Aint Nobody Got Time For That.

The aso-ebi fabric was splufik! Everything was set for the wedding, except that the gown was too tight and she didn't know how to tie her gele.

She sucked in her tummy and did the best she could in tying her scarf.

"11:30 am?!" Zaaappp! She hurried downstairs to catch the first taxi she saw. As she walked into the church, one of the groomsmen caught her attention. 

" Chai, see fine boy!" She thought to herself, "Market must sell today sha, bad as e bad at least one customer."

She saw her girlfriends from work and said "hi" from a distance.

"Nonso, wassup now? Come lets take selfies"

"Na trouble? Me no do single ladies with una oo!! Abeg, life na per head, leave me" she hissed

With that, she grudgingly walked to them and smiled for the camera.

She joined the only chic with a car to the reception venue, alongside three others. 

They watched with amazement how Nonso abandoned them and went to sit close to the groomsmen/bridal train table.

"Ahan! Nawa o, why are you acting so weird? Any issue?" pinged Adaora

"Abeg make una no vex. I just saw some old friends on this table that's why" replied Nonso

I saw her today at the office as she was narrating how one bobo who she met at the wedding, asked her for a date, I could see the excitement in her eyes...

"See eh, I've told dem Joy sorry o, haa, I didn't want them to spoil my market na. We are friends, yea, but when it comes to marriage mata, mehn, aint nobadi gat tym for that!"

Laugh almost choked me.

That Instant

Have you ever met someone and in one instant, you knew that they would like you? That in the split second it took to generate that thought, you knew that there was a connection that, was like electricity and both parties felt it and even though it’s invisible and no words have been exchanged, mutual thoughts were being exchanged and you were both on the same frequency?

So there I was this Monday evening, I was trying to get home after a day of work onsite with my Dad on Ikorodu road in the usual traffic snarl that is Lagos. 

I looked over to my left and there she was. She was astonishing. She’s the kind of beauty my best friend and I would spend no time arguing where’d she fit in the scale. She broke the scale. 

Possibilities. If not for the close to seven and a half tons of steel between us and hundreds of other road users. The three and a half seconds we spent in that state seemed like an eternity.  She waved her left hand to ask if she could join my lane (left hand: quick, inspect: No ring, she fair skinned and has no light band on her left hand-never wore a ring; meaning not married, never been engaged). Hey, I’m normally courteous, but I actually went outta my way to grant her wish.She couldn't have asked any nicely. She could have asked with an AK47 and it would still be nice. I yielded. She could take the road. While she was at it, she could take my heart, money and my destiny.

There is this warm feeling I get whenever I’ve done something nice. That’s usually motivation to do stuff. In this case, however, I was a bit selfish. I know that we’ll meet again and when we do she’ll be constrained to at least like me. In her subliminal subconsciousness that is actually her superconscience she’ll remember our little event. If you’re confused, don’t worry I’m confused too. I’m sure I don't know what I'm saying, but the thought feels good. 

"The road has freed up; Lets go" It was for only a moment. I work too hard, and daydream even harder. 

Now, I had to get home. 

Smokes and Shadows

The duvet couldn't keep him from the cold, so he stretched to put off the air conditioner, only to realize it was already switched off. 

He wondered when he put it off as he surrendered to the pull of his bed. The pillow felt wet. 

Then he remembered that he had been crying. At that realization, for some reason, the bed seemed to let him go, so he moved to the floor.

He stared blankly into the dark. All that occupied his mind was 'Molade.

Her smile, her giggle, her heart, her purity.

His scream broke the room's silence. He wailed and wept bitterly. Truly she was gone. Gone from his life. Forever.

"But that loss was ten years ago," a voice in his head said. "You are getting married in two days and you can't let anyone know about this pain. Deal with it Temi!"

His crying stopped a while after the thought. He got up, washed his face and looked into the mirror. 

All he could see was smoke. Smoke and shadows.

He would march down to his car and drive to his fiancee's house. He would tell her he loved her and that she was the only woman in the world he cared about.

He would tell her a version of the truth. Like we often do. When we say "we are fine" (smoke) which hardly shows the fire burning on the inside or when we smile for the camera all the while knowing that the true image of our desires versus reality hardly matches what our pictures (shadows) display.