7 Where I find a friend

HADIZAT I woke up to voices chattering outside, with sore legs and a slight headache. It was way too early to be so noisy; I just had to wonder if Lagosians never slept. The sun was still hours away from coming out, it was barely five in the morning. I lazily pulled myself up from the bed and went to peep outside the room. There were queues outside with people holding buckets in their hands and sponges hanged on their shoulders. The men had towels hanging over their necks down to their chests, while the women had wrappers and towels tied above their breasts. I finally concluded that the long queue was leading to the bathroom, or not. I groaned inwardly knowing that the answer was the former. I was still sleepy but I needed to pray and take a bath, I reeked. I sat down for a while thinking about how I was going to use a public bathroom, I had never shared a bathroom before talk more of a public bathroom. After minutes of contemplating, I decided to sleep for an hour, hoping the queue would be shorter or non-existent by the time I woke up. I woke up almost exactly an hour later and searched for my bag of toiletries; I found a small bucket in the kitchen and strolled out. The queue was still there, only way shorter, it just looked like the whole neighbourhood showered in those four bathrooms. I walked slowly towards the queue, dreading an introduction in front of a bathroom when I suddenly felt a body collide with mine, making me loose balance and almost fall. I raised my head to look up and saw a girl, or a woman, I couldn’t figure it out immediately. “Good morning,” she greeted waving her hand, “and sorry.” “Uhm...uh...it’s okay,” I stuttered. I vaguely recognized the voice, then tried to remember where I knew it from, and then it clicked. It was Kenny. “Kenny?” I asked. “Deeza?” she asked sounding as surprised as I was, but before I could say anything she was already hugging the life out of me. She hugged me like we were long lost friends who hadn’t seen each other in years, while I just stood awkwardly like a sack of potatoes. “Are you our new neighbour or you just came to shower?” She asked confirming my suspicions. The whole neighbourhood shared bathrooms. “Yes, I just moved in last night,” I pointed at my room, “that room over there.” “Eyyah, I’ve been wondering who was going to move in there, and I’m glad it’s you. Your parents nko or who do you live with?” “I live alone.” “Alone?” her eyes dilated and looking truly surprised. I nodded, “I should join the line. I smell of sweat. See you later.” I left her and went to join the line, after she promised to come visit. The bathroom was very different from what I was used to. It was small, with little holes above, it had a pit toilet and the floors were cemented. At the far edge of the bathroom the floor was tiled with a tap and drainage on the floor. I stood there simply staring for several minutes, until people started banging on the door and speaking in harsh tones. I couldn’t do it; I wasn’t able to bring myself to actually use the bathroom. I picked up the bucket and stormed out of the bathroom, ignoring the looks I got from people. More than anything, I wanted to close my eyes and be back in America, but I knew that wouldn’t happen. SALIM My week was being occupied by the deep blue sea and the lion’s den. I was involved in two things I didn’t want to be doing at that moment. I had sets of dates my dad had personally planned with Fatima and I also had a project at work. At that moment of my life all I wanted to do was take a really long vacation and just take a break from everything, but that was impossible. I wasn’t a lazy person, not at all; I was just exhausted after working my butt off in the states for two months. I lay on the bed with my hands below my head and headphone over my head blasting one of Michael Jackson’s songs, when I was interrupted by my father’s voice. “Are you busy today? I would like to set you up for lunch with Fatima at the ‘Exquisite’, he said dramatically, “it would be nice, so I hope you’re not busy today?” I thought about my answer fast but carefully, and then I said, “You know, actually father, I’m quite busy. I have to go survey the project site with Dayo from the office, so I’m sorry father, maybe next time.” He frowned, “Next time, okay,” he said and left the room, defeated. I called Dayo before my father beat me to it, and asked him to meet me at Obalende. The last date I went on with fatima left me a little scarred. I had taken her shopping before stopping for lunch at her favourite restaurant. She wouldn't stop talking. She always had something to say and that wouldn't have been so bad if her voice did sound like a knife poking on my chest. I wanted her to be tolerable. I really wanted to. My dad had asked how the date went and I told him it was terrific. "what exactly do you want Baba?" I had asked him that night. "What do you mean?" he asked feigning ignorance. "You know what I mean. Why are you so invested in me spending time with fatima, and does it have anything to do with the fact that she's the daughter of the ceo of marvel team?" "Fine. I knew you'd figure it out, and just like I knew, I also knew that you know exactly what I need from you" "Do I have to marry her?" "That would be so great for both our families, but only if you two hit it off. For now I just want you to date her long enough to get her Father on our side. As soon as he signs the Obalende project, you'll be a free man" Somehow the moment he said those words, thoughts of Hadiza came flooding my mind. A free man would have hit on her on the plane. A free man wouldn't be scared to get hurt. A free man could love anyone.