My name is Tade, Tee for short. I am a regular guy, 28years of age and a graduate of engineering from the University of Port Harcourt. I love life and all it brings; I also like to take pictures. I am pretty good at it but its more like a hobby for me, so I never thought of making it into a business venture. I mean I am an engineer, what will photography fetch me? When I am better off in chevron or shell making millions.
So I like girls, A lot! Like a regular guy, I do “hit and run” with them nothing fancy. No, I have never fallen in love before, or let’s just say it has never lasted. Like every other cliché story, you have heard, I have had my heart broken by girls. They somehow always get taken away from me. This brings me to my brewing story.
Let’s start from Lisa; I met Lisa at a wedding, I came with my friend wale. Like every other wedding in Lagos Nigeria, the turn up was real. There was food, drinks everywhere which is why we were there in the first place. I was going to get a second round of my favorite beer (Heineken) when I noticed her. She was a chocolate beauty to behold, honey brown hair neatly packed to the side, falling over her bare shoulders as she was putting on an off-shoulder envelope dress. She sat alone, nowhere excited, almost like she was dragged here. She wasn’t enjoying herself and I wanted to be her hero, raise her spirit.
“Hi,” I said, “it’s a wedding, not a funeral yunno” …
I said taking a seat beside her. She rolled her eyes and laughed and that was how it all began. We became so lost in conversing that whilst others were busy turning up on the dance floor, we talked for hours. Soon it was time for her to go home so I saw her off to get a cab.
Did I mention I was jobless at the moment so I couldn’t afford a ride that I could use to score more points with this “potential catch”? I couldn’t afford to get my own car even though I was from a “Well-to-do” family. My parents wanted me to be a man of my own instead of staying in their house and driving their cars. So I stay with Wale, job hunting for 2 years now. I have 4 siblings (3 boys and my sister). From time to time, they supported me with cash. 10k here, 20k there, all those nonsense pity monies.
Anyways before she got in the cab, I told her she was an amazing company and I would like to talk to her again. She obliged and dropped her number. Boy! I glad as hell, a new catch! Who would have thought a boy without a car could score a Peng just by asking. Fast forward to 3 days after, we were having drinks and connecting for the rest of the night. That was when she told me she was engaged. Yes, I know heartbreaking right? Imagine my shock! I had plans for this young lady, genuine intentions. She has been engaged for over a year now and no sign of wedding preparations plus prince charming wasn’t so charming anymore. This is the part where I run right? Because the matter was becoming too complicated but I felt sorry for her plus my chances were looking up. I decided to distract her from her pain.
It’s been two weeks since Lisa decided to give me a chance to distract her and “see where it leads”. Usually when people say that I don’t know what they mean but I was happy with the budding chemistry as we hung out almost every day and we spent countless nights together. Mostly chatting away but some other nights she lets me touch her.
Lisa was a fashion designer, she made clothes and she made them well. When she wasn’t doing that, she was helping her father with accounting in his small IT firm. She refused to work there because she wanted to be her own boss. She was stubborn and funny but kind and loving. She was fabulous and I was falling in love with Lisa. She spoke to me about photography and told me I could be making money from it since I was good at it before I get an engineering job. I listened to her and started taking pictures, I was smitten.
Of course, Wale warned me about falling for a girl who was engaged to another man but I shunned him. She loves me and would end up with me after returning his ring. I would often say that to myself and sometimes to him. He would laugh and call me a fool in Love. 3 months down the line of my love and romance with Lisa, I decided one beautiful Thursday evening to pay her a visit at her shop in ikoyi. I got there and everywhere was filled with balloons as I walked in, she was putting on a pretty little white dress. There was a cake, and the shop was filled with people.
“What’s going on here?” I asked almost in a whisper.
Everyone was looking at me. Those that saw me come in, those that noticed me as a result of my question, even some of her friends I knew and have met.
“Tade,” She said approaching me, “Let’s talk outside”
Eyes followed us out of the room to the balcony at the front of the shop. We were standing before the sunset. It was such a beautiful evening but I knew whatever she was about to say would ruin everything.
Lagos State, Eko as it is fondly called is the modern day “Westeros” amongst the 36 states of Nigeria in this 21st Century generation. Compared to its size on the map, Lagos houses the most businesses in Nigeria as well as over 21 million people. All of these individuals are not all from the bubbling city but it is their experiences that make them part of Eko.
Glazia’s Lagos experience column was created to bring the vast diversity of the Lagos population together through true stories of its bonified citizens. This will help those who do not dwell here, experience first-hand the life in Lagos and build a community of Lagosian through experiences.
Story Teller;
Benedicta Omoruyi
Filmmaker, Writer.