Monday 16 June 2014

WHISPERS!!!

Have you had moments where your head whispers something to you but your heart agrees with the exact opposite?

Below is the experience of one of the most talented/creative/girly writers I know. 

Enjoy!

Yes! She gave me an opportunity to do this…a time to share what whispered to me…Now how am I going to talk, whisper to you…? Stop! Shut up!! Just Stop! No! I’m going to talk back to you… Shhh! I’ve to ‘whisper’ what you ‘whispered’ to the ‘whisperer’

When I look back at that day, I wonder how I could have done that! So daft silly of me! Geezzzz!!! It was a long and hectic Friday at work and all I just wanted to do when I get home, was throw my bag on the floor and dive roll on that bed of mine. Just as I stepped out of the office building, singing happily in my head, my phone ‘Pung’ so many times. Well, curious to know who won’t allow me breathe this free fresh air I just inhaled, I scrolled to the message, lo and behold it was my close friend ‘goatie’ *That’s what I call her* She was actually buzzing trying to remind me that she was on her way to my house.

Choi! Today is today *Pardon my English* Look at me that was dreaming of sleeping away the whole night, with my pillow as DJ Skillz. It’s not that I wasn’t looking forward to seeing my goatie, but mhen, that’s loads of never-ending gist, giggles and you know…to catch up on *Yea I know, you’ll shake your head and say girls can gossip talk! Who cares?*

On getting home, she was already at the gate waiting for me! From our walk into the house till like nine pm, the gist had started in full swing. Only for her to tell me that we had a hang-out that night! *Oh someone help me! What?! My sleep!!!* I tried to convince my stubborn ‘goatie’ that I won’t go since I was extremely tired but she won’t hear any of that! Lest, I forget, she knows how to persuade people like a policeman collects bribe.

After agreeing to the Friday night gig and allowing me be boring while we were out, we got dressed and hopped into our her friend’s ride who was with his own friend. I tried to be nice, until my ‘goatie’ sent me a message to my BBM, *Yea! You know, we didn’t want them to hear Us* that she just met our  her so called friends this morning when he gave her a lift to her office bus-stop, that he was really nice. Gosh! I felt like giving her a hard knock, *How could she do that?* only for the dude to jolt me back to the present scene and say:

MR. ANONYNMOUS:  Sorry ladies! Hope you don’t mind if we stop at my house so I could pick up some more cash and change my clothes?
My friend murmured back a reply as we both exchanged glances
GOATIE:  Ernnn! Ok

All of a sudden the speed of the car increased as I kept wondering if the ‘OK’ had made this guy, whose name I never got to know roar. I kept looking out of the window for familiar landmarks as I realized we were already driving into Magodo. Only for our her dear friend to turn the car to a darkly lit road, my heartbeat started pounding, ‘invisible yam’ before I knew what was happening, he was driving into a kind of uncompleted fence hiding a house that revealed some rugged guys smoking in chain circles.


Before we could even get a full view of what lay inside that building my friend goatie and I opened the still moving car door, jumped and ran out for our dear lives. Like we both had the same thought flash through our minds, the same voice whisper to us, we ran like a mad man was on our heels, like we were in a race and we had reached the finish line but just couldn’t stop running.

We found ourselves at the bus-stop and tried to catch our breaths as I figured out what next to do…Not like we even had enough money to take us home at eleven thirty pm. With shaking hands, I scrolled through the numbers on my phone as ‘goatie’ was still looking around us in fear and dialed a trusted friend who lives in Magodo *Ehen! I know you’ll say more trouble* who said he *Yes! He!!!* will be with us shortly.

In less than thirty minutes, ‘Superman’ came to our rescue and whisked us off to his house. Despite his look at the two of us in our skimpy dresses, he never asked any questions *Phew!* and I don’t think I will have given him a truthful answer either. I could hardly sleep that morning but kept slapping myself for not listening to my instinct ‘whisperer’.  As for ‘goatie’, I had no words for her but I really don’t want to question the ’What-if’ but simply go on my knees and thank God.

Over time, through life’s journey we go through times where we may not want to do something and our INSTINCT whispers to us with all sincerity, please listen to IT because that could always be the truth talking to you. Sometimes you don’t have to question it because it’s you talking to YOU!

Before I take a humble bow, thanks to Mo for giving me a chance to share my experience. *Muah!* You all, have a fab week and if the whisperer whispers to YOU, sure do the right thing!


*Flips hair and walks away dragging ‘MY WHISPERER’




Monday 9 June 2014

MY SMILE


I am really excited to share this story with you. It is very recent with snippets of this morning’s drive embedded! 

It is the tale of my SMILE J.



So for a while now I have driven this really flashy (yellow) car all around Lagos with the plate number SMILE J. Oh Lawd! I got too much attention from everyone from the Yellow fever guys screaming ‘SMILE!’ to the Okada (Bike) riders saying ‘sister SMILE Jna’ to young guys trying to be sharp – I do not understand why they all think that can start off a conversation in traffic! Anyway, let’s just say I have made quite an impression over the past months. 
Frankly in the beginning it felt nice getting to the office and having practically over twenty security guys calling me SMILEJ, having bus drivers say ‘SMILE for Jesus’, having the police stop me only to scream SMILEJ! Chai! it got a bit too much o. It is really funny the impact such a little item can cause. 

I used to see Lagosians differently… I mean, we were all angry drivers hustling to get somewhere but having people (both literate and illiterate)  take time out of their ‘hustle waka’ to grin wide and smile really changed my perspective. Truly, everyone just wants to be happy isn’t it? ‘In pursuit of Happiness right?' Amidst the economy, the scorching sun, the chaos of Lagos roads… it really got me.

Anyway, I recently changed my plate number - an Olori (Queen) doesn’t need that kinda attention as I have way too much of that already hehe! But yes, I took that bold step and got it changed and you know what? No one wants to forget my SMILEJ! On my way to work this morning, I saw a police man who to took time out  to yell ‘SMILEJ’ once he saw my car! Of course I put on my best smile and wove back! Why am I excited? I had made an imprint on him! The same thing happened with two random (I do not know them AT ALL) guys very close to my office… one actually said ‘my smile’ I’m like ‘WHAT th*&*%^?! while the other dude noticed and shouted ‘smile kilode?! I know that all the security guys will still call me that beautiful word SMILE!


Why am I sharing this? Experiencing this has taught me that little things really do go a long way. Do not wait for the perfect moment, the perfect gift or the perfect person, just go ahead and make someone happy and...