It would have been an exquisitely beautiful view except that the shoreline was lined with junk. The day was sunny and cool. The kind of day you would enjoy at the beach or a pool side, not too sunny or hot, just absolutely perfect. It was the start of the Muslim Eid El Fitr public holidays and I was so glad for it because it was a really long one. So, here I was with ID (short for Idaticha) at My Coffee trying to enjoy the best of what the morning had to offer. Two girls, no men, no kids, just us savoring the peace of the morning sipping our over priced cup of latte and munching our 'jammed up' croissant. Funny, when ID was looking at the menu she tried to pronounce the snack as it was written and when I took the trouble to explain that the word was french and was pronounced 'kwa-son'. she looked at me with the 'as if I care' look and I just kept my french pronunciations lessons to myself. We placed our order and then proceeded to our chosen booth.*
However, before we decided to take our coffee out to the patio, we decided to play a little game where we would guess the character of each person or couple in the coffee shop or we would just cook up something exotic for them. It was always hilarious.
In the booth next to ours, there was a group of six ladies giggling and chatting with high pitched 'phonerized' diction, the epitome of sophisticated 'ajebo' island chicks. But before we could cook up a story for them, this elegant couple walks in and instantly the naughty girl in me began to smile mischievously. You know, that smile that creeps into your face when you are having one of those naughty thoughts. Before I could compose my face, ID already caught the look.
'Oya! spill. whats going on in your head?'
'Nothing. Abi, cant I smile again?' I replied still smiling and shrugging my shoulders.
'See, I know you very well, thats why I'm so sure that you cannot be smiling like mumu person! Why are you smiling like a mumu?' She persisted but before I could brush off her accusations she followed my stare to the table where the couple were already seated.
'Oh! I see...'
'Bingo!'
'I agree, the guy is hot. You and older men sef! He is handsome sha!' she replied laughingly.
'Well I guess this is not one similarity we share as friends... I like them older, you like them younger' I replied.
'True... but do you know if he is that woman's husband? Sit down there and be drooling over what is not yours!' she scolded.
'Well... its not a sin to look...' And as if on Que the man looks over to our table. It was as if he'd heard our naughty ramblings and the butterflies in my stomach erupted like fireworks. 'Lord save me' I breathed as I fanned myself with an imaginary fan to which ID responded with an 'Amen' just as we erupted in a fit of giggles only we could understand.
' But do you really think they are married?' I asked' 'she is not wearing a ring'.
'Put on on your glasses joor.' She replied giving me a scathing look. 'He is not wearing one but she is.'
' How would I know?' I respond shrugging my shoulders.'Maybe she is his sugar mama or even his business partner.'
'No. I think she looks more like a celebrity.'
'Well... kind of. She has this regal thing about her so she might as well be.'
'ID, if they are really a couple then I still have hope...'
'Hope wetin? She replied knowing where my next trend of thoughts were headed. 'You have started o! 'You are not the fattest person in the universe...'
'I know... sometimes I wonder you know... but if they are indeed a couple, then they give me hope. He loves her despite her over bleached skin and her size.' For a split second, a mental picture of her
naked flashed through my mind. I don't know why this happened but all my mind could conjure was a middle aged woman with flabby skin, a hanging fupa and vericose lined flabby breasts.With a shudder and a slight shake of my head, I brushed off the thought and suggested that we sit on the patio outside.
*
When we get together like this, we literally turn into 'part time whores', feeding our eyes on anything that did not belong to the female gender and talking about happily ever afters , our ideal man and our money troubles. We always vibe like musical notes in a song. Sometimes our understanding of each other transcended beyond any explanation. We just simply understood ourselves. It wasn't long before our 'whoring' began. Trust ID with her sharp eyes, she already spied one guy looking at our table.
'Winnie.Look, twelve O'clock to your left. That Indian guy over there has been staring at me."
'Really?' I asked with a grin plastered all over my face.
Instinctively, I wanted to turn round to look but my better judgement held me in place plus the fact that my friend kept warning me not to turn round until the coast was clear. Anyways, long story short, I eventually turn to see the Indian guy who was still looking at my friend but made no move to come over to our table. He was sitting with a group of other Indians. So, chances that he would walk over to our table were slim. Oh, well! I didn't think he would have anyways.
*
As we sipped our lattes on the patio, we began to read the novels we brought along. Soon, we were lost in the pages of the world existent within our novels. It wasn't for long for me before my mind drifted into so many thoughts. I wondered when I would get my next big break in real estate, how my next super job would surface, my next holiday, which of my friends I would drag with me on my Olumo Rock adventure, my late brother and if the new guy I met recently was even worth the trouble.Speaking of guys...'You know he doesn't call...' I said gazing into the lagoon in front of me.'
'Hmm...babes, I'v told you to take your mind off him. Not everything will play out the way you want it to.' She replied looking up from her book and at me.
'Its not so much of the him, you know, all I just want is to feel the excitement that meeting a new guy comes with.' I replied with my gaze still fixed on the mass body of water in front of me.
'I understand...' She reasoned nodding her head. 'I want to meet a cooperate guy.' She announced. 'All those prim and proper type of guys.'
'Naa... not for me. I like hustlers. Go getter kind of guys. A strong, silent achiever kind of guy that would sweep me off my feet!' I explained
' Keep dreaming! Its too much romance novel that is worrying you!' My friend scolded.
'You nko? Don't you like romance?'
'And so?' she answered giving me a saucy look and rolling her head. To which we both laughed at the silliness of our arguement.
"Anyways, I just want to meet someone that makes me happy. He doesn't have to be a hundred percent but as long as we vibe, I'm good.' I continued.
'Me too.' She agreed.
'You know, the first time I met him, he had this pompous air around him. I remember telling Chi about it and she agreed because she also met him too. He kinda reminds me of Vee that broke my heart... the excitement, the chemistry and then his wedding pictures. Makes me scared of even trying. I just want to be safe.' I said drawing us back to the 'new guy conversation'.
'See, I know how you feel... but you just have to simply let things play out. Is it not better that it begins at a snail's pace and hopefully blossom into something worthwhile than for it to start with a bang and at the end of the day its just becomes much ado over nothing?' ID reasoned.
'Hmm...' I heaved a heavy sigh still staring at the water. " I just desire to have my own person...'
'Cool down joor! I'm sure he likes you too and if he doesn't, then its his loss and he is not for you, Period!' She concluded drawing me out of my dull mood with her high pitched statement. 'We came out for a fancy breakfast and a fancy breakfast morning, we shall have. Ok?'
'Yes ma!' I responded smiling at her. I was happy.
'By the way, if you continue this way, we won't be hanging out next time! I don't hang out with dry people.' She warned. I knew she didn't mean the warning because she was smiling. I turned to look at my friend for a moment, she had such a beautiful bubbly spirit. She was so easy to be with. I wish I could have a little bit of her spirit I thought to myself. But then again, I'm human. A typical man that is never satisfied with his being...always looking for more. In that moment, I remembered Roseau's famous quote 'man is born free but everywhere he is in chains'. This coffee date was just what I needed to free up the clutter in my mind. I hope it did the same for ID too.
The day was bright and I was here with my buddy! One of the few people who understood the mechanism of Winnifred. Thus it was with a contented sigh that I sat back into my chair to enjoy the novel and the latte in front of me. There's just something about water that inspires me... the sense of serenity it brings.
Already I could see my self typing my next fiction...possibly romance.
Did I ever mention that it was Friday? I just love Fridays and this one was one of my memorable ones.
*
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