Dry Morsel

Sometimes she would go on

Facebook, Instagram

To catch up on old friends, see how life is treating them

She would just watch, like a voyeur...

Then something happened, a darkness overtook her

She started missing deadlines, flunking assessments

She got a warning

She got scared

Something said

'They can’t sack you if you were unwell'

She started calling in sick

She would stay on her bed for hours, afraid they'd come check on her and discover she was lying

Hours somehow turned to days

Without sleep, food, water

The fear and dread of failure enveloped her

One day they came

She had been on the bed for seven straight days

The paramedics and police broke down her door

She fought them viciously

She was diagnosed with clinical depression

She told herself, 'I can get out of this anytime'

She tried! Tried hard!! She was stuck

The shadow's cold hands drew her in,

The sun just kept growing dimmer and dimmer

The drugs didn't help

They throw her hormones everywhere

Her parents came in from Nigeria

It is time to try the Home alternative

The shadows grew voices

Die! Die! Die! Was all she heard

They got her a renowned psychiatrist

It didn't help

One day her father took her to the pharmacy

She sat docile in the passenger seat

He left the keys in the ignition, went to get her drugs

The voice said DRIVE!

She drove until the car ran out of fuel

She was found in Ilorin

They committed her to the hospital

Her parents ran to a church

They met a guy

They were desperate

He followed them to her

He came with his own sunshine, his own atmosphere

She could breathe...

The shadows receded, the voices grew faint

He got her to eat, take her drugs

He came everyday

She got better, got discharged

Whenever the shadows grip her, she runs to him

Sometimes she goes to a club, to drown the noise in a noise

Her parents didn't like her dependence on him

He will impregnate you, he is a gold digger

They just didn't get it

They were weary

Their princess is supposed to be high up there

Frolicking with the elites, her class

And here she is befriending a low class crass guy

Shame and disrepute indeed!

What would they tell their friends?

What if he started extorting her?

What if.....

HIS STORY

She wanted to eat Chinese

He had never tasted Chinese before

He said, 'Chinese can make your tummy run'

She: Just take me there, if your tummy is too sensitive, drink water

He: Do you even know where they sell the Chinese?

Babe: Isaac John, we can go this Saturday

He thought about it

He will have to buy Chinese this week?

Last week they went to Thai restaurant, he spent 11,800.

The week before she wanted Italian, he spent 22k on the meal and wine.

He earns 70k a month

Since he met her he had not saved a dime.

This has got to stop!

He went to the Mallam

Bought Spaghetti, sardine, cheese,

Went to Shangisha, bought Chinese soup of 1k

Put everything in the freezer

Bought some fancy take away packs.

On Saturday

He cooked the spaghetti, mixed it with geisha, sardine and green pepper

Microwaved the Chinese soup

She came

He: I am so tired

She: Meaning?

He: i have ordered the Chinese, they will deliver it soon

She: I don't think they do deliveries.

He: Just relax

Minutes later, the food was delivered by Mallam (As arranged)

They ate

She: Wow. How much did you pay for this?

He: 22k

She: Ok

He: I dont think we should see each other again.

She: Why?

He: I cannot afford you.

She: Why are you always complaining about money?

He: I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND LIKE THIS? It has nothing to do with you my salary is 70k a month. If i spend 22k every Saturday, that's 88k!

She: I can loan you some money, but you must promise to repay me

He: No, I cannot pay and i do not want to owe you to give you treats

She: Please, I need to go out and i need you

He: Then you take us out and pay

She: Spend my own money? On a man? No way! I am not a fool

More

He: Why would you rather take from someone who doesn't have? You have houses, you have money, if you don’t work for the rest of your life, you can never be broke, but you must spend my own money on treats I cannot afford? Go and spend your money by yourself. I cannot bear the cost

She sat still for a long time staring into space, then she stood up carried her bag and left.

He knew he had hurt her feelings but she was killing him!

The next day her parents came to his house

She was on the verge of committing suicide.

'We dont know what she saw in you but you are the only one she talks to in the whole world, please help us'

He: I am willing to be her friend but i cannot afford her taste.

Her parents: Don't worry, just send us the receipts, we will credit your account.

Her Father: See, problems can sometimes make one eat at a refuse dump, you are not in her class, she is just not in her right senses at the moment. Don't take advantage of her, she is not in your league.

They made him feel like dung.

They left.

He called her because he cared

They went everywhere

The beach, clubs, restaurants, pubs, even church.

She loves to dance and sing aloud

He began to help her reach out to other people.

Then the unexpected happened!

He met a lady, THE ONE

She lives in Abuja, came to Lagos to head hunt him for job

He took the job

He didn't plan it

His girl was like a hurricane

She swept all in her wake asunder

Within a week, he was thinking of marriage

What is he now to do with his 'Friend'?

He told 'Friend', she took it well

She stopped coming

A month later, her parents called

She had been hospitalized

Her parents came

They said: 'We will pay you X Million Naira, give you a duplex, if you will marry her'

He said he will think about it

He resigned

He packed his bag and left for Abuja

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.