He and Her (1)

He backed off and turned away from her, vigorously shaking his head as if to ward away ghost fingers that were icily creeping across his face to cover his note and shut out the air supply. But this was no dream - it was real and she would not go away.
"Can't you see...?" She said as she rounded the table which had been a physical barrier between them to stand in front of him again. Her eyes boring deep into his. Then she said the words which up to that point, no one else had mustered enough courage to say for fear of breaking him any further. "If she wants out, then it means her heart has drifted far, further away than you can ever reach. There is no other explanation!"
The gloom re-settled on his face and the earth-shattering howl inside could have been heard a thousand miles away but the demeanor outside did well to shackle it in the hallowed chambers. For a long time, he stared back at her with foreign, glassy eyes. Long and hard, distant and dead. She whispered to him gently as moved closer and a soothing hand placed gingerly on his shoulder; soft, blue eyes pleading to be let in to offer more comfort and warmth. "She doesn't deserve you. You don't deserve to be treated so, let me..."
"No!", retorted sharply and took a step backward beyond her touch. "If anyone is undeserving, it is I!" With that, he turned slowly and reached for the door, leaving it open and not once looking back.
With tears in her awe-struck eyes, she stared at the hunched frame and bowed head as he sauntered away into the welcome embrace of grief; and wondered how a man could love a woman so that in his eyes, she could do no wrong!

The Dream

It was a gathering, a meeting of sorts. We were inside the living room of a house - the setting very much like the living room of my family house. I was seated in the dining section, chair half-turned to a position which enabled me to see the only access door as well as other people the room seated in the reception area - people, whose identites, I coud not make out. Somehow, I felt like I was not meant to be a part of the group; that I was a mere observer, on the outside looking in.
You walked in carrying a tray, probably to serve something to the people gathered around. What was on the tray, I cannot tell. What followed is the mystery. Some guy stopped you right after you stepped in and you exchanged pleasantries. Apparently you were both well acquainted. Then you shared a hug and he made an attempt to kiss you, I thought I saw you try to resisting... at this point, things were a bit fuzzy.

Enter the next frame and you were on your back on a sofa, he was on top of you grappling, still struggling, it seemed, to get that kiss. There was nobody else in the room but me, yet somehow it felt like I was not actually there. I was still seated, frozen, stuck in a trance staring at it all; didn't move, couldn't even breathe. Then some obstacle got into my line of sight and blocked my view off completely, so I couldn't see anymore. I looked up and was staring into the face of your brother. By the time I got a clear view again, you were back on your feet, the tray you were carrying was nowhere, nothing was spilled, destroyed or out of place. You were in tears, yelling at the guy while pointing in what I thought to be my direction and saying, "my boyfriend is over there…"
Then you stormed out sobbing, the guy was there for a couple of seconds addressing the other unidentified, still entities in the room, as though in defense. "But she wanted it...", is all I could hear. Then he went out the door too. At this point, I snapped out of whatever vise that had held me and went after him, you, the both of you... I am not sure. I turned the corner by the side of the house, you were not there but he was. Curiously, my elder brother and two close friends I could identify (even in the dream), were seated in a car outside. Calmly, I approached the fella, extended my hand to him which he took and while still locked in the shake, I said to him, "abeg free her, na my girl..." I cannot tell if replied or not, I did not hear any but he left me standing there, rounded the corner and entered a car. Again another grey spot; it was unclear if he entered a different car or sat at the back seat of the one my brother and pals were in, but what was clear was he did not leave that vicinity immediately. All this while, you were still nowhere in sight. So, I signaled my bro and pals, they came and I narrated to them all that had transpired. It seemed I was very bitter about the whole incident despite my calm disposition while confronting the guy because apparently I suggested that we; myself, bro and pals gang-up and accost the guy again. My brother seemed to be in opposition, because he said, "I dey see two of dem since. Dem dey go up and down here na..."
At this point, I woke up.

Strangers... Friends... Lovers

I alighted from the bus at the bus-stop which was about twenty-five meters from my street. I did not have to because there was another stop only a few meters to my street, but it had become a habit of sorts and the little stroll in the evening helped to calm my nerves after a hard day's work, followed by the hustle and bustle of Lagos traffic.
I was only an I.T stude...nt at one of the large O&G marketing firms situated in Marina owned by a well-known mogul who ran his vast business empire with a tight, iron fist. So it did not really matter if you were a "mere intern", everyone had to abide by the rules to the letter and it was not an easy especially for a novice as myself.

At the point of passing the junction of the street before and running parallel to mine, I turned my gaze westward to observe the going-ons in my immediate vicinity and caught a faint feminine outline in the distance against the backdrop of the darkening sky. Whilst this wasn't
one of those striking, ultra-curvaceous sights that a man beholds and momentarily takes leave of his sanity, but it was just appropriate enough to ensure I was not mistaking the gender of the owner.
For reasons, I could not fathom, I felt a pull towards that figure; some sort of attracting force drew me to her and even though I could not see put a face to her because she was walking away from me, my heart told me, "there is a rare gem, right there!". The grace with which she moved, the hem of her gown dancing around her ankles, the imperious set of her shoulders and the 'bun' of hair bouncing jauntily atop her head against the wind like a bejewelled crown were glorious to behold and in that instant, I just fell in love. It would have torn my heart in two if I had let walk away without knowing the identity of this "mystery", I would have died a little inside if I did not behold that beauty that I could not see but yet fellt so strongly.

Without a thought, I swiftly changed course and hastened to catch up with her, I did not make it. She stopped just when I was a few feet shy and entered a compound that had a little kiosk inside. I hesitated, not knowing whether to go in or wait outside; in the end I followed suit. She stood at the counter waiting, hands akimbo, looking like a queen in the in spite of the filth and grime around while the genteel old lady that minded the shop went to get kerosine for her.
With no script or though-out plan in hand, it was an awkward few seconds, after which, I managed a weak smile and shaky "hello" and politely introduced myself. She smiled back and replied with a very assured "hi", her voice a sweet melody to my ears. Relief coarsed through me like a tidal wave and from then on everything else became a blur. She was a really quiet, reserved individual but for some reason she did not mind talking to me (or rather, responding to my questions). As though she had known I would come and had been waiting. We spoke for a couple of minutes as I escorted her back to the gate of her compound then took my leave, making certain I thanked her for giving me audience; adding a slight, courteous bow and gracious smile for good measure.

Till date, I cannot recall a word that was said that evening but I felt magical; like I had just been in my own fairy-tale. The rest of that day was spent with a huge grin on my face and an even bigger one in my heart. The following day, I took a chance and made certain I was on that same path around that time I'd seen her the previous day and it seemed as though fate wanted us to meet again because she was there, standing by her gate in full majesty.

Days after that, we would meet at her gate and take lengthy strolls as the sun begins to rest in the bosom of the clouds. Nothing was said, no verbal agreement reached; our hearts lead and we followed... and so it was, that from total strangers in a sea of everyday faces, we became friends and then, lovers.

Love strikes again...

It is said to be a proven fact that lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place...but what if 'place' was a person and 'lightening', heartbreak; surely it can strike as many times as possible any given where. Love has struck again and I find myself on the wrong end of the blow.

So again, it is the same sad story. Again, it is explicable but yet defies logic...again question marks all round me...again!This time its eerie, sometimes even bordering on the edges of comic...but I can't laugh, instead a 'hard' tear rolls down my cheek.
Besides the barest hints of regret, its just numbness...nothing but a vast empty hollow with the words echoing up and down, caught in pendulum of never ending reverberation. There is no inquest this time...there is no need for one; my hands are not soiled but they are just not deemed firm enough - it's my gift, also my curse - innocence unbelievably sincere that can only be seen as guilt in disguise!

For what it is worth, I still live to love another day...so, with this new scar and fresh purple heart, I trudge on in good faith, praying that tomorrow holds better for me and you!

My Dream Woman...

Over the years, I have carried around in my head, images and descriptions of the features I desire in my ‘dream woman’ - the woman I would meet, fall in love and ultimately spend the rest of what’s left of my entire life with. Height, shape, skin tone, color, texture, gait, voice, smile, tribe, intellect level et al
With some luck, I have been opportune to meet quite a number of ladies who, more or less, fit the bill but somehow it just never worked out as I envisioned and most times, I wound up hurt, depressed, angry, frustrated…the sole inquisitor motivated by grief after the relationship is canned and everybody else has walked away.
Whether it was inexperience, immaturity, innocent ignorance and (or) just plain stupidity, I am sure I will someday be able to tell; but now, it has brought me to the realization that all the while, in all those years, I didn’t have an inkling of who I was as an individual, what I really wanted from my ‘dream woman’ and the ‘perfect’ relationship I craved. Now I know!
My ‘dream woman’ as I see her now doesn’t have any discernible features; face, figure, color, demeanor or bearing. She doesn’t speak any particular language or originate from any identifiable tribe, race or social class. I have no idea if she is literate, disabled or sane. She is no angel or demon and has no behavior, mannerisms or norms – good, bad or ugly. She is just ‘she’ – a woman like every other, yet her own!
My ‘dream woman’ understands and loves me for who I am; and is not afraid or ashamed to tell it to me or anyone else who cares to know. She is patient enough to wait for me, wise enough to give me room, strong enough to stand by and with me through thick and thin, independent enough to live when am not there, yet bold enough to walk away if it will save our lives, preserve our sanity…and I think I’ve finally found that ‘dream woman’ in you!