Pago pulled up in front of the hall and killed the engine "My mum said they are somewhere around here, we would have to look for them."
No sooner had they got out of the car than they saw Cynthia walking towards them.
"Shit." Pago cursed silently that Siji could barely hear him
"What's it?" Siji asked silently too
"Can't you see Cynthia coming?"
"Of course I can. What about her?"
"Ooooh! Why are you acting clueless? I am just about to see my mum. Cynthia isn't the kinda girl I want my mum to see me with."
"Ohoh! So what are we gonna do about her?"
"I'll have to take her somewhere far from here. She has been acting funny lately and becoming very unpredictable. I thought we had an agreement."
Siji smiled "that kinda agreement doesn't always work in matters of the heart."
"Matters of the heart? It's just sex and she knows it, she.........." He trailed off as Cynthia came close enough to hear them.
"Hi Siji, I have not seen you at the bar this semester, not that you buy our stuffs but we've missed your presence."
He laughed and said "I have been busy dear, I should drop by sometime soon."
"Please do." she shook his hand and hugged Pago "hello baby." she said to him
"What are you doing here?" he grumbled
"Oh! Someone is not too happy to see me. Is one of your girlfriends matriculating today?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Pago give me some credit, I'm no fool, you are not here for sightseeing, are you?
"Of course not, I have come with Siji, a friend of his is matriculating." he lied, then said" your are yet to answer me, what are you doing here?"
"Business, we've come to sell our non alcoholic drinks, our patrons don't buy them and this is a good avenue to dispose them. Our stand is over there" she said pointing at her left "Jude is the one manning it, I came to drop some things with him, I was on my way back to New buka when I saw you guys."
"Let me walk some distance with you then." he said then turned to Siji "I'll just be awhile"
As he watched the couple walk away Siji wondered at how perfectly Pago could play his game without getting caught.
When Pago didn't come after a long while, he started moving round to feed his eyes. He could see several families with different kinds of rice in different shapes and sizes of coolers. It was as if everyone around him were either eating or serving. Some students were moving from one family spot to another eating their fill. He could remember when he was matriculating, it had been only him, Ma'ami was not there since she didn't know anything about matriculation and he had not invited her, he had celebrated alone, taken a few shorts at the motion ground with his ceremonial gown and that was it.
Siji suddenly found himself at the spot, he couldn't understand how he got there. He had been thinking about his matriculation as he walked around and his legs had taken him there, to the spot he had helped Ese pick for her matriculation ceremony. He was filled with anxiety as he tried to turn back and retrace his steps but something caught his eye. The matriculant at the spot was not Ese, she was not even a she, she was a he. Siji moved closer to the spot to have a better look. He could see that the OSARUWENSE he had written boldly on the wall had been covered with a cardboard that had JOHNSON written on it. He knew what had happened immediately, someone had snatched Ese's spot. It was common for already taken spots to be snatched, that's why most people get someone to man their spots for them. He hoped Ese got another spot and soon enough. He was glad he now had an excuse for not showing up.
"You are welcome my son, come and celebrate with us" a short middle-aged woman smiling up at him said "please do have a seat" she must be the matriculant's mum, she was holding his hand now and pulling him, there was no way he could escape. He followed her and sat on the chair."
"What will you love to eat? We have fried rice, jollof rice, semo,.........."
"Jollof rice ma'am"
"Tade jo bami serve iresi jolofu fun okunrin yin" She said to the lady serving. In no time he had a plate full of rice in front of him. The irony of the situation was not lost on him as he ate. He was eating at the same spot he was trying to avoid. The food reminded him that he had not eaten that morning, he rushed it all up, not only because of hunger but also because he wanted to rush back to the car, Pago may be looking for him now.
"Thank you very much, ese gan ma" he said to the woman as he stood to leave "you're welcome my son, Oluwa lo se" she beamed at him as though he was the one who did her a favour. He shook hands with the celebrant wishing him well and hurried off.
He decided to take a shortcut in order to get to the car on time. He was walking very fast.
"Siji" He heard a familiar voice call his name and he turned but he saw no one
"Siji over here" the voiced called out again. Now he could see her, she was jumping and waving for him to see her because there were lots of people between them, blocking them. She started walking towards him.
"Oh! Jeez!" He muttered under his breath. Ese was smiling as she got close to him. Despite his beating heart her smiled triggered his. She surprised him by hugging him when she got close enough, tiptoeing to wrap her arms round his neck and crushing her bosom against his chest. She had never hugged him before, no woman had ever hugged him before, not even Ma'ami. He was not accustomed to such shows of emotions. Not sure of where to place his hands, he let them hover behind her back momentarily before dropping them by his sides. He stood rigidly and felt somewhat awkward. She released him and smiled up at him.
"I'm glad you could make it, I was worried you wouldn't find this place since the spot we picked had been taken"
"Yes.......I ...I saw it" he stuttered as he tried to reset his brain that had been set to default by her actions.
"Anyway, we got somewhere else, better than the one we lost. My mum is there with a friend of hers, let me introduce you to her" she said holding his arm
"Your mother?" He said not moving
"Yes, let's go, she won't bite you" she joked when she noticed his anxiety, then added "you'll like her" he could not say no, so he let her pull him along.
No sooner had they got out of the car than they saw Cynthia walking towards them.
"Shit." Pago cursed silently that Siji could barely hear him
"What's it?" Siji asked silently too
"Can't you see Cynthia coming?"
"Of course I can. What about her?"
"Ooooh! Why are you acting clueless? I am just about to see my mum. Cynthia isn't the kinda girl I want my mum to see me with."
"Ohoh! So what are we gonna do about her?"
"I'll have to take her somewhere far from here. She has been acting funny lately and becoming very unpredictable. I thought we had an agreement."
Siji smiled "that kinda agreement doesn't always work in matters of the heart."
"Matters of the heart? It's just sex and she knows it, she.........." He trailed off as Cynthia came close enough to hear them.
"Hi Siji, I have not seen you at the bar this semester, not that you buy our stuffs but we've missed your presence."
He laughed and said "I have been busy dear, I should drop by sometime soon."
"Please do." she shook his hand and hugged Pago "hello baby." she said to him
"What are you doing here?" he grumbled
"Oh! Someone is not too happy to see me. Is one of your girlfriends matriculating today?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Pago give me some credit, I'm no fool, you are not here for sightseeing, are you?
"Of course not, I have come with Siji, a friend of his is matriculating." he lied, then said" your are yet to answer me, what are you doing here?"
"Business, we've come to sell our non alcoholic drinks, our patrons don't buy them and this is a good avenue to dispose them. Our stand is over there" she said pointing at her left "Jude is the one manning it, I came to drop some things with him, I was on my way back to New buka when I saw you guys."
"Let me walk some distance with you then." he said then turned to Siji "I'll just be awhile"
As he watched the couple walk away Siji wondered at how perfectly Pago could play his game without getting caught.
When Pago didn't come after a long while, he started moving round to feed his eyes. He could see several families with different kinds of rice in different shapes and sizes of coolers. It was as if everyone around him were either eating or serving. Some students were moving from one family spot to another eating their fill. He could remember when he was matriculating, it had been only him, Ma'ami was not there since she didn't know anything about matriculation and he had not invited her, he had celebrated alone, taken a few shorts at the motion ground with his ceremonial gown and that was it.
Siji suddenly found himself at the spot, he couldn't understand how he got there. He had been thinking about his matriculation as he walked around and his legs had taken him there, to the spot he had helped Ese pick for her matriculation ceremony. He was filled with anxiety as he tried to turn back and retrace his steps but something caught his eye. The matriculant at the spot was not Ese, she was not even a she, she was a he. Siji moved closer to the spot to have a better look. He could see that the OSARUWENSE he had written boldly on the wall had been covered with a cardboard that had JOHNSON written on it. He knew what had happened immediately, someone had snatched Ese's spot. It was common for already taken spots to be snatched, that's why most people get someone to man their spots for them. He hoped Ese got another spot and soon enough. He was glad he now had an excuse for not showing up.
"You are welcome my son, come and celebrate with us" a short middle-aged woman smiling up at him said "please do have a seat" she must be the matriculant's mum, she was holding his hand now and pulling him, there was no way he could escape. He followed her and sat on the chair."
"What will you love to eat? We have fried rice, jollof rice, semo,.........."
"Jollof rice ma'am"
"Tade jo bami serve iresi jolofu fun okunrin yin" She said to the lady serving. In no time he had a plate full of rice in front of him. The irony of the situation was not lost on him as he ate. He was eating at the same spot he was trying to avoid. The food reminded him that he had not eaten that morning, he rushed it all up, not only because of hunger but also because he wanted to rush back to the car, Pago may be looking for him now.
"Thank you very much, ese gan ma" he said to the woman as he stood to leave "you're welcome my son, Oluwa lo se" she beamed at him as though he was the one who did her a favour. He shook hands with the celebrant wishing him well and hurried off.
He decided to take a shortcut in order to get to the car on time. He was walking very fast.
"Siji" He heard a familiar voice call his name and he turned but he saw no one
"Siji over here" the voiced called out again. Now he could see her, she was jumping and waving for him to see her because there were lots of people between them, blocking them. She started walking towards him.
"Oh! Jeez!" He muttered under his breath. Ese was smiling as she got close to him. Despite his beating heart her smiled triggered his. She surprised him by hugging him when she got close enough, tiptoeing to wrap her arms round his neck and crushing her bosom against his chest. She had never hugged him before, no woman had ever hugged him before, not even Ma'ami. He was not accustomed to such shows of emotions. Not sure of where to place his hands, he let them hover behind her back momentarily before dropping them by his sides. He stood rigidly and felt somewhat awkward. She released him and smiled up at him.
"I'm glad you could make it, I was worried you wouldn't find this place since the spot we picked had been taken"
"Yes.......I ...I saw it" he stuttered as he tried to reset his brain that had been set to default by her actions.
"Anyway, we got somewhere else, better than the one we lost. My mum is there with a friend of hers, let me introduce you to her" she said holding his arm
"Your mother?" He said not moving
"Yes, let's go, she won't bite you" she joked when she noticed his anxiety, then added "you'll like her" he could not say no, so he let her pull him along.
Isabella watched in surprise as her daughter rushed off to meet the tall lanky boy. When Ese had mentioned she had another friend she would like her to meet, she had assumed naturally that the friend was female. If discovering that her daughter had a male friend surprised her, what Ese did next amazed her. She didn't even hear what Doyin was saying, all she could see was her daughter hugging the boy. She was seeing a side of her daughter that she hitherto was not aware of. She watched openmouthed as Ese hugged him as though she had known him all her life.
"Isabella!" Doyin literally shouted to get her attention "what's wrong with you, you have not been listening to me" Doyin apparently had not noticed what captured Isabella's attention.
"Oh! Sorry dear, what was it you were talking about?"
"Hope everything is alright?"
"Yes Doyin, I am fine. Now what were you talking about?"
"I was saying my son is finding it hard to locate this place, and I haven't been much help since I don't know this place well enough to be able to tell him exactly where we are."
"Oh! Don't worry, my daughter Ese will help with that, here she comes"
"Mummy here is Siji, the friend I told about" Ese said when they got to the spot
"God afternoon ma'am" Siji greeted her, he could barely hide his anxiety
"Afternoon, it's good to meet you boy" she said flippantly with a stress on the "boy" while giving him a plastic smile, then she waved her hand dismissively at him and turned to Ese "where exactly are we? My friend's son is finding it hard to locate us"
"I really don't know how to......" Ese started saying
"We are at the faculty of Admin car park, but close to the Rotunda. He should see us if he comes to the Rotunda" Siji offered then greeted Ese's mother's friend that he had not noticed until then. She smiled at him and thanked him as she called her son.
"Sit down Siji, what will you like to eat?" Ese asked him
"Actually I'm filled, I have eaten, while I was searching for you, I saw a classmate of mine whose sister is matriculating today and he made me eat with them." he lied
"Really?" She didn't sound pleased "you still have to take something here" she insisted "a plate of coleslaw wouldn't hurt."
"What's that?"
"You will see" she answered as she served it in a saucer, then served him two turkey on another saucer and a bottle of chilled malt. Not sure of the taste, he fetched just a little with the spoon to taste. It tasted good. Isabella was supervising the maid who was serving others but she kept looking at Ese and Siji.
--where did my daughter find this boy that doesn't know what coleslaw is?-- She thought to herself and hoped Ese was not having any funny idea because she wouldn't allow some uncultured boy taking advantage of her daughter.
The way Ese's mother was looking at him made Siji sense that she didn't like him and she was making him uneasy, she wasn't even trying to hide her dislike. She was an older version of Ese, he could see where Ese got her beauty from, they look so much alike and he was sure that in 20 or so years Ese would look exactly like her mum looked.
"Mummy! Here you are, locating you had been an herculean task" Pago's thick voice startled Siji out of his reverie. The turkey lap he was battling with dropped from his mouth onto the saucer as he stared agape as Pago hugged the woman he spoke with few minutes ago.
--shit, she is Pago's mum, Ese's mum and Pago's mum are friends--
"How are you doing baby boy, look at you, you've grown skinny," Doyin said then asked "where is Kalu?"
"He can't make it, he will meet us at my apartment"
"Okay, you should thank that young man over there, he was the one who helped me with the descr......."
Pago could only hear his mother's first few words as he turned to find Siji staring at him like he was some ghost.
"Siji! How did you get here? I have been look........." He trailed off as he saw who was sitting beside Siji and looking at him with surprise in her eyes too. It was making no sense to him, he tried to wrack his brain to get an explanation, then it hit him. She must be the girl Siji had been talking about.
--Siji and I have been after the same girl and her mum happens to be my mum's friend, interesting--
Aloud, he said "actually mum, he is my friend, this is Siji, the one I told you about. We came here together but kinda lost each other"
"Oh! The same Siji?" Doyin said moving closer to shake his hand as he stood up "how are you doing my son?"
"I am fine ma."
"Good, Pago told me about you, how you make him sit up. Sometimes, with the way he talks about you,I thinks he envies you" she said laughing then added "And isn't it amazing that you both somewhat look alike?"
Siji smiled to hide his embarrassment
"Come on mum, I only said he makes me take my studies more serious."
"Yea right. You should meet my friend Barrister Osaruwense and her lovely daughter Ese." Doyin said as she introduced them. Siji could not help but notice that Pago got a warmer welcome from Ese's mum. Pago and Ese acting as though they both had never met, shook hands and said the usual perfunctory courtesies. Some minutes later after taking pictures Doyin made to leave.
"I need to get to my son's apartment at the quarters to drop the things I brought for him before leaving"
"He stays in the quarters? Ese refused to, no matter how hard I tried to convince her." Isabella said
"Don't worry, she may change her mind in time."
"I hope so. She can be very stubborn a times."
"Aren't they all?"
They said their goodbyes and the Adebantus left. Siji too, soon excused himself and Ese offered to see him off
"Thanks for coming" she said after walking for some minutes in uneasy silence.
"It's my pleasure."
"Really?" She turned on him and stopped walking, he stopped too "Are you sure? Did you even plan to come? The way I see it, you only planned to come celebrate with your friend's mother's friend's daughter and not me. Her voice was not raised, it was calm but he sensed she was not happy with him.
"Ese, I...."
"We will see tonight, I will be in the room by 8pm." it wasn't a question, it was a statement delivered calmly.
"Okay" he said
She turned and walked back, leaving him standing there.
****************************
*******************
**********
"Where did you meet that boy" Isabella asked her daughter
"He isn't 'that boy' mummy, his name is Siji"
"That didn't answer my question."
"I met him here obviously, he is a 200 level student, and he's been a good friend."
"I don't like him."
"Mummy, you barely know him, you can't......"
"I know him well enough to know you shouldn't be mixing up with him."
"But mum..."
"Just be careful with him, something isn't right about him."
She had learnt not to always argue with the Barrister so she gave in
"Okay mum, I'll be."
"Good. Now didn't you notice what a fine gentleman Pago is? He is just like your father was at his age, young, bright and handsome."
"Isabella!" Doyin literally shouted to get her attention "what's wrong with you, you have not been listening to me" Doyin apparently had not noticed what captured Isabella's attention.
"Oh! Sorry dear, what was it you were talking about?"
"Hope everything is alright?"
"Yes Doyin, I am fine. Now what were you talking about?"
"I was saying my son is finding it hard to locate this place, and I haven't been much help since I don't know this place well enough to be able to tell him exactly where we are."
"Oh! Don't worry, my daughter Ese will help with that, here she comes"
"Mummy here is Siji, the friend I told about" Ese said when they got to the spot
"God afternoon ma'am" Siji greeted her, he could barely hide his anxiety
"Afternoon, it's good to meet you boy" she said flippantly with a stress on the "boy" while giving him a plastic smile, then she waved her hand dismissively at him and turned to Ese "where exactly are we? My friend's son is finding it hard to locate us"
"I really don't know how to......" Ese started saying
"We are at the faculty of Admin car park, but close to the Rotunda. He should see us if he comes to the Rotunda" Siji offered then greeted Ese's mother's friend that he had not noticed until then. She smiled at him and thanked him as she called her son.
"Sit down Siji, what will you like to eat?" Ese asked him
"Actually I'm filled, I have eaten, while I was searching for you, I saw a classmate of mine whose sister is matriculating today and he made me eat with them." he lied
"Really?" She didn't sound pleased "you still have to take something here" she insisted "a plate of coleslaw wouldn't hurt."
"What's that?"
"You will see" she answered as she served it in a saucer, then served him two turkey on another saucer and a bottle of chilled malt. Not sure of the taste, he fetched just a little with the spoon to taste. It tasted good. Isabella was supervising the maid who was serving others but she kept looking at Ese and Siji.
--where did my daughter find this boy that doesn't know what coleslaw is?-- She thought to herself and hoped Ese was not having any funny idea because she wouldn't allow some uncultured boy taking advantage of her daughter.
The way Ese's mother was looking at him made Siji sense that she didn't like him and she was making him uneasy, she wasn't even trying to hide her dislike. She was an older version of Ese, he could see where Ese got her beauty from, they look so much alike and he was sure that in 20 or so years Ese would look exactly like her mum looked.
"Mummy! Here you are, locating you had been an herculean task" Pago's thick voice startled Siji out of his reverie. The turkey lap he was battling with dropped from his mouth onto the saucer as he stared agape as Pago hugged the woman he spoke with few minutes ago.
--shit, she is Pago's mum, Ese's mum and Pago's mum are friends--
"How are you doing baby boy, look at you, you've grown skinny," Doyin said then asked "where is Kalu?"
"He can't make it, he will meet us at my apartment"
"Okay, you should thank that young man over there, he was the one who helped me with the descr......."
Pago could only hear his mother's first few words as he turned to find Siji staring at him like he was some ghost.
"Siji! How did you get here? I have been look........." He trailed off as he saw who was sitting beside Siji and looking at him with surprise in her eyes too. It was making no sense to him, he tried to wrack his brain to get an explanation, then it hit him. She must be the girl Siji had been talking about.
--Siji and I have been after the same girl and her mum happens to be my mum's friend, interesting--
Aloud, he said "actually mum, he is my friend, this is Siji, the one I told you about. We came here together but kinda lost each other"
"Oh! The same Siji?" Doyin said moving closer to shake his hand as he stood up "how are you doing my son?"
"I am fine ma."
"Good, Pago told me about you, how you make him sit up. Sometimes, with the way he talks about you,I thinks he envies you" she said laughing then added "And isn't it amazing that you both somewhat look alike?"
Siji smiled to hide his embarrassment
"Come on mum, I only said he makes me take my studies more serious."
"Yea right. You should meet my friend Barrister Osaruwense and her lovely daughter Ese." Doyin said as she introduced them. Siji could not help but notice that Pago got a warmer welcome from Ese's mum. Pago and Ese acting as though they both had never met, shook hands and said the usual perfunctory courtesies. Some minutes later after taking pictures Doyin made to leave.
"I need to get to my son's apartment at the quarters to drop the things I brought for him before leaving"
"He stays in the quarters? Ese refused to, no matter how hard I tried to convince her." Isabella said
"Don't worry, she may change her mind in time."
"I hope so. She can be very stubborn a times."
"Aren't they all?"
They said their goodbyes and the Adebantus left. Siji too, soon excused himself and Ese offered to see him off
"Thanks for coming" she said after walking for some minutes in uneasy silence.
"It's my pleasure."
"Really?" She turned on him and stopped walking, he stopped too "Are you sure? Did you even plan to come? The way I see it, you only planned to come celebrate with your friend's mother's friend's daughter and not me. Her voice was not raised, it was calm but he sensed she was not happy with him.
"Ese, I...."
"We will see tonight, I will be in the room by 8pm." it wasn't a question, it was a statement delivered calmly.
"Okay" he said
She turned and walked back, leaving him standing there.
****************************
*******************
**********
"Where did you meet that boy" Isabella asked her daughter
"He isn't 'that boy' mummy, his name is Siji"
"That didn't answer my question."
"I met him here obviously, he is a 200 level student, and he's been a good friend."
"I don't like him."
"Mummy, you barely know him, you can't......"
"I know him well enough to know you shouldn't be mixing up with him."
"But mum..."
"Just be careful with him, something isn't right about him."
She had learnt not to always argue with the Barrister so she gave in
"Okay mum, I'll be."
"Good. Now didn't you notice what a fine gentleman Pago is? He is just like your father was at his age, young, bright and handsome."
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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