CHASING GALADIMAH

YUSUF

"tohh Mama nagode, sai anjima" Yusuf concluded ending the call

He was on the phone with his mother, he always calls her every week to check up on her, his father and his siblings.

It has been a week since he came back from Nigeria. He was supposed to stay in Nigeria for a month, but after what happened he had to cut his stay short.

He dropped his phone on the bed and picked his laptop, he had unfinished work he needed to complete, so he typed away on his laptop.

Soon he was through with his work so he logged off and grabbed his car keys along with his phone and exited the room.

He walked down the stairs leading him out of the apartment to the parking lot.

He pressed the unlock button on the car key which unlocked the car and he got in zooming off.

He reached the supermarket few minutes later, since the supermarket was close to his apartment, it didn't take him long to reach.

He got down from the car, locked it and proceeded further into the supermarket.

He took a cart and started walking through the aisles, picking the items he wanted.

He was done picking the items he needed so he proceeded to the counter to make payment.

From behind someone over took him, causing him to flinch.

The lady turned facing his direction "Sorry, please can I make payment" she asked

She seemed to be in a hurry so he allowed her "Yes you can" he replied slightly shifting back

The cashier attended to her and packed all her items in nylon bags.

He was next in line so the cashier attended to him next.

The cashier was done attending to him, so she packed his items in nylon bags, which she handed to him.

He walked out of the supermarket with nylon in his hand.

"Thank you for letting me cut in" said the lady from the supermarket, seems like she was waiting for him.

"No problem" he replied curtly

There was an awkward silence 
"see you later" she said waving her hands in the air.

He nodded strolling towards his car, he unlocked it and got in.

Revving the car to life, he drove to his apartment.

He arranged all the items in their respective place.

The next day he woke up, did his normal routine and off to work

He works as the assistant managing director in one of the biggest companies in US.

"Good morning sir" His assistant Sasha greeted.

"Morning Sasha, is the MD in" he asked.

"No sir, he isn't in" Sasha replied

"Here are the files the MD asked me to give you" she added, handing him the files.

He collected them and thanked her

On his way to his office he bumped into a familiar face

"You are the supermarket guy" the familiar face asked unsure of the question.

"Yes I am" he answered

"What are you doing here" she asked the obvious question

He raised an eyebrow "I work here"

"Ohhhhh" she said feeling awkward

"I also work here, as an intern" she added

"Are you also an intern" she asked again

"But you don't look like an intern" she replied herself

"Or are you an intern"  she inquired

"No I'm not" he replied

He is not one to engage in long conversations.

"Sorry, people tell me am chatty, seems they were right. The thing is I recently came to the States, so I don't really have anybody to talk to and I figured you are an African Nigerian Hausa" she blurted

"Ohhhh" he replied curtly

She figured he wasn't going to say anything more, so she added "My name is Sumayya, but you can call me Ummi , I was named after my maternal grandmother so everyone calls me Ummi"

Hearing the name Ummi ignited the spark he had for the person he knows with the name Ummi, his Ummi who meant the world to him.

"What's your name" she asked snapping him back to reality

"Yusuf" he stated

"Nice to meet you, I have to get back to work, it was nice chatting, bye" she waved him goodbye and resumed her work.

He proceeded to his office and began his day's work.

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