CONTINUATION. . . COMING TO LAGOS. . .EP 13
Samuel’s call entered and I picked it waiting for him to talk first.
“Are you there, Blessing?”
“Are you there too, Sammy. I thought it was a breathing competition.” He laughs at my statement and went ahead to ask about service and what church I decided to worship with.
“It’s Higher ground bible church. I like the church and I think I’ll start worshipping with them.” I answered. I remembered the visitor I had last night and decided to tell him about it.
“Do you remember Anita? My friend?”
“The only Anita I have heard from you is that your friend who made it possible for me to meet an angel like you.”
“Ooom, be serious, Sam.” I answered trying to suppress the sweet feelings in my stomach.
“Yes, I remember her. What happened?”
“Do you know she left over last night and you can’t believe what she did.”
“Is the gist long so that I can come over and you tell me in details.”
I knew his plan. It wouldn’t work. “I’m not going to see you today no matter what you plan.”
He didn’t ask me why and I was happy. I told him how I finally decided to call Anita and about the crying and beating saga. I didn’t withhold the 3 packs of super pack indomie she ate nor the 2 eggs. And how she wants to start staying me.
“Don’t tell me you said yes. .” Was what he said after I ended.
“Well, I couldn’t take that risk. Do you know she vehemently told me that she can’t leave her boyfriend who beats her till she finds another man ready to accept her. I just wonder how some ladies think.”
“My dear, this Lagos. Not everyone is okay. Even your friends from years back, of they’re in Lagos now, I bet you won’t recognise them. This city will change you around negatively if you’re not careful. I’m happy you turned her down. I hope it’s not late before she realises her mistakes.”
We ended the call and I finally got to change out of my church dress and prepare for the next day.
Monday.
Mondays are not always fun. I don’t know any other day as serious as Monday. The fear of Monday, is the beginning of productivity. I bought some ingredients for stew which I prepared after taking my bath. Brought my laptop to check on the work I did on Saturday but I couldn’t concentrate.
I dropped my laptop and knelt beside my bed.
“Lord, I thank you for the thought you have towards me is the thought good and not of evil. Thank you for othering my steps from the first day I entered this city. I have one request to ask, God.” I kept quiet and thought of how to present my request to God.
“Should I marry Samuel? No, God I mean, is Samuel the one for me? Am I the bone of his bone? If he is not, God take him away from my life.”
I was scared while saying this prayer. Scared of losing contact with Samuel but I knew what marriage entails. It’s not a contract but a covenant. “But if he is the one, give me a sign Lord. In Jesus name I have prayed, Amen.”
I laid on my bed, looking at the ceiling as I remembered the first time I met Samuel when I drifted off to wonderland.
My alarm went off by 5am and I was up, said my prayers, had a quick warm bath and left for work by 5:30am. The first bus I entered, I was oblivious that it was a one chance bus. There were 2 women, ladies although one of them looked more older, and 2 other guys apart from the driver and conductor. Few minutes after we moved, the conductor and driver had an argument.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying because it was being said in Yoruba but it was a serious argument but I could hear passengers. I thought the were arguing about where to pick more passengers when I realized he was taking a different route from the normal route I know abit.
“What happened, driver?”
“Errm, bad boys full that road.” He answered. It wasn’t up 5 minutes when out bus stopped and refused to start. He tried and tried but failed but when he turned back to the previous route he diverted from, the car started. When we got back on track, the conductor brought out a gun and asked us to keep quiet else he would shoot. He collected my phone and that of other passengers. I checked the time on my wrist watch, 6am.
“Who be mile 2 saviour? Who get this phone?”
With fear I raised my hands and he looked at me and at the phone before handing my phone to me. “This your Saviour don save you.” He asked me to come down together with other passengers and zoomed off.
The place he stopped us seemed a bit quiet so we walked together as a group to where we could get a bus as they kept asking me who mile 2 saviour was that I was the only person who wasn’t robbed.
We finally got a another bus, almost filled up and went our various ways. I explained to Stella at work what happened and she also asked me who Samuel was.
“Is mile 2 saviour a native doctor or a pastor?”
“Stella, he’s my fiancรฉ.”
“What??”
“We’ll talk over lunch.” I said and walks into my office and plopped into my seat trying to understand what happened. “God, is this a sign?” I asked hoping God heard me. After Timothy and his girlfriend’s saga last week, Timothy only says “Hi” and nothing more to me. This is a good thing.
I decided not to tell Samuel about my experience. Not yet.
“So you mean this was how you met this guy?” Anita asked me after I quickly told her how I met Samuel. “This guy is really your saviour in human form o. Maybe this is a sign.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to end up regretting my decision. Maybe God will have to give me another sign.” I said to her.
“Wo, see Blessing, my father is not a pastor o but I can tell when God is speaking or showing someone what to do.” I began to laugh and called her “mummy GO.” “Call me anything o but I have told you my own. But I really need my own mile 2 saviour. Maybe I will have to go and stand at mile 2 bustop, who knows if my own saviour in human form might appear.”
We couldn’t hold back our laughter. “Go, jor.”
On my way home, I became very observant and really careful as any bus pull up and people fought to enter. I have learnt it too. The first time I stood waiting for a bus that I would enter quietly, I spent 30 minutes standing when an agbero closs by who must have been watching me walked to me and tapped me.
“You be JJC ?(Johnny Just Come) You go stand tire. Ogbeni, better fight for your right if not, you go sleep here. Just hold your phone and purse like this and put your head.”
That was how I also learnt to fight for space in the bus.
On getting home, after freshening up, I called mummy to tell her about the incident this morning.
“My God is a faithful God. My dear, my prayer meeting women has taken up your case and it was revealed that the enemy wants you to miss your blessing but we prayed and prayed. I’m currently on 7 days fast. You should join me too.” My mother said to me after I told her about the incidence. “Wake up by 12 midnight and pray. Blessing, I know you like sleep but make sure you pray midnight prayers for 3 nights.”
“Yes, ma. ”
“Another thing, don’t tell people things about your personal life because you don’t know who is who. Although this your Stella of a girl sounds like a good person.”
“Yes, ma.”
“Another thing. On no account should Samuel touch you. I hope you know what I mean?”
“Haba, mummy you know I’m not like that and Samuel is not like that too.”
“Hmm. I’m just reminding you. You can’t tell but passion and desire can push someone to do what is not expected. Be careful.”
“Yes, ma.” I say again as we ended the call.
I sent Samuel a text that I was sorry for missing his call and that I had a long day at work but I will call him when I’m free. I’ll call him when I have an answer to his proposal.
To be continued. .
