TRAFFIC HARMONY

My name is Ajoke and the story you are about to read is not the normal story of Cinderella or that of sleeping beauty. I am far from their own love story.

Ajoke is a 25 year old. She’s fat and at the same time short, with legs as big as that of the Igbo farmer’s biggest yam of the new yam festival. And her mouth as wide as that of a big pot. Her face is very flat and sometimes you wonder if a plate was used in designing it. She is all the definition of ugly if you asked her friends who always used her shape to mock and bully her. Ajoke at first would always cry whenever she’s bullied but, when they continued nonstop, she became very used to them with all their  mockery and bullying and so, it never bothered her. All she was sure of was that, there was a man out there for her.

Although Ajoke was ugly, but she wasn’t lacking in the aspects of intelligence, hard work and always finding favors. She graduated same year with her friends but she was the only one with a good and well-paying job. Her friends who used to mock and bully her are either engaged with a menial job or were at home.

Ajoke’s story changed on the day she went to work and wasn’t feeling too well, she decided to close early and go home to get some rest as suggested by her boss. On her way to her house, she met a terrible traffic jam. Her city was well-known for having heavy traffic but she didn’t expect there would be any traffic by that time; it wasn’t rush hour yet.

While her head was hammering by the left side, she looked out through the window to see if the water sellers were in sight but none was close by, she could hear their shouts of “buy your cold pure water here” but she couldn’t reach any of them to buy one. While she was still searching on how to get one, a blue Porsche car blew a horn that infuriated her. She quickly turned, opened the window very roughly and made the ‘F’ sign to the driver. She never intended for the driver or whomever was driving such an expensive car to see what she did. None of the passengers saw her but the driver of the car did see her when she made the sign.

When the driver didn’t react nor made any sign of stopping to abuse her or winding down the glass to see who made that sign, when nothing was happening, she concluded that the driver didn’t see her and she thanked her God and swore never to repeat such mistake, she blamed the terrible headache she was having for making her do that “I wasn’t in my right senses” that was her excuse. Just then, the cars and buses began to move slowly and within thirty minutes she was home.

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5am the next day, she heard an almost noiseless knock on her door. Being a light sleeper she woke up and opened the door immediately, thinking it was her neighbor who always knocks at that time to beg for either salt or sugar or even pure water, promising to always pay back but never does. Opening the door, she saw a man who is almost her height but a bit taller than she is, standing in front of her door with the ‘F’ sign on his right hand. Her brain didn’t help her immediately but when it did, she screamed and knelt down immediately begging him. It was the man in the Porsche car from yesterday she told herself.

When you are done begging, can I come inside? She was startled but made way for him to enter, still kneeling down on one kneel.

He entered and made himself comfortable by sitting down on her bed because that was the only available place for anyone to seat in her room. She stood up and went close to him, with a pleading face. I’m really sorry for what I did yesterday, I wasn’t in my right senses, please forgive me. She said. He kept on looking at her as though she has been yammering in a language he couldn’t comprehend.

I’m not here to listen to your reasons. I’m here because I like you and I want you to be my girlfriend. I made some findings about you and discovered you are not in any relationship now and so I want you to be my girlfriend.

Ayomide has always been known as a man who always goes for what he wanted but not in relationship aspect. He was also surprised to hear himself say those words to a total stranger that insulted him yesterday. But he was sure she would complete his story for him. Like Ajoke, he was also bullied while in school. He was very short that no one ever thought he would add an inch to his height. He wasn’t the handsome or prince charming kind of guy but he was moderate but not close to average. His friends classified him as ugly and would make mockery of his big ears that looks a bit like those of the elephants. He somehow enjoyed his past because he had proven to his friends that you don’t need to be handsome to get rich or have a beautiful mansion of your own.

“I will be your girlfriend” was the sentence that brought him back from his reminiscing state. But I don’t even know you, she added. You will get to know me soonest, he said to her.

Ajoke was happy for at least she now has something she could boast of. She didn’t really know this guy but she believed that since Rome wasn’t built in a day, she too can’t know him in a day, it will take time but they will get to know each other well enough and who knows, I might get married to him, she said to herself smiling sheepishly.

Thanks for reading! xoxo!

Click Traffic Harmony Part 2