"How was your day today" she asked
"It was fine"
"Hmmm... I guess you are already enjoying the company"
I wasn't sure what she meant, I just said
"Work is enjoyable here"
Well, there was a little more pleasantries and she made to go and asked
"Are you going to stop at same bus-stop?"
Realising she wanted to give me a lift, I told her I was going to get something to eat. And indeed, I wanted to eat something heavy. There was one iya-Basira restaurant off the road, located where only those seeking it can find.
Mehn I need some pounded yam. Not poundo yam. Real pounded yam and efo-riro with some Ogufe to go with it as escort.
I had now spent three months and thing went on smoothly.
Williams and I became even better friends as I never took him nor my work for granted. Never for once would 'in-subordination' be an issue. He didn't have problems with people unlike Mercy.
Mercy was ambitious. All she cared was positions and her 'career'. Didn't matter who's toes were stepped on, nor who's ox she'd gore. She was the quintessential career lady. All up on a 6-inches heel and skirt suit et al.
Of course, she really doesn't owe anyone apologies for being who she was. And of course, nobody owes her any apologies for their responsorial behaviours. Generally, mercy wasn't liked much. Most times her attitude comes off as rude and insensitive.
Little did I know that all wasn't well between she and her boss, Ada. Some really bad blood was brewing between them.
Most departments have average of 3 workers. Some two. HR had three workers. Admin had one etc. Nowhere else was there that kind of fierce challenge from a subordinate.
And very little did I know that Mercy was going to use I and Ada to orchestrate her plans.
The eventual love between the two love-birds became the hatchery for a blackmail...
Months rolled by and before I could say Jack, it was 10 months already. And over this period, Ada and myself had gotten a tad bit closer.
Severally times, I joined her and stopped at my bus-stop. The few times she didn't come to work with her car, she didn't join me. Instead she took a taxi.
Nonetheless, we steadily got closer. Sometimes, we ate together in the restaurant. Many of the times, she bring her food from home. And only buys drinks.
Lunchtime and going home brought us together many of the times. And we talked from music to politics, movies to fashion, celebrities to events, personalities, TV shows etc.
And nobody would have ever thought her favourite past-time is with the simple game of ludo. Lol.
Over this period, my crush on her had turned into some sort of love. It got to an extent that at weekends, I would be looking forward to monday. Just to see Ada around.
Then it happened that I began to notice Ada's eyes on me. You know, that 1-second-longer-than-normal kind of look. I initially passed it off as nothing, though I had felt happy about it the very first day I noticed.
This could be risky to take it as 'green-light' and make any move on her. It could ruin everything if I was wrong...
Then I noticed something one day while I went for lunch. Tope had joined me. Tope is a pretty looking girl from the office too. She was employed at same time as me. Somehow, I had become popular among my set as 'the black sheep', rather unfortunately.
But the funny thing with people is that they get attracted to those bad boys. Yet, close to the MD.
Tope was chatting away that afternoon about something random but apparently of much interest to her when I saw Ada come in. She saw me and before I could say anything, she shifted her glance elsewhere.
And throughout, Ada never looked my way again. I kept wondering at this. Was Ada jealous?
The black sheep always helped around the office with anything computer-related. Solving simple issues before the guys in charge come around. There was a real black sheep in the office, Efe liked to view pornsites after office hours. He is also careless, so he always needed my help to delete cookies and wipe history. His system always had virus problems. So I get free lunch from him, weekend beer and nkwobi at a local joint.
It happened that I began to like Ada more and more, beyond what might be considered healthy. Sometimes, when she passes I just marvel at her beauty. In her skirt suit, her shape and huge batty just fills up the skirt. And those her boobs! Then came the day she caught my eyes on her boobs. Funny, I didn't feel embarrassed. More serious was what I saw across her face. I thought I saw a smile flash across her face in that instance.
We had added up on Facebook and exchanged BBM pins. But for a long time, we never said hello to each other on those social media. Yet, friends.
Things went on and somehow it looked like I would just settle to being good friends with Ada. Ada was a decent looking lady. And had a real good heart. One day, at unity busstop just after the Customs office on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, the traffic had just eased up and as vehicle drivers shifted gears for speed, a car hit a young girl who was hawking fruits. As the girl fell and her fruits scattered across the road and got crushed by tires, the driver didn't stop. Since the road was freed up, he joined the overhead bridge towards Ikeja Post Office and in a flash was gone.
Ada parked as people ran to help the young girl of about 13. She was bleeding as people carried her. Her mother ran out from somewhere nearby crying and wailing. Ada offered her car to carry the young girl to the nearby General Hospital. A short distance away. While there, Ada used the ATM there and paid for the young girl's treatment. And gave the mother some extras. Not sure though, but she must have spent 20-30 thousand naira there on an absolute stranger she barely knew.
Well, we would head away from the hospital only an hour and twenty later.
Indeed, I was loving every bit of this lady. Not just those hips. No, not just those bossoms. The heart too...
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Karma is a bitch. Many people would argue. Yet, interestingly Ada would hold slightly different curiosities as I would find out.
While we were at the hospital, we saw someone being rushed into the emergency where the little girl was being treated. It looked like there had been an accident. And it looked serious. Those that helped bring the victim had said it had happened nearby, the brakes had failed.
As we drove out of the hospital, Ada asked
"Are you in a hurry?"
"No. Not exactly"
"So you can get home maybe two hours later?"
"If the two hours are worth it, I won't complain"
"Then let's eat first"
She went towards the post office and to MMIA 2. Just at the forte-oil refill station there had been a little traffic. As blue car was dented. Looked like it had run into something. No occupants. Apparently, the accident had happened not too long ago and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency had managed the situation. They were preparing to tow the vehicle away and as she drove past, we heard an official reporting to his superior who had just arrived that the driver had been rushed to the General Hospital at Ikeja.
Something about the car struck me but not able to place it yet, I shrugged. Until Ada asked
"Do you remember this car?"
"Isn't this the car that hit the little girl?" I asked as it suddenly hit me.
She gently nodded.
"Isn't Karma just a Dam?"
The hit and run driver just got served! Hell yeah! Imagine the little girl in the ER of the hospital with the driver that had hit her. Though oblivious of it, its funny how things work. Doesn't that serve him right? But is 'natural justice' another form of jungle justice?
She parked and called someone on the phone. She simply had said
"Hello? I'm around. Meet me there"
A moment later, a mallam came up to her side of the car as she whined down. He greeted her in a very familiar way and handed her an envelope. A little weighty. I didn't need to be told that was some hell of money. She brushed through the tip of the notes
"You sure say its complete?"
"Haba madam, gaskia!" He replied in his very strong Hausa accent, raising his two hands as he said the 'gaskia'. Gaskia means 'truly' or 'honestly' in Hausa language.
Ada opened her bag and pulled out some Pounds notes and handed him.
"Are we okay?"
He briefly looked at it and smiled broadly.
"Haba madam, I can not doubt you madam"
He thanked her some more before going away. We came down and went into the KFC eatery there.
After taking what we'd have and sat to eat, she asked
"Do you really believe in Karma?"
"Do you have any different opinion?"
"Not really, I've just been very curious at that concept called Karma"
"How?" I asked
"Consider this: many little girls are being raped everyday across the world. Is karma supposed to make sure, the children of these rapists are also raped? If this happens, is it being fair? For the father's sin to be pushed, another innocent little girl must get raped?"
I was silent. Considering what she had just asked.
She continued
"Okay, maybe that is far fetched. It satisfies our sensibility, our moral code of conduct and acute perception of how justice should be meted out especially when a weaker partner can not do anything about it. In this case, it is plausible that Karma caught up with the driver for running off after hitting a little girl hawking fruit to raise income for her family"
I just looked on at her while I chewed.
"But other principles could actually be responsible. If the driver was drunk while driving, he may have been involved in an accident not necessarily because the girl was hit. If someone did such horrible thing as to hit a little girl and had no remorse to say sorry, maybe Karma may be right afterall to get him involved in an accident almost immediately too.
Okay, away from that, think of how many women get cheated on even when they. Never cheated their partners. Some single ladies being disappointed by their fiances just a week to their wedding, only to run away with another and get married. Is this to mean she had also disappointed another before? And getting paid back in her coin? Think about it Stag. Karma seems like it exists. A universal superstition but like every superstition, a little more enquiry into it will show its inconsistency. Or maybe we need a 21st century Socrates to help with this philosophical topic. Gravity is consistent the world over. Every morning the sun doesn't disappoint, the seasons come and go with precision. Basic universal laws. What happens to helpless people who get killed for ritual reasons? The culprits are caught, arrested and jailed. Is this justice for the dead? In prisons, some people are framed and in jail for thirty years and counting, how does almighty Karma resolve their cases? Does it remain an eye for an eye, what you sow you shall reap kind of law that a husband beats his wife to death. He gets jail term but she doesn't live anymore. Tell me Stag, I'm curious"
I couldn't talk. I had no response. Even though some may call me Mr Poirot of Agatha Christie's series or a Sherlock Holmes, I nor be Aristotle, Eryximacus nor Plato.
Considering these things was beginning to make Karma look just like an urban myth. Normally, a drunk driver is inclined to accidents, if the driver hit someone and tried to run away, most likely over-speeding to get away, over-speeding is accident prone. But because we need justice for the little girl, our emotions would like to attach the whole scenario to Karma. I remembered being robbed at gun point. I remember my handset being lost. Why didn't Karma get the person to return the handset like I would return other people's lost but found items? Or does Karma intend to tell me I had robbed someone at gun point too?
One thing I am sure of is this: any natural law remains constant at all times, everywhere. I inclined to disagree with her curiosity but I couldn't find an answer for the example of a man who rapes a little child. If his own child gets raped years later, we can definitely clap for Karma, but how do we classify his young daughter's side of the experience? Hmmm... This Karma of a thing needs serious debates o. Because across the world, there are examples to justify and argue for. Yet, there are obvious loopholes in it. Or perhaps, if you believe it, it works for you. If you don't, it doesn't.
"Some food for thoughts you are feeding me with" I said
"Not really. I have always believed Karma as we all are made to believe by convention. But somehow, the equation doesn't balance. So I'm seeking answers too. I'm just as confused about it. I thought you could present points in favour of it."
"Hardly a thing I can respond to with all conviction now. Maybe we may attend to it later"
But the fervent way she put across her points told me few things. For one, she must have been thinking long and hard about it. Today's definitely not the first time such thought is crossing her mind.
A second thing is that I could almost sense its something personal. Could a hurt be smouldering and she hoping on Karma for justice too?
Well, for the rest of the evening, the mood lightened up as we gradually shifted the day's events behind. We had a meal together and she noted that we had only spent thirty minutes of the two hours. Funny, but what else did she have in mind?
We left and went to somewhere else in Ajao estate. A quiet place. We had drinks and chatted the evening away.
By the end of the evening I had more questions about Ada than I have found out about her. I also found out she stayed somewhere around her in Ajao estate.
We talked more music, celebrities and movies. Ada was really a very contemporary woman. Up to date in happenings and sound in logical thoughts.
I had a very good conversation with her and by the time we left, I had had a very good evening. Now, I didn't have any reservations about taking her number and by the time I asked for it, it sounded long overdue. I prefer it so. Patience.
Out, I hailed a taxi and got a fair bargain for N2,000 from there to my house.
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The game said he had dreams of furking an R n B bitchh like Mya. And you'd agree with him that anything was possible, if 50 furked Vivica.
I had dreams of Ada. But she looked a tall order. Kind of hard to imagine, how I'd lay a boss. I was in the glass house thinking.
It was obvious Ada had needed a company that evening. But I had brushed it off as maybe she had been very upset about what had happened to the little girl, and perhaps had gotten a bit emotional about it.
When I got home that night, I sent a text
'Thanks for the evening.'
This was about 10:30, and around 11:00 a reply came in
'More thanks to you'
I had an urge to call her. A strong one. But how was I going to call my lady boss at 11pm? Wasn't it too late?
In the morning at work I sent a message to her on BBM
'Good morning ma. Hope the morning is going smooth?'
She didn't reply for hours. I had started to wonder if something had gone amiss. At some minutes after 12noon, a reply finally came.
'Hey you! Hope you're good'
'Lunch?' I asked curtly
'Afrika Buka'
Adult communication. No unnecessary distractions. But why a restaurant away from the office, I thought. Hmmm...
Afrika Buka is a relatively expensive restaurant that offered local african cuisine. Just a few quids more than the un-branded restaurants though.
Lunch time, I headed there without saying anything to her. I wanted to keep away from her office as much as possible.
To my surprise when I got into the restaurant, I saw her at the far end clipping through a magazine over a glass of fruit drink.
I walked over to the table. She greeted and she apologised not responding to my message on time, she had been in a meeting.
I raised my hand and someone came to take the order. And to be on a safe side, I asked for the bill alongside. When the waiter had left, she teased
"Feeling like an alpha already?"
"Not exactly. Maybe just more hungry than you are"
"I suggested here, so let your ego rest and let me take care of things"
"I don't think so. You did good last night"
"Is this supposed to be a pay-back?"
I laughed
"Okay. Take on the drinks, if you must" I said
In a very mature way we were agreeing on things together. Well, largely I had to compromise the male thing.
When the orders arrived, a piece of paper came with it.
We ate and chatted. She seemed very relaxed. More than she'd usually be at other lunch times.
It wasn't very hard to see that somehow, gradually we were getting closer. By now, she had told me a little bit more about herself. For one, she stayed alone.
I hadn't considered that but again, that explained a number of things.
We had been out the previous evening and she didn't seem to be in a hurry home. I wondered if she was single, separated or divorced. But I couldn't begin to ask such, not to embarrass her. In due time I would find out.
We occasionally looked in each other's eyes but Ada couldn't look into my eyes for long. I teased her about it and she seemed a little shy about it but rather laughed hysterically.
It was fun being with Ada.
More, I could feel Ada needed a friend. I hadn't asked how old she was not to embarrass her still, but at her estimated age group, loneliness killed faster than a bullet to the heart.
After lunch, I pulled my wallet and dropped notes on the tray. Ada reached into her bag, took out her purse and dropped some notes on her tray too. Both combined covered the meal more than.
As we rose rose to go, the waiter arrived to stay the table. Took up the money and called at us
"Excuse me, You have change to collect"
"You can keep that" Ada said
"Thank you ma"
The meal cost N3,200 in total and we had dropped N4,000 in the tray.
"You are a very kind person o" I teased
"The tips in Las Vegas can buy a car" she attempted to downplay the tease.
"What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas" I said
She turned to look at me as if a deeper meaning was read in it
Looking away, I continued
"A golden rule."
"You seem to have a way with right words at right times" she managed to say after a long silence.
At the gate out, I told her I wasn't going to the office back yet. Well, it was apparent to both of us that we couldn't be seen everywhere together every time. Tongues will begin their hobby. None of us would want that.
By the time I got back to the office, I was late. Lol. Usual. Almost immediately a message deliver to my BBM
'Black sheep'
Like she was watching me, Ada's message sounded funny like it was meant to say 'I know what you did last summer' or rather 'I know where you are coming from'. I smiled and replied
'Thanks to you' I replied.
We didn't talk again the whole day. Even after work, we didn't see.
At home that evening I was watching a movie after dinner when my phone rang. I checked only to see it was Ada.
"Hello?" I answered
"Hi" Ada's soft voice came on line
"I had wanted to call but I thought it was getting late, you may have slept."
"No. I sleep late most times"
"Okay. So what're you up to?"
"Nothing much. Just bored with myself"
"Nobody will believe that"
"Yeah. I know. Well, I thought it will be interesting to hear a gist of all those your girlfriends"
What?!!
My laugh was so hysterical that she too had to laugh.
"Which one did you help me toast"
"You're a handsome guy naw, I know those small small girls will not let you rest"
"Says who. You know Nigerian girls only want money."
"Who says? That's what everyone says but we know its just a lie. Have you not seen an unemployed man with numerous women? Tell me, is that also money? So stop hiding them from me, tell me about them"
Hmmm...
With this Ada had taken us through a sharper and faster turn to the 'promised' land...
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