Part of what to expect next week Friday God willing on STORY TIME: “Assalamu alaikum”, she said as she entered the reception. “Wa Alaikumussalam”, I responded. I was the only one in the office then. Muhammad has gone to court to file some papers. Mary, our Secretary has also gone on an errand. I was sitting in the reception. My head was buried in a newspaper. I did not raise my head as I responded to her Salam. “Excuse me please sir,” a shrill sweet voice said. I raised my head slowly. There she was standing half-entered into the reception. She was wearing a pink native wear with a white Hijab on top. She looked simple but imposing and elegant. She appeared a perfect example of how a Muslim woman should dress. My assessment stopped there. “Yes please.” I responded. I barely restrained myself from gazing at her. I noticed momentarily that she had lowered her gaze as well. “Come in please” I quickly added noticing she was still standing. “Sit down please”, I said gesturing her to one of the visitors’ chairs. Incidentally, the chair was directly opposite where I was seated. She appeared uncomfortable, and uncertain. Yet she sat down at the edge of the chair. I quickly re-accessed her. She doesn’t look like a client. “Can I help you?” I inquired. I noticed my voice was sounding very nice and reassuring. “I am looking for Muhammad Garba. He told me he works here. He asked me to bring some papers for him – some materials for our course work. Em we are in the same class.” I noticed again that even though she was confident, she was also nervous. I decided to make things easy for her. I stood up to go back to my office. “Muhammad would soon be back. If you wouldn’t mind you can wait for him or you can leave a note in that note book on the desk near you.” I said as I went into my office leaving her alone. That was an attitude I have and which I am proud of. Since my university years, I hate to impose myself on any girl. Once you appear not free with me, I instantly back out. That was why I found it very difficult to make girlfriends. I had none throughout my under-graduate years in the university. I am also finding it difficult to have one now that I am out of school and into practice. The only close to having a girlfriend I had was in my Law School days in Lagos. There was this girl with whom we attended the same university. She appeared to have picked interest in me right from the university. Her interest appeared more visible during our final year. We were always together. We sat together in class. She always reserved a seat for me next to hers. We went for lunch break of fried groundnuts and popcorn together. We went to the mosque for our afternoon prayers together, except on some few rare occasions. Our friendship was becoming the talk of the law faculty and even beyond. There appeared to be a silent conversation going on between the two of us whenever we were together. Yet none of us ventured to voice it out. For me it was out of fear of hurting my pride in the event she says “no” to my proposal of a more serious relationship. For her, I guess it is sheer womanism: ladies are not supposed to talk first. I must talk first as I am the man. When we met again at Lagos, we picked up from where we left at Jos. Both of us were in the hostel. We saw each other more often. We shared each other’s problems and counsel each other. I was impressed and encouraged by the way things were. I summoned all courage and dismissed my fears. I spoke to her. That was it. She appeared diplomatically shocked. I saw something like disappointment in her eyes as well. I became confused. I began to hate myself. Now I am going to lose her sweet company and friendship, I concluded. On that day, our conversation, which was hitherto always lively, was limited and formal. She left me earlier than usual under the pretext that she was not feeling very well. It was a Friday. I did not see her throughout the better part of Saturday. When I visited her hostel in the evening, I was told that she had left a message that she has gone to see her aunt at Ikoyi. That she won’t be back until Monday morning. I was devastated. I was equally annoyed. I managed to scrabble a few lines and dropped it for her. I concluded by saying “I am sorry if I hurt you in any way. I won’t repeat it again.” When we met again on Monday in class, none of us brought up the topic. We left the matter to rest – forever.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 15:21:06 +0000
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