Love drives you. Love makes you smile, love gives you a reason to live. Love is like a pill that erases imperfection.
~ÀLONGÉ
Alonge the ever cool guy finally falls in love with a lady that doesn't even meet up with his st...
A gentle music rouses me up, it's like the morning birds went on strike this Saturday morning.
The muzzins call to prayer floats across the building. I rose and pad through the house going instantly to my war room, a small part of the apartment where I once used to do my devotions and have my quiet time before I became lukewarm and then cold.
The room had this peaceful aura, it was painted in white color but presently the white paint needs to be repainted, the sticky prayer notes were all over the dusty floor, the bookshelf had a lot of dusty books on it. But the main fact about this room is that, it's where I once used to communicate with my Father, my prayer altar and a connect room.
"Help me find my way back, don't you dare give up on me" I muttered, scribbling the words on a sticky note with a pen which refused to work.
The familiar ache of indecision started up in my heart as I was torn in between cleaning the room and what I was going to eat this morning. I rubbed at my temples, confused and uncertain. I am to take the praise and worship section in church tomorrow me being the choir master.
Being an expert at compartmentalizing, I pushed every thoughts deep down, slamming the door closed. I went into my room, flip flops thwacking against the gleaming tiled floor.
My dark spacious room welcomed me with open arms, the solitude in it could lure an insomnia patient into a deep slumber. The smell of lavender and leather lingered in the air with the air unit filling the dark room with its rattling hum.
I stood in front of my mirror admiring my fresh face. No be small thing o, even monkey sef dey look mirror. Ye! laugh wan tear my yansh! Unsolicited hair had sprout on my face and armpits. I can imagine Ore my fifteen year old niece shouting Sambisa forest up and down. But still, I love my sister and my noisy bunch of nieces and nephews.
Longe you sef, when you start dey look mirror?
A Nigerian woman will tell you they don't like their men with unshaven face, but kiss them with that same unshaven face and you will see the way they will start stroking the beards, mtcheew. Na dem know oo
I was about to leave the room, but my ears perked up as I heard a knock.
"Who you be? " I shouted, doubling up my steps.
"Early mor mor... You no get job?" I asked opening the door and making sure to shut it right after I got out.
Lo and behold, it's iya ologi (Pap seller) the elderly woman standing before me shifted her weight from one leg to another with her bushy eyebrows drawn together.
With the fact that there are four identical bungalow buildings and a basketball court in this large compound, this woman still comes to knock on my door every Saturday, what about the other three guys, well one of the guys is not really a guy, just an old man who doesn't want to get old at the age of seventy.
I don't understand if it is pap I should be taking every Saturday, so I can be using the toilet hundred times on Sunday.
"Ekaaro mama" (Good morning mama) I greeted, like the well trained Yoruba boy momma trained.
"Ekaaro omo mi, se e ra ogi" (Good morning my child, are you not buying pap?) she shouted, even with the fact I was standing right close to her.
"Mama mi o ra sugbon egba efi se owo oko" (Mama, I'm not buying but take this use it for your transport)
That's how mama started her prayers ooo.... Even baba Bayo the gateman kept saying Amen as if he was the one being prayed for.
'Excuse me boss, you have a text message' my phone beeped twice.
"Odabo mama" (Goodbye) I said as I read through the message.
Dear Uncle Longer, We are inviting you to dinner tomorrow, don't come late or you will just end up washing all the dishes. I hope you have stopped putting your phone in your shorts pocket, rumors has it that the heat from a beeping phone can boil an egg, and I want my baby cousins o but you can continue if you don't want to ever give birth. Remember a fool at twenty eight is a fool forever. With love from your Niece Ore
I immediately held on to my something.
"Uncle you wan piss ?" baba Bayo asked.
" I will have children when I grow up in Jesus name, sorry when the time comes" I muttered, as I rushed into my house.
"A fool at fifteen is a fool forever" I said to my phone holding it tightly, as a drop of spit landed on it. If the phone could talk, it would have strangled me.
****
A/N 🙇 Who missed me? I'm sorry I took too long to update. I got every messages and update requests, thank you for those sweet words 😁😁 ❤❤
I have good news, I just brought back 'In us lies the fault' yeah It's a new book actually. I took it down sometimes back and I've brought it back again, not just it. I also published Quicksilver, that's for the lady who reminded me 🤦 I didn't forget 'Quicksilver' and neither did I forget 'Bound by Marriage, the verge of love'
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