How could i be doing this with a total stranger, a guy. I’ve never had a close relationship with a guy before. My uncle never had a son and i was the only child of my parents at ten. Though my mum was pregnant during the accident.Who knows,it might have been a boy if not for fate.We finally sat down on the stools provided opposite each other in the cafeteria.A plump lady in charge gave us the menu.I decided to go for a snack and tamarind drink since it had the lowest price on the list.Jude glared at me and shook his head in disapproval when he saw what i ordered.He collected the menu from my hands and told the lady to bring what he ordered for two. Then he said to me”What you chose wasn’t my treat at all,how would you get that voluptuous body if you keep eating things like this and looking thin”.Thin?Was i so thin...and what did he mean by voluptuous body. I’m not about getting something like that. The lady brought the food and we started eating in silence.I prayed the silence was going to last till the end of our lunch all because it was a sumptuous meal but he broke it almost immediately by asking his regular questions.”So pretty lady, where are you going to and where are you coming from?” I cleared my throat before i could reply”You know my name now jude...I’m coming from kano and i don’t know where i’m heading to precisely”. He opened his big eyes wide in amazement which wasn’t suprising to me since it was as expected.”You mean you’re coming all the way from kano?Hausa land?”he asked. I nodded in affirmation. This time, he leaned closely,placing his elbow on the table as he used his palm to hold his face in place as a sign that he was interested in listening to all i had to say to him.”You’ll have to pardon me being so inquisitive but how many days have you spent on board”. Oh yeah!like you knew i was already fed up of your inquisition.I replied him irritably”Today makes it the second day on board”.He wowed at that and turned to stare at the window which was now crowded by hawkers who were running to and fro trying to display their goods for passengers to purchase as the train came to a final halt at the next station.” Ewa ra dodo, e ra eyin,Auntie e ra asun(Buy plantain, Buy eggs,Aunty buy peppered meat)”I listened to the frail children as they tried to make their shrill voices heard amongst the crowd.
Almost immediately,passengers began to troop in and out ,women with infants on their back and little ones in their hands carrying loads on their head. Men with boxes and briefcases also came in too. A young lad of about fourteen years also came in with his cage of poultry birds. The environ was so polluted with babies crying, adults arguing and shouting over who’s supposed to occupy a space or who’s luggage is supposed to go in first.I became so irritated that i had stopped eating already.Jude noticed that he had to ask if it was my first time on train. He was so surprised when i told him” This is actually the first journey i’d embark on that i’m aware of”. He demanded for my ticket which i paid to stop at iddo terminus(IDDO-LAGOS) and scanned through it.” You’re going to visit relatives in lagos?”he asked.” I don’t know any relative except the uncle i left behind with his family in kano” i replied bluntly.He made a crease on his forehead before he spoke to me again,gently this time.” This is only Kwara,we’ve not even gotten to Illorin and you’re already irritated by what you saw,how much more when you get to lagos”.”Aaaah!Eko!” he exclaimed and continued again”Lagos is much more challenging than this oo...hmm..it’s not a place for newbie’s or J.J.C’s like you o”. He saw my expression which made him to realise that i was already lost and couldn’t decipher what he meant. He cleared his throat and brought his hands to cover my cheeks.”Sweetheart”he said,”it’s just a term used in most universities to describe a new person on campus,J.J.C is an acronym which means Johnny just come, so you don’t have to be confused while you’re with me ok?”. I nodded my head while he patted it and kept on telling me about himself” I know i’m loquacious but that’s because i’m a 300 level mass communication student of Obafemi Awolowo University, i’m only doing what i love to do best so don’t blame me” he winked as he said. I gave a fake smile without uttering a word,just wanting to listen to all what he had to say till he got bored of my company. The plump lady came back again to take the dishes from the table when she noticed neither of us was interested in touching our meals anymore. When i returned my gaze back at Jude again only to notice him watching me watch her. He finally sighed and asked” What school do you attend”. ”I was only opportuned to complete my secondary school education” I replied shyly. He remained silent for a while to absorb the shock before asking again” How old are you because i find you quite intelligent and fascinating” . I felt he was already trying to open up wounds which were still undergoing the process of healing. I wanted to stop him,to tell him not to ask me any further questions but couldn't ”I’m nineteen years” i replied .” I am twenty years and i’m in 300 level” he said feeling proud. I couldn’t say a word because I knew the difference between both of us was just time and chance..I decided to go for a snack and tamarind drink since it had the lowest price on the list. Jude glared at me and shook his head in disapproval when he saw what i ordered. He collected the menu from my hands and told the lady to bring what he ordered for two. Then he said to me” What you chose wasn’t my treat at all,how would you get that voluptuous body if you keep eating things like this and looking thin”. Thin? Was i so thin...and what did he mean by voluptuous body. I’m not about getting something like that. The lady brought the food and we started eating in silence. I prayed the silence was going to last till the end of our lunch all because it was a sumptuous meal but he broke it almost immediately by asking his regular questions.” So pretty lady,where are you going to and where are you coming from?” I cleared my throat before i could reply ” You know my name now Jude .... I’m coming from kano and i don’t know where i’m heading to precisely”.He opened his big eyes wide in amazement which wasn’t suprising to me since it was as expected.”You mean you’re coming all the way from kano?Hausa land?”he asked.I nodded in affirmation. This time,he leaned closely,placing his elbow on the table as he used his palm to hold his face in place as a sign that he was interested in listening to all i had to say to him.”You’ll have to pardon me being so inquisitive but how many days have you spent on board”.Oh yeah!like you knew i was already fed up of your inquisition. I replied him irritably” Today makes it the second day on board”. He wowed at that and turned to stare at the window which was now crowded by hawkers who were running to and fro trying to display their goods for passengers to purchase as the train came to a final halt at the next station.”Ewa ra dodo,e ra eyin,Auntie e ra asun(Buy plantain,Buy eggs,Aunty buy peppered meat)” I listened to the frail children as they tried to make their shrill voices heard amongst the crowd.
Almost immediately, passengers began to troop in and out, women with infants on their back and little ones in their hands carrying loads on their head.Men with boxes and briefcases also came in too. A young lad of about fourteen years also came in with his cage of poultry birds. The environ was so polluted with babies crying, adults arguing and shouting over who’s supposed to occupy a space or who’s luggage is supposed to go in first. I became so irritated that i had stopped eating already.Jude noticed that he had to ask if it was my first time on train.He was so surprised when i told him”This is actually the first journey i’d embark on that i’m aware of”. He demanded for my ticket which i paid to stop at iddo terminus(IDDO-LAGOS) and scanned through it.” You’re going to visit relatives in lagos?”he asked.” I don’t know any relative except the uncle I left behind with his family in kano” I replied bluntly.He made a crease on his forehead before he spoke to me again, gently this time.” This is only Kwara, we’ve not even gotten to Illorin and you’re already irritated by what you saw,how much more when you get to lagos”.”Aaaah!Eko!”he exclaimed and continued again”Lagos is much more challenging than this oo...hmm..it’s not a place for newbie’s or J.J.C’s like you o”. He saw my expression which made him to realise that i was already lost and couldn’t decipher what he meant. He cleared his throat and brought his hands to cover my cheeks.”Sweetheart”he said,”it’s just a term used in most universities to describe a new person on campus,J.J.C is an acronym which means Johnny just come, so you don’t have to be confused while you’re with me ok?”. I nodded my head while he patted it and kept on telling me about himself”I know i’m loquacious but that’s because i’m a 300 level mass communication student of Obafemi Awolowo University,i’m only doing what i love to do best so don’t blame me”he winked as he said.I gave a fake smile without uttering a word, just wanting to listen to all what he had to say till he got bored of my company. The plump lady came back again to take the dishes from the table when she noticed neither of us was interested in touching our meals anymore. When i returned my gaze back at Jude again only to notice him watching me watch her.He finally sighed and asked”What school do you attend”.”I was only opportuned to complete my secondary school education” I replied shyly. He remained silent for a while to absorb the shock before asking again”How old are you because i find you quite intelligent and fascinating”. I felt he was already trying to open up wounds which were still undergoing the process of healing. I wanted to stop him,to tell him not to ask me any further questions but i couldn’t.”I’m nineteen years”i replied.” I am twenty years and I am in 300 level”he said feeling proud. I could not say a word because I knew the difference between both of us was just time and chance.
TO BE CONTINUED ..........
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If you are just joining us in these adventure please search "ripe apple (1) by Delbi " to get acquainted with the story so far. Thanks
Delbi01@yahoo.com
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