I grew, I began to understand that God has a way of doing things and if it was His will, then, I had to stop searching the roads for the motorcyclist that plunged my beloved mother into the pain that she was going through on a daily basis.

              My siblings are quite distinct personalities. My elder sister, Chioma, whom we call Daa Chioma and is the first child in the family, is quite strict. She takes up her duty as the elder sister without blinking an eye. Sometimes, in her arguments, she refuses to let others speak which I feel is rude, but, I guess it has always been that way. She has an unchallenged authority in the house too. First born dey sweet oo! My immediate younger sister, Onyinyechi is the very silent one who only gives lopsided comments and laughs like there was no tomorrow. She is very brainy and sings beautifully. She also has the skill of the pens and her writing makes me wonder where I fall into in the category of bookers. I have another sister who you will meet before the end of the story anyways. Yes, my little brother, the famous Chiboy. Talks, walks, plays and even laughs like a girl. It’s not his fault anyways...he is surrounded by the ladies. He is quite a naughty boy, but, he is such a darling. I still wonder when he will understand that he is eleven years old and I still don’t get the joy he derives from kicking a deflated and weak balloon instead of a football!

           Time to talk about me! ... (Next episode)

HATED

“Really! You walked all the way to my house to break up with me? You have a phone you know and you could have easily called me so that I don’t have to see your God damned face one last time!” I bellowed at Franklin, my boyfriend who had just turned my ex three minutes ago.

I didn’t know how else to contain my fury except by lashing out at him totally. I had been the perfect lady. The kind of girlfriend that people would quarrel over, yet, my useless boyfriend could not see it at all. I went through everything in life for him without even thinking about the effect on me at all. I loved him and cherished him more than I did myself and now, he could just wake up one early morning and think I was waste that he could just dump anyhow?

“Listen, Katelyn! I can’t keep hurting you. It’s really wicked for me to break up with you on the phone. And, as much as I hate to do this, I have to. I keep hurting you. You do a whole lot that I can’t even learn how to appreciate and its tearing me apart. Katelyn, you deserve someone better. Someone who would admire you and even worship you for just being you. I am not that someone and I need to release you so you could find that someone. I'm sorry, but, you are just too good for me and I don’t deserve you”, He finished.

Of course he didn’t deserve me! I mean, who does that? Take a girl who would basically die for you for granted? Just like that? Is that life? Anyways, he kept talking and talking and trying to explain himself and sincerely, I didn’t give a damn any longer. One more look at Franklyn and I decided what I wanted with us; distance.

“Kate, we could still be friends you know”, he said, in a shaky voice that I guess was supposed to make me feel some sympathy or so, but, then, that was what broke me.’’

“You are out of your mind! Friends with whom? I can’t be your friend. I can’t even see you again. I don’t ever want anything with you. Fuck, Frank! If you can’t learn how to appreciate me when I'm practically throwing myself at you, then you can never be able to appreciate me as your friend. Its past two now and I need to take my beauty sleep. Have a great life”, I replied and shoved him out of my door.

Once he had gone out the door, I slammed it with all the rage I could muster and suddenly, without knowing it, I burst into tears. I had never cried like that all my life and for the first time in a long time, I allowed my heartbreak flow out of me like a burst pipe. I allowed the tears flow freely down my cheeks as I muttered the words “I love you” to myself...

Lusting...

Simisola came back from school that day and sat on the bed in her properly furnished room. With fatigue that made the room seem upside down to her, she placed her head on her pillow as she lay face-up on the bed. She cast her glance towards the ceiling of her room which she shared with her twin sisters.

Looking around her, she began to feel drowsy and expected herself to fall asleep immediately. She shut her eyes and instead of drifting to sleep, she drifted to thoughts about her latest beau. She saw his eyes first, those small, beautiful almond coloured eyes which were properly adorned with the most amazing lashes. Soon enough, his whole face flashed before her and his beautiful heart shaped lips made her smile. She loved his whole look and felt he was amazing. Her mind began to stray to the first kiss they had and how she almost fainted with joy at how his lips met hers and implanted a burning passion in her, how she tried to feel his heart pulsating against hers in their warm embrace but instead felt his perfect body and shivered. She remembered vividly how he held her so close to him the last time before she travelled as if he was scared of letting her go, the words he spoke into her ear the last time....

and she fell asleep.

Lusting...

Emotions Running...

For every word he said, my heart let out a maddening yell and threatened to escape from its confines. His words were like missiles and they tore through my heart, leaving fresh wounds in it. When he threatened to leave, I heard the shattering of my heart and whether or not it was obvious, his words became permanently implanted in my soul. I watched him rant and prance to and fro the sitting room and for the first time in my life, I was defenceless. With my mouth agape, my eyes brimming with fresh release of tears, my face all muddied up in concealer, foundation, contour, powder and tears plus a little black colour which had proceeded from my lower eyelid which was lined perfectly with black eyeliner, my head, a battlefield of varying memories struggling in their individual conquest for recognition and attention and my self-esteem literally packing out from me to a place where it would be properly treated, I felt my life was over and I was totally disarmed.

Ken kept pouring out his disappointment in extremely hurtful words. all the while, never stopping to see the damage he had done to me, written all over me. I kept quiet because I couldn't grasp any words. The English alphabets forsook me at that time. I was at the verge of going wacko when he finally stopped to look my way.

In that short moment, I felt the world had paused. Nothing else seemed to be happening and I waited; waited for the next thing he was going to say. However, he said nothing. For over five minutes, we stood like that. I couldn't take it anymore and the untamed scream that escaped my mouth got him running to me. I was broken. Ken rushed to me, held me in his hands as I was about to fall due to the weight of my heartbreak as my body couldn't bear it and kissed my forehead. He held me so close and whispered to me, "Baby, I love you. I always have and always will. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you." At that moment, I felt a cool breeze sweep through my heart and clear my heart break. I wanted to tell him I loved him but I still had a problem with words. Instead, he cupped my face in his hands and we shared a very passionate kiss...

Emotions Running

I Saw Paapi

I saw paapi. Yes, I saw him. He was standing under that mango tree, the one in front of our compound. He was putting on his khaki shorts and that green polo that had a spider drawn in front of it and I don't know why but, he was putting on two different dun lop slippers. I saw paapi. With his head shining even in the moonlight. His choice of haircut still marvels me, but, it is his hair and his head. I saw paapi. I was just coming back from Ejiro's house where maami sent me to help her return some pots. I had been there all day, just returning pots. I noticed maami was trying to make me rush and mama Ejiro seemed surprised to see me bringing back her pots. I don't think maami told her I was bringing the pots back that day. However, I had to finally go to the market for her. Old women and their love for sending people on errands. Especially to that market!😒

I am seeing paapi now and I am seeing him very well this time. He is holding a girl. Wait, let me look closely. Ha! Its Ejiro's twin sister, Eseosa. That very ugly girl! I think she is the one holding paapi or, maybe, they are both holding each other. Well, whatever. Paapi is whispering something into her ears and she is laughing. I heared that this is what boyfriends and girlfriends do at night under mango trees. But, I thought paapi is too old to have a girlfriend? Paapi is my father and I have five elder brothers. Paapi has always warned them never to be seen under a mango tree with a girl, especially at night because only irresponsible people did that. So, paapi is irresponsible? Is irresponsible a good thing? Now, I have gotten tired of looking at them and I have to go inside to tell maami that I am hungry.

I am inside now and maami is on the mat with one man. He is the village palm wine tapper. Maami and him, Osagie are covered with maami's pink and blue wrapper and they are moving somehow. Maybe maami is sick. They havent seen me and I don't want to enter because maami always warned me not to ever enter into a place where two adults are.

Now, I'm in my room and Im hungry. I want to eat but, I cannot go to the pot because I am not yet ten years old. Maami has to finish what she is doing so that she can give me food to eat.

So, I have begun to count how many straws my mat has. One, two, three...

I saw paapi...

His Crown

I steadily watched the metamorphosis that took place everyday. The way it shone and stood like a family, though a very large nuclear one. I saw it form an umbrella and I also watched it become an independent entity. Everyday, I imagined making it look like a farm where plants were placed in rows or turning it into a garden of arranged flowers and beds of thorns too. I loved it when, like a hen about to lay its eggs, it scattered in all places, looking like where the characters in George Orwell's animal farm had their great battle. I watched it lovingly everyday and begged that that beautiful aura it gave should not be disposed of.

Then, one day, it was all gone! It disappeared into much more than thin air and was never to be seen. I asked for its remnants and was told it was gone too. I wept in my heart for I loved it so much.

Amazing it was that when he returned to school, I wanted it to be a lie, that maybe that colony of beautiful black hair was still on his head. However, when Val came back, I saw he had taken his crown off and that beautiful black mass of hair I adored had gone forever...

His Crown

My Best Friend...

Like the state of the economy, he was declining. Every now and then, he changed from him to somebody else. He became a total stranger to me and I to him. It wasn't the high pitched, happy "Veeqy, whatsup?" when I called. Neither did he remind me that the food he ate at FRANCO was sexy.

I heared him talk, yet, I yearned to hear him talk. He lost his glow and usual somewhat natural ability to make light of every situation. He didn't see my hair when I changed it and even if he did see it, he didn't notice or make any comment. He didn't remind me every time I pulled off my glasses that I was Irene and he didn't ask about home or how I was doing.

He became distant and no matter how close I came, I felt him inwardly warning me not to venture closer and outwardly sending me signals that he needed his alone time and I felt the distance pierce through my subconscious. It wasn't fair. I had done nothing. His replies suddenly became curt, matter-of-factly and bizarre, like he was only replying because he should and not because he knew he should.

He probably didn't know but he had begun to scare me. I saw pain in his eyes and I wanted to hold him close, in a warm embrace and remind him that I loved him and was always going to be there for him. He was my best friend but suddenly, his coldness made me feel like an observer. I missed being his friend. I missed his laugh, his gesticulations and his noise. I missed him.

I wanted my best friend back.

I still want him back...

My Best Friend

Funny Memories...

I remember when one time, we had a very funny security man for the compound. He spoke nonsense as if it was too much sense and made stupidity seem like wisdom. He was rude and thought he was utmostly polite and worse of all, he thought he was brave.

He used to boast that he had enough juju to wipe out an entire city and if boko haram dared come around, he would protect us and we would all laugh it off. This continued until one day...

It was the last Saturday of the month and in Lagos, where I stay, it was environmental sanitation day. Every shop was closed and every house was busy. I was cleaning the front of the house when suddenly, I saw people running at high speed. The first person zoomed past me in such high speed and then before I could find out who it was, two others ran past me again. Original amebo like me went straight to the backyard to inform my mum and siblings that I saw three people running towards the backyard. Before I finished my report, the three of them reached our side and funny enough, the person leading the race was the security guard.We asked erybody to calm down as we asked for explanations as to why they were running and after the explanation, we all laughed.

The thing was, the two men were running because of the KAI officials were chasing them as they werent supposed to be seen outside going to work before the environmental sanitation was over. Then, they ran into our compound which was the first in sight. However, they intensified their race when they saw the security man fly out of his room. 

The security man when asked said he didnt know why they were running o, but, he couldnt watch two fully grown men running like that without trying to save his own life.

At that moment, I died.😄😄

Funny Memories

DISASTER 2

However, the walk down the road was not beans oh! Every step I took seemed to attract people from ever side. Guys and girls alike turned to stare at me. I began to walk fast. 

Annoyingly enough, the road seemed to get longer as I never quite reached anywhere. When I almost fainted was when two girls who were talking turned to look at me and laughed. Arggh! At this point, I began to run. I ran and ran till I hit my leg on a big stone, fell and rolled down the road. I was covered in shame. I stood up, dusted myself and continued my journey. However, soon enough, I realized that my earpiece was not with me anymore and my shoe lace was loose. I bent to put in shape and craack, I heared a sound. That was how my jumpsuit tore! It didnt tear anywhere else oh, but that splash of red on my bum! I almost fainted. I stood aright and looked around to see people looking at me and laughing. I didnt know what to do, so, I frantically pulled out my phone from my bag to call my host to send me a cab, but, just as it came out of the bag, it fell face down into the gutter close on my right. I entered the gutter. Yes? My phone costs a whole session school fees for medicine students in a state university! As I took the phone, I noticed it wasnt coming on again. I was doomed. I began to sweat seriously and before long, my face was a pool and all my make up combined to form thick paint. I was ruined. I didnt know what to do again and at this point, frustration got the better of me and I just sat on the ground, or, did I faint? I cant remember which but, I do remember that I woke up in a hospital bed.

If I had known, I would have just worn my usual baseball cap and plain trousers!

THE END!

DISASTER 1

 

  My jumpsuit was black in colour with some splashes of red across the bust and bum. I really do not know why the designers decided to put those red touches where they appeared but, nevertheless, I bought it because I mean, must somebody always be so conservative?  Putting on a polo over plain trousers  with a low life shoe and a baseball cap everytime? No! This was the first time in my life that I had gone out of the box and put on a tube(strapless) cloth. At first, I loved the whole idea and I took more than enough pictures of the new me at home. I sprayed my wonderful perfume in some strategic places. You should know why now😉😉...Then, I took my handbag, my phone and earpiece and walked majestically out of the house.

After locking the door, I left the house. On reaching the compound gate, the sea of eyes that greeted me gave me cramps in my stomach.I however ignored them and kept walking down the road that led to the main road where I was to board a vehicle that would take me to the venue...

Married Me

        Everything had been put in place. The hall was arranged neatly and everything was already set in place. I begged Oma, my best friend to help me check up on the girls in the other dressing room to be certain that all was going well and as the good friend that she was, she left immediately after reminding me that I looked amazing in my white flowing wedding gown.

I took this time to reminisce. I wanted some alone time and because I knew very well that girls talk wouldn't allow Oma leave the dressing room any time soon, I sent her to check upon them to give me enough time to think about what I was going in for.

I was getting married! I was voluntarily accepting a jail term. I was agreeing to spend the rest of my life with one person! One person! I was going to grow white hairs with him and probably even die with him too! I was going to become his property! A man's own! 

I began to think about the words mom told me about the male folk. I remembered her telling me that men were not to be trusted, that my father left because he couldn't stay, that they only said the vows to fulfill all righteousness and not necessarily because they meant them. Mom told me that all the love ended on the night the marriage was consummated, that from thence , all the husband sees is a wasted woman who has nothing else going for her in life except from being his wife. Mom also said that after then, the husband begins to see other women as much more attractive than his wife and he begins to desire them so much that his wife begins to disgust him. She said all these because dad left her on their wedding night to see another woman and finally fled after I was born.

                    For five minutes, I thought about all these things and soon, I didn't like the idea of getting married . Mom had even died during the wedding preparations and now this. I was quitting. I took myself out of the room, looked left and right and bolted out of the building when I saw nobody. I didnt know what later happened but, this I know. Oma didn't go to the other dressing room to check up on the other girls. She went to Paul's room and on that day when I was supposed to say "I do", she was the bride whom my to-be husband kissed...

married me.