In the beginning was Sade. And Sade was with me (and I with her). And Sade was Love.
Yes, in the romance books of Stag chapter 1 verse 1, Love was virtue.
And it was all that kept me going, until along came a spider named Bimbo. And through sheer stroke of fate, I was caught in her web. A sweet web though. A sweet web of s*x. Of discreet romance, and of pure ecstasy. And so, although Love remained a virtue, the new vice was sweeter.
Bimbo had six legs that marvelled my 'third leg'. She rewired my brain, re-engineered my thinking and revised a sub-chapter in The Stag Book of Love & s*x.
The rain had just been drizzles the whole morning. It will not stop, yet will not fall heavily once and stop. Sade had just called. Well, nothing serious. Just those petty lovers' calls, to update each other of how the day is going for you.
Like now, she just told me how her area was really messed up. Muddy roads, crowded bus-stops, traffic, and how she ended up standing for about an hour and half because the bus-stop was crowded.
Yes, in Lagos on a Monday morning is not exactly the best of time to go out, except to work if you don't have your own ride. Bus-stops are usually crowded with workers rushing to work.
On this particular day, it had been raining. Things get worse when it rains.
Worse still is the part of Lagos she stays, Abule-Egba.
You won't understand if you do not know this area well.
I stay around Akowonjo. Everything is same here on a rainy Monday morning. Except, the mud. Its not been a nice morning at all. But when I get to talk with Sade, I feel some kind of sensat!on that relaxes my nerves. Every worries begin to calm off and eventually fade away.
There's something about love we don't understand how it works. But it works.
Especially when you hear her call you 'Baby' e.g 'Baby, I really wish you were here with me'
Woow!
Love!
It feels sweet. Like honey. It's so healthy. More so, when she's such beauty to behold. Brown complexion. Not dark, not fair kinda complexion.
You call her 'Angel', she ends her text messages to you with 'Love you, hon.'
You lay on your bed thinking about her, her voice, the beautiful way she makes you feel.
Well, maybe now is not the time to let you into how caring, and well bred Sade is. Just hang on!
The day went on really fast. Otherwise the rain, smoothly too. A rainy Lagos has something attached to it- Lateness to work. Damn! A lot of people get to work late on such days. I guess as it's an issue most bosses have to deal with. Sometimes, my boss is considerate. A lovely woman indeed. Thank God for her, I would have had a memo that day.
I did my job. But realizing the rain got heavier later in the day, I decided to leave office as early as I could to beat the hell traffic will unleash that evening.
Sade too figured out a way to leave as early as she could to beat the madness of a traffic-ridden wet Lagos when workers poured out at 4pm.
A smart thing to do. After the much traffic from yaba through Ikorodu road, Maryland, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony through Ikeja-Along, Cement bus stop, I dropped at Dopemu-under bridge and walked to the round out where I took okada home. Phew! I got home around 8:30pm, even having left the office early enough at 4:30.
Sade got home around 10:30pm. She had left around 5.
Well, my room was in a mess. Too tired to start putting anything in order, I just took a short rest.
It was an hour later I got up and tried to fix something for dinner. Though there was bread, butter and I could make tea, I choose the ever loyal noodles. Delivering students, singles, bachelors out of hunger since before the beginning! Fast, little stress and you have yourself a meal.
Just as I was finishing off the last strands of the noodles my phone rang- Sade.
Two of her friends were stranded, and she thought I could be of help. And so…
Along came the Spider.
By the time I ended the call with Sade, she had explained in detail how two of her friends Bukky and Bimbo were coming back to lagos from Ijebu-Ode and had gotten into a very heavy traffic on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, close to Redeem Camp, traffic had started slowly until it became jammed.
They had eventually arrived Lagos but very late.
To their surprise, the ever busy Oshodi didn't have as many people and very few buses.
The rain had made businesses close early and traffic probably had made bus drivers go home early.
After waiting for a bus to Sango-Abule egba, they luckily got one going to Egbeda. They intended dropping while the bus turns into Dopemu.
Though away from the danger of Oshodi at about 12midnight, they had little hope (if any) to get a bus to Abule-egba.
At this point she had suggested they could sleep over at my neighbor's room.
My neighbor she was talking about is a lady beside my room.
Well, I obliged to talk with Rumi to allow them sleep. Though I thought it awkward. In the house, there were three rooms. Rumi stays in one and Jay stays in the third. I would have preferred to sleep in Jay's room and let them have mine for the night, than having to ask Rumi for such favor.
I barely even know the girls.
She gave them my number and gave me one of theirs for easy of communication. I got to them 15minutes later and took them to my place.
They were thoroughly shaken by the stress of the day.
So I tried to make them something to eat. I made them tea as there was only bread and butter to eat.
I had changed the sheets before I went for them. I just helped plugg water for bath and told them to be free and make themselves comfortable. At that point one of them spoke up "I am Bimbo. And she is Bukky" pointing to her friend.
"Oh! Yeah, Sade already mentioned so. But apparently, I couldn't have known who's which"
"Its really nice to meet you. And thanks for saving us tonight. We really appreciate this" she said.
I told them contrary to the earlier arrangement of staying over with my neighbor for the night, they could stay in my room. And I'll stay over at a friend's.
In the minutes that followed, we all got talking. They talked about their ordeal. They had left Ijebu-Ode at 4pm and had hoped to be in Lagos before 6pm since it was 1 hour, 30 minutes journey. Bimbo and Bukky seemed very lively bunch. We didn't feel like strangers at all. And in the end, it didn't seem like they wanted me to leave sef.
By now it was around 2am, we were still talking & stuff. But I had to sleep so I went over to Jay's. I had already told him even before I went to get them.
I turned on my laptop and told them to be free with everything. I had a modem on it too. I left, with a hanger of my trouser, shirt and tie. Shoes too.
I knew they'd still be sleeping by the time I should be in the office.
I left for office from Jay's room. By the time I got to the office Sade and I had spoken twice. It wasn't until around 10am my phone rang. It was Bimbo on the line. She was apologizing for having woken up late and the inconveniences they have caused me.
Of course, it wasn't. It's not rocket science to know people who just had such a day would over-sleep the morning. Considering they slept after I left at 2:30am. Maybe even much later.
She asked where they could drop my key, I told her where to leave it.
Sade was happy at the kind gesture. They had told her how hospitable I was. I was glad I could help.
Later in the evening, when I got home I was shocked when I stepped into my room. My room was as neat as can be. They had helped arrange my things in order. Bed well la!d out. Everywhere was tidy!
Lying on my laptop was a note:
"We really appreciate your help. We can't repay enough. Thanks.
Bimbo&Bukky"
Hmmm… I thought I had seen the gratitude but No! I was about to find out how sweet the nectar of appreciation was.
Like sugar like Bimbo!..
To Be Continued 🔞💦