CHAPTER ONE
Standing at the main entrance of the university, my umbrella at hand and my
books in my arms, my leather hand bag dangling from my shoulder, the humid
winds of a rainy day, blow towards me, splashing little cold droplets of rain onto
the bare skin of my legs and face. I am still contemplating as to whether or not I
should rush to my car. One thing for sure, it's getting late and I have to go home
but the rain is intensifying. I have no choice but to rush to the car park. On the
other hand, I am wearing leather heels and water is going to damage them! So
much for being a woman! I however swallow my pride, open my umbrella and I step
into the rain. I literally sprint towards the car park. My umbrella held over my head
and my books held closely to my bosom. As I near the car park I collide with
someone, loose balance and fall down. My books scatter on the wet pavement. I
quickly stand up to pick my books and the individual who bumped into me, also
helps me to pick up the books.
"You should look where you are going you nut head!" I scold him as I snatch my
books from his hands. Worse off my books are now wet. These books are very
expensive for crying out loud!
"I am very sorry. I didn't see you." he says to me.
"Keep that sorry to yourself. These books are expensive and your sorry won't buy
them. Now stop apologizing and move out of my way." I say to him as I push past
him and walk to the car park. Now my books are wet, my dress is wet and most
probably my heels have had more damage than they were supposed to have, all
thanks to a nut head who couldn't see where he was going. He should thank God
that my hands where occupied and I am running from the rain. I would have
punched him straight in the balls.
Genesis of a Routine
I roll off my bed as soon as the alarm rings, signalling the starting of my
busy day. I wash my face, brush my teeth and get into my track suit, put on
my tennis shoes, my I-pod and earphones and then I go out for an early
morning run. The running helps to jump start my system and get my blood
running.
5:20, I walk back into my house, breathing heavily from the vigorous
running that I was doing. I get into the shower and run myself a cold shower
and after that I dry my hair using the hair drier, dress up in a two piece
suit, red high heels and then I sit down in front of the dressing table to fix
my hair. I put pins on my long hair, so that no strand of hair falls loosely.
Only two long strands of hair, cascade graciously and intentionally down the
boarders of my face. The last touch to my dressing is red lipstick which
happens to be my signature touch.
6:20, the engine of my car, is on and running. I drive straight to the
university, whilst listening to the radio. The traffic is usually thick in the
morning, so I usually get to the university at seven o'clock and I go straight
to my office where I open the windows to let in some fresh air, water my pot
plants and i depart for the departmental meetings that are set for seven
thirty in the morning and after that its back to normal. On a Monday, my
first lecture is at eight thirty and the last ends at two in the afternoon and
after that I am dismissed.
I walk out of my office after a long day at the university. My feet are burning
and I am tired. Worse off I have a lot of marking to do and more lectures to
prepare for. So much for being a lecturer....
"Good afternoon" a male voice says as I am locking the door. I turn back to
look at the individual. I sigh audibly before replying because one thing for
sure, judging from the look on his face, he seems like he wants to ask for a
favor that's close to impossible at this time of the day regarding my
schedule.
"Good afternoon. How may I assist you?" I ask, cutting down to the chase. I
really don't have all day to entertain people.
"I am very well, thanks. Look, I wanted to apologize about the incident that
happened yesterday. I am very sorry. It's just that my mind was all over the
place. You know how it is when you are in a new environment. You easily
get jittery. By the way, I am Mr Thomas Shoko, the new lecturer." He says.
As much as I want to be angry at this idiot for bumping into me, I can't.
Why because he is new and I don't want him to get a sick impression about
me. "No, it's okay. I understand. It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy
your stay at the University" I say as I turn on my heel and face the other
direction. I want to go straight home. What more could a woman want after
having a long day. A hand pulls my free arm and I turn back and look at the
individual.
"Look, I was hoping if we could have some lunch together. I haven't
familiarized with the university, so can we go together to the staff canteen."
He pleads. His eyes also pleading innocently with me. I look at him and
exhale audibly, giving into his demands. After all he is new, so let me do him
the favor and be his host.
"Well, it's okay. But then, from today on wards you will have to get there by
yourself. My schedules get too tight. I barely have time for lunch" I respond.
"Okay. I am a fast learner, so I am sure i will remember the directions. So
let's get going" Thomas responds. His face beaming with anticipation.
Something that looks like a lazy 'Mission Accomplished' smile creeps up his
face. I shrug that away and I walk towards the canteen but before we get
there, I first leave my stuff in my car and then we head straight to the
canteen. I have taken up the role of a tour guide and he is playing the
tourist. I am telling him every single thing about the places we pass through
until at last we get to the canteen. We pass through the students' canteen
and then we move straight into the staff canteen. The staff canteen is more
like a restaurant. We settle down at a free table and we order our meals and
we dig in. He asks a lot of questions about this and that and i play the good
girl, answering his questions but then when it comes to personal questions,
I draw the professional line. After the lunch, I head straight home.
Upon getting home, I put on comfortable clothing and head straight for my
study where I start working, whilst listening to some soul music or instrumentals.
For the rest of the afternoon, I mark the assignments. Penning down every single
mistake. I am extra strict with the marking, so that I could produce competitive
students. The stricter you become, the harder they will work and hence, when the
examinations come, you have wonderful results. After marking, I start cooking my
supper. After supper I settle down and I start reading my crime novels for half an
hour and after that I resume my work. I go to bed at eleven o'clock sharp.
My day is born by the ringing of the alarm. I switch it off, go straight to the
bedroom where I brush my teeth, wash my face and I go for at early morning jog.
The street is usually deserted and so I run in the company of the music I am
listening to through the headsets. The jog is meant to jump start the day, to revive
the working mode and also to keep my aging body in shape. After the jog i do the
routine processes and after that i leave for work before the traffic gets thick.
Today is a Tuesday and so i have lectures from eight o'clock in the morning till
lunchtime. When the students go for lunch, i go straight to the school of Hotel and
Catering, where i have a small lunch with Vimbai, my best friend who happens to
be a lecturer. We usually have this lunch at either my office or her office. We
usually have a light meal and after that we have a game of chess. The looser in the
game gets to pay for a meal that we are both going to have. The winner chooses the
menu and the restaurant of choice
We are sitting in Vimbai's office. We are both consumed in the game at hand.Trying
to figure out ways of winning the game at hand. Slow instrumentals are sifting
through the room from Vimbai's computer, our eyes are running up and about,
playing the game on their own, and constantly our hands make certain moves on
the chess board. We both share the same goal-to win the game and choose a
restaurant of our choice..... "Check mate" Vimbai says. And this means that I have
lost this game again. I have been losing the game for three consecutive weeks.
"Which restaurant do you intend to go to?" I ask, as i sit back on the chair,
watching her packing her stuff.
"Come on, Red, you know that I want to go to our usual spot and yes I want to have
the usual meal" she says.
"Since you want to be sympathetic with my purse, its fine but I will not have mercy
on you once I get to win this game" i respond.
"well, its fine. I know what i am dealing with but unlike you, i don't want to gain
unnecessary weight" she responds as she stands up from her chair and we heard
out for our usual restaurant. Well, it's not a restaurant as such; it's a big coffee
shop, one of the most famous coffee shops in Harare. We usually have a table for
two saved for us outside at the balcony, if it's a sunny day and one in the shop at
the far end, near a large window on a cold or rainy day. Today is a sunny Tuesday
so we have a table saved for us at the balcony. We settle down and a female
waitress comes to take our orders and in no time, we are drinking our bush tea and
eating sponge cake. These tea Tuesdays are days when we take time out and enjoy
ourselves as grown women. We usually talk about different issues ranging from
gossip, health, social lives, fashion, the state of affairs in the university and other
hot issues at the point. We really enjoy our time here as we laugh and get to be
free...
"Don't you think it's about time that you get a man in your life?" Vimbai asks. I
smile at her and I respond
"I am content with single life. I have everything that could give one a good life.
What's the point of a man?"
"Red, stop fooling yourself. You need a penis in your life, some testosterone to give
a different scent to your sheets" Vimbai teases.
"No, thank you! I cannot handle men's masculine pride and arrogance."
"Look Red, you are beautiful, educated, well built, well cultured and I don't see why
you can't let anyone through to that heart of yours?"
"Maybe in another life" I respond.
"Let's just say, you haven't met the right idiot. The one who would make you angry
and yet your love still overflows for him. And that's when you will start talking"
Vimbai says.
"Stop reading those romance novels. They give you stupid ideas about feelings and
men that don't exist. And trust me, I have learnt it the hard way, now I am living
my life in response to reality" I protest.
"Okay, fair and fine. I will remind you one day when you are so love struck that you
can't even find time to come and sit with me right here in this coffee shop just
because 'he', whoever he is, will be using our time."
"Vimbai, when that happens please take me to church and let the pastor cast out
that demon. I will be possessed." I respond.
"Possessed by love. And that's a good thing." Vimbai responds...we continue to talk,
laughing and just being us-women! I really love this time with Vimbai, she is my
safe space. My dear fortress. Vimbai is the only individual in the whole University
who has ever seen the real me.... a waitress walks up to us.
"Good day ma'am, I was sent to come and give you this" the waitress says as she
hands me a piece of paper.
"Where is it coming from?" i ask.
"It's from a gentleman who is inside" she says.
"Did he give his name?" Vimbai questions.
"No" she replies.
I open the paper and i read its contents. Its written:
'hie, my name is Tedious. To cut straight to the chase, I like you. Can I
have your number so that we can talk?'
This guy is a complete idiot! What type of approach is this? If i was a man, i think i
would have done a lot better than this...I take a red pen from my handbag and I
scribble 'nice try Mr. smart pants but no thank you..I am not interested and
besides-Red for danger!' and I fold the paper and I give it to the waitress, a smile
plastered on my lips. The waitress takes the paper and walks away.
"And what was that all about" Vimbai asks, her eyes popping out in curiosity and
concern.
"Some idiot named Tedious was asking for my number so that we can talk" I say to
her as I lift my cup to drink the tea.
"And what did you say to him?" Vimbai asks.
"I told him to screw off, I am not interested" I respond.
"What!? Why?" Vimbai queries.
"This one is most probably some rich idiot, who thinks that women can be
approached by pieces of paper sent by waitresses. That's very low key." I respond.
"When it comes to men, you have to forget your standards. A woman makes a man.
So don't expect a ready made business official to walk up to you" Vimbai says.
"That's the reason, why I don't want men in my life! I am not good with this-play
the teacher thing. I am better off as an Economics professor." I respond and after
that I sip my tea.
"Excuse me ma'am, there is another note for you" the waitress says as she hands it
to me. This time, Vimbai snatches the note and reads it before i could read it. I
watch her jaw drop in amusement. She giggles mischievously and her the note
back to me.
"just give him what he wants ka-one" Vimbai probes. The guy is asking for my
number! I take my pen and again scribble something on the paper:
'077...leave me the hell alone! I am not your type. If you continue with this
nonsense, I will find you and kick your hard in the testicles. So hard that
they will crawl back into your stomach or burst!"
I fold the paper and i give it to the waitress, a fake smile plastered on my lips,
concealing the agitation that is building up. The waiter takes the note, nodes and
strides away.
"And what did you say?" Vimbai asks.
"I told him to leave me alone" I say as I sip my tea, my elbows balancing on the
table.
"Come on, give the man a chance. He likes you" Vimbai protests.
"No, not this time. Vimbai, i made mistakes as little girl and I won't repeat them
again. Each time the mistakes were based on men. Such men. Now that I have
learnt from my mistakes and gained some maturity, I am not willing to walk into
the same traps. Not this time" I say.
"Excuse me ma'am, I have another note for you" the waitress says.
"How much is this idiot paying you? I am willing to pay you double, so that you can
stop bringing these silly notes. I am not enjoying this, not at all." I say as i reach for
my handbag and i take out a whooping three hundred dollars and i offer it to the
waiter. Vimbai snatches the money before the waitress gets the chance to take it
from my hand.
"This is not necessary. Look dear, can you stop this fooling around. If it continues,
I might take this to your manager and jobs are scarce in Zimbabwe. Set your
priorities straight." Vimbai says.
"I am very sorry ma'am. I really thought the two of you knew each other." The
waitress responds.
"Well, unfortunately, none of us know him, whoever he is" Vimbai responds and i
smile sarcastically, loving the very fact that Vimbai is finally standing up for me,
even though she was the one encouraging me to talk to this idiot of a man. The
waitress then decides to walk away from us after further apologising.
"You give them the impression that you have a fat purse. Then you will never know
peace as long as you walk into this place." Vimbai says.
"I just wanted her to leave me alone" I respond.
"Money does not solve any problems. Instead, it would have made her eager to
shuffle, between the two of you, adhering to the needs of the highest bidder. At the
end of the day, she is at an advantage and you guys are at the loosing ends."
Vimbai reasons.
"Even though, this man is such a coward! He couldn't even approach me
personally. And that shows that he is not man enough" I protest.
"to a greater extent, but looking on the brighter side of things, this man might be a
rich shy man, trying to have his luck with this beautiful monument of a woman."
Vimbai says.
"I think that men are attracted by my dressing and self presentation and not by the
real me, which they have never seen before, because if they did...."
"They would love you more. In fact they would worship you." A male voice says
behind me and i turn my head to face this tall, dark skinned man, wearing a black
suit. He has a clean shave and a bald head.
"Hello ladies, my name are Tedious Nyadza." He says as he takes a chair from an
empty table and sits between me and Vimbai. He offers me his hand and I ignore it.
"A gentleman should wait to be accorded a seat and speak when spoken to. Just
that gesture shows that the gentleman is civilized." I respond.
"When it comes to a man's interests, he can role in the mud and forget all his
manners, just to get what he loves the most," Tedious responds. A smile plastered
on his face.
"Stop wasting your precious time. I am more than you can bargain, physically,
emotionally and mentally. Besides, i am far too educated to become your
paramour" I respond coldly.
"Let's clear the mist here. I am not married and i am not taking interest in you
because i saw you today. You stole my heart when i saw you two years back. When
you walked up to the podium, dressed in a white dress with red flowers, to speak
during the open day at your university.....Professor Red." He says to me. A
triumphant smirk plastered on his lips. My heart skips a beat when he mentions
my name. I look at him in total shock and finally i manage to say:
"Looks are fooling. You will never love the real Professor Red. Especially after she
wipes off the red lipstick off her lips." I say to him as i smile sheepishly.
"For you. I am willing to go very far, so don't try to discourage me. I will knock at
your door, until you let me in." He responds. Just that statement tells me that i am
dealing with some thick headed idiot, who is blinded by my looks but will not be
able to stomach the real product in the container... i look at Vimbai , my eyes
pleading for some back-up. She giggles mischievously, composes herself again and
he picks up my left hand and points to one of my fingers and says:
"See that piece of metal. It means that there is someone in her life. She is married
to a very influential man, so don't test the waters. You won't like the end results."
Tedious immediately recoils into silence but again says:
"i know a married woman when i see one. Professor Red here, is not married"
"how old are you?" i question.
"i am 37, turning 38 in a few days" he responds proudly.
"see! You are aiming for an older woman. Professor Red is 42 years old and has a 21
year old daughter. You shouldn't be courting her daughter not her." Vimbai says.
"Age is nothing but just a number" he says.
"That's if you have the intention to fool around with a woman and you don't intend
on marrying her" Vimbai protests.
"Not every relationship is supposed to end with the two individuals marrying each
other" he retaliates.
"Conflict of interests. I am past the age of fooling around, so don't waste your time.
But none the less, nice try. And oh yeah, the approach you used to get to me was
stupid. You look like a respectable man but your mannerism says otherwise. Revise
it for future purposes." I respond.
"Sending pieces of notes to women-that's how you approach prostitutes and not
ladies and you should know the difference." Vimbai adds.
"I wish you the very best in your love life and please have a nice life" I add on.
"Well, I really tried my luck! But then, it was nice meeting you ladies." Tedious
says.
"Under such circumstances, we can't say the same" Vimbai responds. Tedious
pushes his chair from the table, stands up, returns it to the other table and he
strides away. His step in-confident and his head held so. He is looking more like a
wilting plant. His ego has been having trampled upon by two over-educated women.
"You just kicked luck, straight in the balls" Vimbai says.
"and you gladly helped me to do so" I respond, adding a naughty smile so that she
knows the gravity of what we just did to that poor man's ego and self esteem.
"I was only being a good friend because, I for one noticed that you just did not want
to entertain that man and I intervened in your favor." She responds.
"Thank you very much." I say to her. We round up our tea. Both of us pumping
each other with jokes. Being just us- two crazy, highly educated, self sustained
women. After the tea, we settle the bill and we drive back to the University, where
Vimbai's car is. I park my car at the staff car park and we say our goodbyes. I head
straight to my office, where I tidy up, water my pot plants and after that I close the
windows.
"I thought you were gone already" a male voice says behind me. In the process
startling me. I turn back to face the individual and its Thomas Shoko. And he is
standing by the door, leaning on my door frame.
"Oh, Mr Shoko. I was just rounding up. I am leaving" I respond as I put my staff in
my box file.
"Are you free tomorrow in the afternoon?" he asks.
"What time?" I inquire.
"Lunch time?" he asks. His hands buried deep in his pockets and his thick eyebrow
arched upwards in question. I know what he wants. I sigh audibly, trying to think
of a good answer. First things first, why is he being so nice to me? Shouldn't he be
gallivanting with the rest of the male lecturers, speaking about how stubborn Iam.
Some even going on to say that I am a lesbian who needs a big stiff penis to return
me to my heterosexuality. Or shouldn't he be attracted to the other female lectures
who use volumes and volumes of make-up and have expensive weaves, dresses and
shoes, the same women, who see me as a potential threat to their Ben tens. The
very same lecturers who spread rumors that I am having affairs with the young
male students and that I am sleeping with the University officials.
"Professor Red?" Thomas says, in the process snapping back to the question at
hand.
"I know you want us to have lunch again and yes we will but tomorrow, I am taking
you to a certain corner I know but then Mr Shoko, let's keep things as professional
as possible." I say, in the process walking towards him.
"So long then and have a good day. Travel safe" he says as he turns on his heel,
wearing disappointment on his face.
"Same to you" I say to him as i lock my door and after that I head straight to the
car park, my heels clanking on the floors.
Wednesdays usually take a different twist from the other days. My lectures start
from eight o'clock in the morning, right through to lunch time and they even flow to
after lunchtime. I am stationed at the Economics lecture hall. Only the students
come and go. I barely get any consultations, so i push all my consultations to
Thursday, which means that my Thursday mornings would be fully pecked.
..... "Let's call it a wrap for today. Any consultations please push them to tomorrow,
we will see each other tomorrow. Dismissed!" I say to the students. All the students
stand up and walk out of the Lecture hall. After everyone has cleared out, i then
walk out and head out straight to my office. I unlock my door and i enter into the
office.
"Professor Red, are you ready for lunch?" Mr Shoko asks, as he enters into my
office. Doesn't this man know how to knock, as a way to announce his arrival.
Doesn't he have any idea of, how to structure speech, by firstly greeting an
individual and then indulging into whatever conversation he pleases?
"Good afternoon to you too Mr Shoko. And yes i am ready to go for lunch. Let me
put my things in order firstly" i respond as i am still busy, arranging my papers
into the places that they are supposed to be. This i do, so that i don't get to mix my
paperwork.
"You have a nice office over here." Mr Shoko says as he inspects the interior of my
office with his eyes, his hands still buried in his pockets. Where on planet earth are
his manners?!
"It's nothing peculiar. I made the best out of what i had." I respond as i pick up my
cell phone so that i could text Vimbai-
'Good day Vimbai. Save two plates of the usual. I will be hosting a guest to
tag along with. The bill is on me.'
"This is outstanding. Look at the paintings on the wall, the pot plants, the carpets,
the arrangement of books on the bookshelf. You even have a three seater sofa, a
coffee table, an electric cattle, a tea set... this right here is a home" he says.
"Let's go Mr Shoko, I need to be back early. I have somewhere to go." I say, soon
after I finished putting my things in order. I walk to my door and i stand outside it
as a way of showing him that i want to lock up. After locking up, i lead him out of
the building towards the school of hotel and catering.
"And where are we going? This is not the direction that we take to the canteen." He
says as he suddenly comes to a halt.
"today, i am taking you somewhere different. You will have something different for a
change" i say to him and i walk on. He runs up to me and again, we walk shoulder
to shoulder and he says;
"and where is that different place?"
"Mr Shoko, just follow me and reserve the comments for later!" i respond and after
that we walk in total silent, until we reach the school of Hotel and Catering's
restaurant. Which by the way is run by the students. The revenue is then used to
develop the school of Hotel and catering, through buying up-to-date machinery for
cooking and washing the dishes. Some of the money was used for the renovation of
the restaurant, buying furniture and sustaining the ever high food standards. The
restaurant is usually fully packed on each day of the week. Since the restaurant is
open to everyone, it's usually fully packed with business men and other rich
people, since the prizes are usually high. Wednesdays are the worst because the
restaurant offers a menu called the 'Zimbabwean Chisi'. This menu consists of
strictly native Zimbabwean dishes made from local ingredients. The restaurant is
fully packed with rich men, who are tired of eating foreign foods, cooked or ordered
by the lazy wives with long weaves, manicured fingers and waxed skin.
"There is absolutely no place for us to sit, so where are we going to sit?" Thomas
whispers to my ear as we enter the restaurant.
"Relax, i have everything under control" I respond as I walk farther into the
restaurant, towards the kitchen, Thomas following at my heels. I can feel the eyes
of a lot of lustful men looking at me. I am sure they are imagining me naked,
massaging their joysticks! Trust me, i am not exaggerating. Quiet a number of them
have approached me but they all got horse kicks, straight in the teeth.
"And there she comes, late as usual." Vimbai says to me, her arms wide open and
we hug each other.
"as you are well aware, I have a tight schedule on Wednesdays. Vimbai, meet
Thomas Shoko, the new lecturer and Mr Shoko, meet Vimbai, my best friend." I
say.
"I have met him before. Quiet a messy one, this one. The first time i met him, he
looked like a form one student. Searching for the administration block like his life
depended on it" Vimbai says and we both burst into laughter.
"Well, the thing is, your University is far too big. I easily get confused so i needed
help." Thomas says as he defends
"Okay, okay. Look let's get going. I have somewhere to go." I say to Vimbai and
Thomas as a way to stop them from the conversation. I have a lot of things to do.
Vimbai gets us plates of sadza rezviyo nemazvondo-(chocolate sadza/ millet sadza
with cow hooves.) it's my favourite dish among the traditional meals. Vimbai
usually opts for sadza rezviyo and spinach with peanut butter. Thomas decides to
have the same meal that I am having but it's his first time to eat sadza made from
millet meal. Since the restaurant was fully packed, we went outside to the quad
area, under the large shed, where a few individuals were sitting. We have the meal,
under the limelight of different conversations. Vimbai is firing questions at Thomas,
as a way of getting to know him better. And believe me you, this idiot has a crazy
past, shaped from a well up life style in a typical African home, where parents want
you to be highly educated and then chase the hobbies later. He had a comfortable
life, born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
"Well, it was nice knowing you Mr Shoko. Vimbai, thank you for the meal and the
time we spent together despite the pressure that we are facing." I say to her as i
stand up, handing her the money, that's supposed to settle the bill.
"You are already leaving?" Thomas asks.
"Yes. I have a lot of pressure. Both of you have a good day." I say as I walk away.
....... I am sitting in my office, soft soul music playing from the stereo in my
office. I am busy with the marking of the assignments that the students passed
today. I have three sets of assignments to mark and each one of them consumes up
to three hours, considering that my class has a minimum of two hundred students
and the greatest is three hundred and fifty. To avoid using a lot of my personal time
at home, i usually mark some of the assignments at work and some at home. There
is a brief knock on the door and the knocker enters the room.
"You're still working?" Thomas asks, his hands buried in his pockets, his eyebrow
raised in question.
"Yes. I have a lot of work to do. How can I help?" I ask.
"I just came to check on you." He says.
"What's wrong about me?" I ask in confusion, returning my attention back to the
manuscripts that I am marking.
"Nothing is wrong about you. Loosen up. Get some free time and ease up" Thomas
says as he walks up to me and removes the glasses that i am wearing.
"Look, Mr Shoko, I think we both have a lot of work to do, so let me do my work in
peace. Your time is lunchtime and for you, our lunch tours are over. I have shown
you every corner that I know, revealed my links, now you have to get off my case.
Start making friends with the other lecturers and find your footing in this
university. I am not the best you can meet currently. Now bring my spectacles, I
don't intend on having a sleepless night today." I say to him as I extend my hand
towards him.
"Whoa!! What's wrong? What's with all this frustration? That's why you need me in
your life, to be the humor in your life" Thomas says, fueling my anger.
"Look Mr Shoko, I don't want to fight with you. I am a bit busy and there is no time
for these silly cat and mouse games. Please give me my glasses" I respond.
"Come and get them." He says.
"Mr Shoko please. I need to clear this backlog." I respond. Defeated by his
arrogance. I just don't feel like putting up a fight. I want us to do things the civil
way.
"I will give you these glasses, on certain conditions...."
"And what are the conditions. They better be reasonable." I respond impatiently.
"First things first, can we be friends." He says.
"Under the terms that our friendship is strictly professional, does not include
digging up each other's pasts and it allows me to go about my scheduled routines,
which therefore means that you only get to spend time with me, twice a week. Monday lunchtime and Wednesday lunchtime. Its fine with me." I respond.
"That's too stiff!! Anyway, the second condition is that you must come and get these
glasses." He says.
"You're too childish to be a professor. It's as if you skipped a certain stage in your
childhood and you jumped straight to attaining very high qualifications." I scold
him.
"And you on the other hand are too stiff, too serious and the two of us make the
perfect combination, now stretch those legs and come and get these glasses." He
says as he walks away from the table and he starts inspecting the painting that
hanging on the wall. I sigh in defeat...this man is being a serious temptation and
nuisance. How dare he come and want to play games at such a time!...I stand up
from my chair and i walk towards his direction and he moves away! Great! He is
being such a pain in the buttock and a thorough nuisance!!! I walk towards him
and he continues to dart away as soon as i get near him. We start walking faster
around the room and sooner than expected, i am chasing at him! Imagine, a grown
woman who happens to be the custodian of a Masters degree chasing a grown man,
worse off in an office! That's absurd, pathetic if I might say.... in no time, i have
caught up with him and we are fighting for the possession of the spectacles...does
this idiot know how expensive these spectacles are and yet he is playing with them
as if they are some cheap children's toy!!... We jostle for the possession of the
spectacles, which to me will be the end of my misery and to him will be the
torturing tool he will use to manipulate me into doing, saying and agreeing to his
silly, childish things. He raises up the spectacles and I try to retrieve them from his
hands , in the process he loses balance and falls, I following right on top of him,
since he pulls me too, thinking that he might get some balance from me. The idiot!
We both land on the sofa. His back laying flatly on the long three sitter sofa and I
on top of him. We look at each other in total shock. Thomas looks into my eyes and
i look into his challengingly, not wanting him to get any silly ideas, the staring
contest goes on for a while until the idiot decides to kiss me!! His cold lips come
into contact with mine. I try to resist but each attempt, is weaker and weaker and i
give in. A thousand butterflies awaken in my stomach and they all start flapping
their wings. My chained emotions break loose and start making a freedom dance,
dancing to the tempo of my heart, which is drilling through my chest in
indescribable excitement. Finally Thomas stops the kiss and i open my eyes to the
situation at hand. we stare at each other in absolute shock and i break from his
spell first,. I remove his hand from my waist and I snatch my glasses from his
hand, stand up and I walk back to my table.
The room falls silent, with only the sweet melodies of slow violin instrumentals
playing. I don't waste time, I continue with my marking as if nothing happened.
After some time of silence, Thomas then decides to leave my office and i exhale in
relief. What has that idiot done!! Now he has unleashed a side I had chained and
locked away at the back of my head. A criminal side, capable of destruction....