Emeka, The Writer and The SSO

Chapter Four

I didn't want to head to the SSO the next day but I had to. So I dawdled and got to the building by around 10 o'clock. Ikenna stood outside of the building, holding his brown suitcase, being his usual tall and domineering self, all six feet of him. He searched worriedly for something or someone but the moment he sighted me his face relaxed and a smile dawned on his face.

"Ah," he said as I came closer, "Emeka, this one that you came so late, wetin happened?"

I didn't look at him. I walked past, trying my best to avoid touching him, a hard task considering he stood in the middle of the entrance blocking it with his body. I wasn't just in the mood for his energy today. As I came closer to him he shifted from the doorway and began to follow behind me, his feet stepping on my shoe with every step, it was extremely irritating.

"Emeka," he began, but I cut him off.

"Ikenna, I am not in the mood for your nonsense today, abeg, please leave me alone."

He opened his mouth to say something but then shut up and closed it promptly. He swivelled in his chair clearly hurt but that didn't concern me as long as he shut up. I placed my head on my folded arms that rested on my table, I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, then the elevator doors opened and the official walked noisily into the floor. I raised my head and looked at the official that had walked in.

He wore an iron pressed black suit with matching iron pressed trousers, polished shiny pastor shoes that went click clack with every step made, a pristine white shirt that created a contrast with his stark black tie. In his right hand he carried a black brief case. He placed his brief case on the podium in the centre of the room and the voice enhancing mechanism started up.

"Hello everyone, my name is Abioye Abidemi Abímbólá or as my level mates call me, Triple A, and I will be the official taking you on the diagram discipline."

"Oh nice," Ikenna called from beside me,"Triple A is going to be our diagrams official." His excitement was written on his face.

"Really?" I asked, turning to face him with my head still on my table. "And what makes Triple A different?"

Ikenna looked at me with bad eye, then he scoffed. "I thought you said you were not in the mood for my nonsense? But you want to hear my nonsense now shebi ?" He hissed. "I will answer your question sha but you have to take me to that mama put joint by that Asuqou Asuquo street not far from here."

I groaned. I wasn't ready to take him out for lunch, but I wanted to know more about Abioye. I nodded to him, already making up the excuse I'll tell him to get out from the lunch. He smiled, a beaming smile that revealed his teeth, the smile that made him the most liked individual in our level. The one that showed the saliva dripping from each individual dentition. I felt like vomitting.

"Well from what I heard from conversations my father had with a few of his colleagues, Triple A is a really nice guy, he is also an extremely good official. He has gotten four black official badges, and the last level he officiated over not only finished with an incredibly high average they were also able to live extremely comfortably. Also, he has been known to go around befriending members of lower levels and giving them help."

My ears perked up at the last part. "Help? What sort of help?" 

He nonchalantly placed his legs on his desk and leaned back in his chair scattering sand from the bottom of his shoe onto my desk. I swallowed back the remark I was about to say, and pretended not to notice the sand scattered on my desk.

Ikenna shifted uncomfortably in his seat then he dropped down his leg. He rolled closer to the desk and turned on his techni-pad. 

"Oh you know, helping them buy food stuff, driving them to their homes, giving them things they lack. My father and his friends don't understand why he does it." He shrugged. "I guess he's just a nice guy."

I turned to face Abioye standing on the podium and began paying attention to him. He had been saying something while I was talking to Ikenna, I didn't ask to find out what.

"Now that we're done with introductions, I managed to get you a few minutes of online time. I want you to use this opportunity to send me an email stating your name and your SO number. You have ten minutes to do so anyone that doesn't should be prepared to face the consequences. You all should have already received an email from me, you just have to reply."

I sighed and opened my techni-pad, and just as he had said there was an email from him already in my inbox.

Greetings, the mail read, I am Abioye, your new diagrams official. This is my official mail through which you can contact me for any SSO related problems. Please kindly respond by sending your name and SO number. Thank you.

I did just that. Over the next couple of hours we jointly studied diagrams and other disciplines and soon the day was well worn and so were we. We bustled tiredly to the elevator and shuffled sorely out. As I pushed through the door I sighted Abioye standing beside his car, waiting for something or someone... Or me. He waved me over and I sadly walked towards him.

After I had heard what Ikenna had said — although I didn't like him I trusted his sources — I felt bad for the way I acted yesterday in his car, it was disgusting how quickly I had pegged him as one of those people who helped others so that they could embarrass them. I stood in front of him and I couldn't hold his gaze. 

"Emeka," he called," How was your day?"

I shrugged and mumbled, "It was okay."

"Why don't we go for a walk?" He beckoned me and began to walk towards Saint Michael's Church, I caught up to him and fell in step beside him.

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A/N: Sorry again for the late posting. Hope to do better next time. Also don't forget to COMMENT, VOTE, and most importantly SHARE.