I was uneasy now. Uneasy and restless. Earlier this morning
when Pete and I traded bitter words. I had said everything to him out of spite,
not meaning a word I said. Even the call I feigned making to Goke was a
complete hoax I wouldn’t touch Goke with a ten yard stick if he were the only
man left in the world. His family were wealthy and well-renowned within the
Victoria Island.
He had made several lewd advances at me when I was still a
fresher, but his Range-rover-high-roller lifestyle didn’t appeal to me much. To
me he seemed so … hollow… so poor. Some people are so poor, all they have is
money.
The truth? He’s just another rich brat, spoilt rotten, like
me. And I knew well enough that same charges didn’t get along too well.
Rashida had gone home as usual and I was bored so I had gone
by Pete’s. Seeing as he was in a foul mood and his single room even more messed
that I had left mine that morning, I decided to poke a little fun. I started
looking for trouble.
“Pete! You really need a maid to clean up your mess o.” And
trouble, I found.
“A girlfriend is what I need and I am actually planning on
getting one you know. I am grown. Quit kissing my ass all the time Okay?” He’s
snappy response stung like venom.
I couldn’t believe soft-spoken Pete would ever fire back at
me in that tone. Ever
All through our friendship, I had always goaded him along,
checking to see if he had sexuality issues of any kind. Because... honestly, he
was just too soft and introverted. He was very different. Pete could sleep
besides a butt-naked woman all night and just go to sleep without touching her.
That was strange… very strange.
For a girl like me who, whose head is always high in the
sky. I found it a little tricky being the one to ask him out. That would be
jumping the gun. I was constantly giving him the ‘green light’ the way I knew
how to. But all I got in return were poems and paintings and the general
niceties you got from any gentleman – which was cool but rather lacking the
spice of a male domine.
Sometimes, he’d just say the most things I ever heard and
when I asked him to repeat it, he’d just dissolve into that sheepish smile that
made him look like Sean Tizzle without make-up or Instagram filter.
How could I ever deal with that? A guy unsure of his sexuality…
telling me here that he was getting a girlfriend, not me. There and then in his
room, I decided to push my luck.
“Go ahead. If anything, verify that you are not gay.” For
extra effect to my bluff, I added. “And yeah… I actually forgot to tell you, I
have a date with Goke tonight.”
I watched as his eyes glistened over in rage. Seeing how
that made him cringe gave me some sort of pleasure, I must confess.
He started blubbering. “Goke? That lout?! … You are
bluffing… … “
I fished out my phone and started feigning a call to Goke.
Truth was… there was no one on the other line. Theatrics 101.
So we parted ways that morning with mixed and screwed
feelings. I returned to my apartment at Abule–Oja full of regrets. A lot of
uncertainties running through my mind.
“What if…”
“Why not…” and so on.
I was pacing around the room, restless as hell when my eyes
fell on a sketch pad on the dressing table. It was one of the poems Pete had
come up with for me, four months back. I turned the pages and started reading
aloud with quivering lips.
“Naked
woman, dark woman!
Oil sweet and smooth on the athlete’s flanks of the princes
of Mali
Heaven-leashed gazelle, pearls are stars on the night of
your skin
Delights of the spirit at play, red gold reflections on your
shimmering skin.
I am
the shade of your hair, my anguish lightens with the nearing suns of your eyes
Naked woman, black…”
Shit! I cussed under my breath and kept the notepad back on
the dressing table. Staring straight in the mirror. I whispered to myself “It’s
the stress Grace. Don’t let it get to you”
Wouldn’t be a bad time to call ‘pharmaceutical’ now, would
it? I picked my phone and dialed the weed dealers phone number.
“Omo pastor” He’s gruff voice came over the phone. “Long
time o. Na today wey market no come dey available you call me so. How he go be
na?”
I felt disappointed and my uneasiness piqued a notch higher.
“So where else will I get something as good now?” I asked. Desperate.
“Pappy J” He answered. “Him dey around that Iwaya side. He
no too far from your campus. But he no dey do home delivery sha. You know say
na only me be the Ibijowo Igbod’owo
Mathew for the whole Lagos wey dey give una that kain service.” He chuckled to
himself, probably proud of his life achievement. “Make I send you address reach
dia”
Going to a drug pond bothered me, but I was desperate and
considering the available option I had; a real pharmacy downstairs. I made up
my mind. Rather herbs, than pills.
“Send me directions.”
I started getting dressed in in a charcoal black hoodie and
joggers, with sneakers to match. Packed my locks neatly into a grey head warmer
and waited for directions to Pappy J’s.
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