"...if Teju had only taken Ese to plait her hair, and had not waited for her, then she definitely would have woken up earli... 'definitely'? Should it be 'definitely' or 'probably'? 'Probably'. 'Probably' is a better word because she still might have woken up late either way........ But then Ese claimed that it was the queues even though she still blamed Teju for spending too much time in front of the mirror. Now, my premises should be...."
Siji had been listening to Wale's Soliloquy for about 15 minutes or so. Normally he would not have been interested enough to listen. Wale was fond of talking to himself and his roommates had come to accept this idiosyncrasy of his after their complaints did nothing to change it. He would only apologize, stop it for a while, then get carried away and continue. They realized he did it only when was trying to concentrate, so they stopped bothering him. He was also the only freshman in the room.
Siji never cared about the habit either way and had never listened in on him, but the repeated mentioning of 'Ese' and 'Teju' made him eavesdrop. But what Wale was saying made little sense to Siji.
"What are you talking about Wale?" He asked
"Oh! I'm sorry Siji, I must have been disturbing you."
"No, you weren't. I am just curious is all. You were talking about Ese and Teju and queues and lateness?"
"I am trying to do my assignment, my PHL 101 assignment"
"PHL 101?"
"Yes, philosophy"
"And what has that got to do with Ese and Teju? Are they characters in your philosophy textbook?"
This made Wale to laugh "No, actually they are students. Ese is in Economics and Teju is in International Relations. They both offer PHL 101 and they both came late to class today"
"Oh! Really?"
"Yes, it was really funny what happened in class today, they didn't only come late, they somewhat disrupted the class too..............." He narrated everything that happened to Siji who listened raptly.
"You see, the lecturer said he wanted to use them to further explain the topic to the obviously confused class, but he used them to give us an assignment instead. We are to submit it the day after tomorrow. I have been wracking my brain but I have not been able to make reasonable headway"
Siji smiled "that's the trick lecturers here pull, when they see that the class is confused, they give out assignments so that the students will be forced to research and read in order to solve the assignment, and while they are at it, learn the topic well. It works like magic, at least for those who do their assignments themselves. I advise you to go and get the textbook, if you don't have any, you can check the library or ask from friends and read the the topic well. What did you say the topic is called?'
"Argument"
"OK, read about argument well, then go to Angola and meet your classmates, those that have read too, and try to solve the assignment together. That's how you tackle such assignments"
"Thanks Siji. Will do exactly that but now I'm hungry. Will you please lend me a sachet of noodles, will buy it back for you when I visit the store later in the day"
"Okay, no problem" as Siji stood to search for the noodles in his locker, he thought of what Wale just told him. It could not be a coincidence, he didn't think there could be two ladies bearing Ese in 100 level Economics. Hers was not a common name, at least not in that environment, it had to be her. And Teju? He knew Kalu's girlfriend's name was Teju though he didn't know her department. If the Teju in Wale's story is the same as Kalu's Teju then Ese may be the girl Pago had been telling him about. The girl Pago was interested in. Could he and Pago have interests in the same girl?
He gave Wale the noodles and laid on his bed as he continued thinking. If she is the same girl, then he would have to back off for Pago. For though he saw her first, Pago spoke to her first, Pago had even declared his interest to her while he........... he did not even know if she felt for him what he felt for her. And the most important thing of all, they are both from rich homes, from the same class. Pago was definitely way ahead of him on this, he could not definitely compete with Pago on this, all he had was his intelligence. But then she may not be the same girl. He promised himself to find out from her when they both meet later in the day, they had planned to meet that evening, he would try and find out without giving anything away. If she was the same girl, he did not want her knowing about him and Pago, not yet anyway. He closed his eyes as he silently prayed --Oh Lord, don't let her be the same girl--
Siji had been listening to Wale's Soliloquy for about 15 minutes or so. Normally he would not have been interested enough to listen. Wale was fond of talking to himself and his roommates had come to accept this idiosyncrasy of his after their complaints did nothing to change it. He would only apologize, stop it for a while, then get carried away and continue. They realized he did it only when was trying to concentrate, so they stopped bothering him. He was also the only freshman in the room.
Siji never cared about the habit either way and had never listened in on him, but the repeated mentioning of 'Ese' and 'Teju' made him eavesdrop. But what Wale was saying made little sense to Siji.
"What are you talking about Wale?" He asked
"Oh! I'm sorry Siji, I must have been disturbing you."
"No, you weren't. I am just curious is all. You were talking about Ese and Teju and queues and lateness?"
"I am trying to do my assignment, my PHL 101 assignment"
"PHL 101?"
"Yes, philosophy"
"And what has that got to do with Ese and Teju? Are they characters in your philosophy textbook?"
This made Wale to laugh "No, actually they are students. Ese is in Economics and Teju is in International Relations. They both offer PHL 101 and they both came late to class today"
"Oh! Really?"
"Yes, it was really funny what happened in class today, they didn't only come late, they somewhat disrupted the class too..............." He narrated everything that happened to Siji who listened raptly.
"You see, the lecturer said he wanted to use them to further explain the topic to the obviously confused class, but he used them to give us an assignment instead. We are to submit it the day after tomorrow. I have been wracking my brain but I have not been able to make reasonable headway"
Siji smiled "that's the trick lecturers here pull, when they see that the class is confused, they give out assignments so that the students will be forced to research and read in order to solve the assignment, and while they are at it, learn the topic well. It works like magic, at least for those who do their assignments themselves. I advise you to go and get the textbook, if you don't have any, you can check the library or ask from friends and read the the topic well. What did you say the topic is called?'
"Argument"
"OK, read about argument well, then go to Angola and meet your classmates, those that have read too, and try to solve the assignment together. That's how you tackle such assignments"
"Thanks Siji. Will do exactly that but now I'm hungry. Will you please lend me a sachet of noodles, will buy it back for you when I visit the store later in the day"
"Okay, no problem" as Siji stood to search for the noodles in his locker, he thought of what Wale just told him. It could not be a coincidence, he didn't think there could be two ladies bearing Ese in 100 level Economics. Hers was not a common name, at least not in that environment, it had to be her. And Teju? He knew Kalu's girlfriend's name was Teju though he didn't know her department. If the Teju in Wale's story is the same as Kalu's Teju then Ese may be the girl Pago had been telling him about. The girl Pago was interested in. Could he and Pago have interests in the same girl?
He gave Wale the noodles and laid on his bed as he continued thinking. If she is the same girl, then he would have to back off for Pago. For though he saw her first, Pago spoke to her first, Pago had even declared his interest to her while he........... he did not even know if she felt for him what he felt for her. And the most important thing of all, they are both from rich homes, from the same class. Pago was definitely way ahead of him on this, he could not definitely compete with Pago on this, all he had was his intelligence. But then she may not be the same girl. He promised himself to find out from her when they both meet later in the day, they had planned to meet that evening, he would try and find out without giving anything away. If she was the same girl, he did not want her knowing about him and Pago, not yet anyway. He closed his eyes as he silently prayed --Oh Lord, don't let her be the same girl--
**********
*********** ***********
*********** ***********
"Where is your friend? What's that her name even? I keep forgetting it." Pago asked Teju
"It's Ese, and she isn't around, she went out"
"Where to"
"She didn't really say, somewhere in academics"
"Academics? To do what? It's too early to start reading'
"I really don't know" she lied, then to discourage him from asking further she said in an irritated tone "she is not a kid and I'm not her mum, she doesn't have to check with me before she does anything. If you want to see her, call her."
when she had told Ese that Kalu would be coming with Pago, she had said she won't be around that she would be meeting her new friend. Ese had not asked her to lie to Pago but she knew if she told him the truth, his questions would not stop.
"She didn't give me her number." Pago was saying "I didn't even know she has a phone, can I have it please?
"You will have to get it from her directly. It'll be wrong for me to give you" Teju told him as she mentally slapped her big mouth for divulging too much information.
"I think that girl is trying to avoid me and you are helping her, yesterday you took her to plait her hair and we missed you both, today you are refusing to give me her number and to tell me where she had gone to"
"Think whatever you like." she said rudely, then turned to Kalu "Kalu are we going or not?" Kalu that had being watching the exchange with apprehension forced himself to smile as if all was well "of course, we are. Pago let's go,"
"I don't feel like going again Kalu, I'll be at the New buka, just call me when you are done so that I'll pick you up"
"But... but ..Pago..."
"Don't worry bro, have fun, he gave them a plastic smile as he walked out of her room.
Teju turned to Kalu and smiled sweetly but he could see that her eyes weren't smiling "Please, come alone next time, don't you ever bring him here again"
"Okay ma'am. Now shall we?"
"Of course we shall"
*********
*********** ***********
"It's Ese, and she isn't around, she went out"
"Where to"
"She didn't really say, somewhere in academics"
"Academics? To do what? It's too early to start reading'
"I really don't know" she lied, then to discourage him from asking further she said in an irritated tone "she is not a kid and I'm not her mum, she doesn't have to check with me before she does anything. If you want to see her, call her."
when she had told Ese that Kalu would be coming with Pago, she had said she won't be around that she would be meeting her new friend. Ese had not asked her to lie to Pago but she knew if she told him the truth, his questions would not stop.
"She didn't give me her number." Pago was saying "I didn't even know she has a phone, can I have it please?
"You will have to get it from her directly. It'll be wrong for me to give you" Teju told him as she mentally slapped her big mouth for divulging too much information.
"I think that girl is trying to avoid me and you are helping her, yesterday you took her to plait her hair and we missed you both, today you are refusing to give me her number and to tell me where she had gone to"
"Think whatever you like." she said rudely, then turned to Kalu "Kalu are we going or not?" Kalu that had being watching the exchange with apprehension forced himself to smile as if all was well "of course, we are. Pago let's go,"
"I don't feel like going again Kalu, I'll be at the New buka, just call me when you are done so that I'll pick you up"
"But... but ..Pago..."
"Don't worry bro, have fun, he gave them a plastic smile as he walked out of her room.
Teju turned to Kalu and smiled sweetly but he could see that her eyes weren't smiling "Please, come alone next time, don't you ever bring him here again"
"Okay ma'am. Now shall we?"
"Of course we shall"
*********
*********** ***********
Pago was annoyed. No girl had ever stood him up like this, they always swoon around him but this Ese girl was really getting him pissed, and to cap it all up, her smart mouth friend had talked back at him, he could have strangled her had they been alone. He imagined it as he entered New buka, he imagined his large hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing, and seeing her already big eyeballs becoming bigger as she silently plead for her life. And he relished the thought. He parked in front of Mukoyo bar, all he needed to cool down was there. Cynthia was there.
**********
*********** ***********
*********** ***********
"I heard you and a friend of yours made a grand entry into your philosophy class today." her surprised gasp confirmed it. He had not been very sure, he had only planned to ask her this way to catch her unawares and it had worked
"Heard it from who? Has the story traveled that far?"
"I really don't know, I heard it from my roommate, he was in the class. He was really battling with the assignment this afternoon and calling your names, so I asked him." this made her laugh. They were walking through Awo hall, he had met her at anglomoz and she had suggested they passed through Awo instead of the main road, ostensibly because it was a shortcut but the real reason was because she did not want them running into Pago. She knew he was coming with Kalu, it was a slim chance but she did not want to risk it.
"See what Teju has caused, Teju, that's my friend's name, the one who has now made my name alongside hers into a 'hostelhold' name" she said in between giggles.
"More like a 'roomhold' name" he said smiling
"Yea, right" she agreed "it was a large class Siji, 5 departments, very soon the whole school would hear about it"
"It might not get that far, after the assignment they'll soon stop talking about it." then he added with smirk "that's provided Awo boys don't hear about it, then they will turn it into aroism and it would last longer" he was laughing at her silently, she hit him playfully saying.
"Don't laugh at me, I have totally forgotten about the aro"
"Don't worry, they too will soon find another topic of interest and forget about it. It may take longer but it'll be forgotten in the long run.
"I really hope so"
They walked in silence through Awo, passed the bush path into Fajuyi Hall then burst out in Akintola hall, by the time they got to the sporting complex the Christian fellowships that usually meet every evening were already rounding off and parking. He took her to the tennis court spectators stand and they sat on the steps. Soon the complex was deserted, and there was, but for the sounds made by the insects and birds, complete silence. Siji leaned back to face the sky, she did the same lying beside him. After a while he said
"You know Ma'ami usually say everyone of us on earth has a star, that there are as much stars as there are humans, when someone dies, his star falls. I haven't verified her claim yet, but again, Ma'ami is full of superstitions."
"Who is Ma'ami? Your mum?
"Oh, sorry. She is my grand mum, she raised me"
"Your grand mum? What about your mum? Your parents?
"They are both dead" he said without thinking
"Oh! I'm so sorry"
"Thanks, I never knew both of them. He died before I was born and she died giving birth to me. Ma'ami is the only parent I know"
"You obviously worship her"
"Yes, I do, very much, she taught me a lot even though she doesn't speak a single word in English. She is quite astute"
"Tell me about her, about yourself, how was growing up like for you?"
"Growing up was fun, though not privileged, Ma'ami made enough to make us go by......." He talked without her interrupting him for about an hour, she liked the sound of his voice which was the only interruption to the silence. As she listened to him, her heart ached for the child he had been, having to hawk every day after school just to make ends meet. Her maternal instinct was activated and she yearned to protect him, to hold him but she knew the proud man talking now did not want her sympathy, he was no longer the boy that hawked to survive, he had come a long way and she was proud of him. She reached for his hand and coiled her fingers around his. He tightened his grip on her hand as he finished.
"I won two scholarship in my first year, so Ma'ami doesn't have to work hard to sponsor my education, I'm applying for a third scholarship with my current CGPA, when I win it I'll have more than enough, I'll be able to send money home even. That's all about me"
"Thank you"
"For what?" He had expected her to ask questions
"For telling me."
"No questions?"
"No"
They both lay there for a while enjoying the silence then he sat up.
"I think it's time we started going" he checked his wristwatch "it's 10 pm already, we have classes tomorrow." she stood up reluctantly and they left the complex. This time they took the main road.
"Your friend Teju, I'm yet to meet her"
"You will, soon, she is crazy but you will like her."
"She doesn't come across as the outgoing kind"
Ese laughed "why did you say so? You've not even met her"
"That's my point exactly, if she were outgoing, I would have met her."
"She is very outgoing, I am the reserved one out of the two of us. You just haven't had the opportunity to meet her. You would have met her today but she was planning to go out with her boyfriend when I left the room"
"She has a boyfriend already? This early?"
"I don't think it's too early, insofar she likes him"
"Is he a freshman too?"
"No, he is a medical student, and a sophomore like you"
"Medical student? They don't seem to have much time to socialize
"Oh! This one has enough time in his hands. He is Igbo, his name is Kalu"
"I see"
He followed her to anglomoz and watched her enter her hostel before turning. Now he knew for sure. He had kept asking her questions about Teju, hoping that she would slip and tell him what he wanted to know and it had paid off. Now he was certain he and Pago were after the same girl and he knew he cannot beat Pago at this, not at this game. Pago had everything working for him, they both were from rich homes and he was no one. Even though he suspected Pago's intention wasn't noble he knew he could not successfully compete with his friend for her love and he did not even want to compete. He did not want her coming in between both of them, after all Pago had met her first. He would have to back off.
About the Author.
"Heard it from who? Has the story traveled that far?"
"I really don't know, I heard it from my roommate, he was in the class. He was really battling with the assignment this afternoon and calling your names, so I asked him." this made her laugh. They were walking through Awo hall, he had met her at anglomoz and she had suggested they passed through Awo instead of the main road, ostensibly because it was a shortcut but the real reason was because she did not want them running into Pago. She knew he was coming with Kalu, it was a slim chance but she did not want to risk it.
"See what Teju has caused, Teju, that's my friend's name, the one who has now made my name alongside hers into a 'hostelhold' name" she said in between giggles.
"More like a 'roomhold' name" he said smiling
"Yea, right" she agreed "it was a large class Siji, 5 departments, very soon the whole school would hear about it"
"It might not get that far, after the assignment they'll soon stop talking about it." then he added with smirk "that's provided Awo boys don't hear about it, then they will turn it into aroism and it would last longer" he was laughing at her silently, she hit him playfully saying.
"Don't laugh at me, I have totally forgotten about the aro"
"Don't worry, they too will soon find another topic of interest and forget about it. It may take longer but it'll be forgotten in the long run.
"I really hope so"
They walked in silence through Awo, passed the bush path into Fajuyi Hall then burst out in Akintola hall, by the time they got to the sporting complex the Christian fellowships that usually meet every evening were already rounding off and parking. He took her to the tennis court spectators stand and they sat on the steps. Soon the complex was deserted, and there was, but for the sounds made by the insects and birds, complete silence. Siji leaned back to face the sky, she did the same lying beside him. After a while he said
"You know Ma'ami usually say everyone of us on earth has a star, that there are as much stars as there are humans, when someone dies, his star falls. I haven't verified her claim yet, but again, Ma'ami is full of superstitions."
"Who is Ma'ami? Your mum?
"Oh, sorry. She is my grand mum, she raised me"
"Your grand mum? What about your mum? Your parents?
"They are both dead" he said without thinking
"Oh! I'm so sorry"
"Thanks, I never knew both of them. He died before I was born and she died giving birth to me. Ma'ami is the only parent I know"
"You obviously worship her"
"Yes, I do, very much, she taught me a lot even though she doesn't speak a single word in English. She is quite astute"
"Tell me about her, about yourself, how was growing up like for you?"
"Growing up was fun, though not privileged, Ma'ami made enough to make us go by......." He talked without her interrupting him for about an hour, she liked the sound of his voice which was the only interruption to the silence. As she listened to him, her heart ached for the child he had been, having to hawk every day after school just to make ends meet. Her maternal instinct was activated and she yearned to protect him, to hold him but she knew the proud man talking now did not want her sympathy, he was no longer the boy that hawked to survive, he had come a long way and she was proud of him. She reached for his hand and coiled her fingers around his. He tightened his grip on her hand as he finished.
"I won two scholarship in my first year, so Ma'ami doesn't have to work hard to sponsor my education, I'm applying for a third scholarship with my current CGPA, when I win it I'll have more than enough, I'll be able to send money home even. That's all about me"
"Thank you"
"For what?" He had expected her to ask questions
"For telling me."
"No questions?"
"No"
They both lay there for a while enjoying the silence then he sat up.
"I think it's time we started going" he checked his wristwatch "it's 10 pm already, we have classes tomorrow." she stood up reluctantly and they left the complex. This time they took the main road.
"Your friend Teju, I'm yet to meet her"
"You will, soon, she is crazy but you will like her."
"She doesn't come across as the outgoing kind"
Ese laughed "why did you say so? You've not even met her"
"That's my point exactly, if she were outgoing, I would have met her."
"She is very outgoing, I am the reserved one out of the two of us. You just haven't had the opportunity to meet her. You would have met her today but she was planning to go out with her boyfriend when I left the room"
"She has a boyfriend already? This early?"
"I don't think it's too early, insofar she likes him"
"Is he a freshman too?"
"No, he is a medical student, and a sophomore like you"
"Medical student? They don't seem to have much time to socialize
"Oh! This one has enough time in his hands. He is Igbo, his name is Kalu"
"I see"
He followed her to anglomoz and watched her enter her hostel before turning. Now he knew for sure. He had kept asking her questions about Teju, hoping that she would slip and tell him what he wanted to know and it had paid off. Now he was certain he and Pago were after the same girl and he knew he cannot beat Pago at this, not at this game. Pago had everything working for him, they both were from rich homes and he was no one. Even though he suspected Pago's intention wasn't noble he knew he could not successfully compete with his friend for her love and he did not even want to compete. He did not want her coming in between both of them, after all Pago had met her first. He would have to back off.
About the Author.
Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is
trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and
playing some indoor games.
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