The Slugger

So in 2012, I finished my final examinations 
and the next thing on my agenda was 
marriage
You see, I had this babe that I had been dating 
for eight years and we had both made solid 
plans for the future, all I needed to do was 
graduate and get a job
I packed all my bags and went
to Oshogbo
When I got to her house she was not at home
When I asked her younger sister, she couldn’t 
reply clearly
I should have seen it
The thoughtful responses & forced smiles
I should have seen it and made sense of it 
but I didn’t 
I went home
I called her phone over and over
She didn’t pick
The next day, I didn’t see her and she didn’t 
return my call
Wow
What was my offense?
The last thing on my mind was that she had 
moved on or left me hugging a duffel bag
I was sure it was due to circumstances 
beyond her control
I went to check her at home that
evening
I met her folks but she was conspicuously 
absent
Nobody told me anything, even her mother
There was a boy who came to live with her 
folks because he wasn’t doing well academically 
in Lagos
That boy followed me for a bit when I left 
their house
He said “She is with one guy now, his name 
is so and so, they will not tell you but 
someone has to tell you because they will 
just be laughing at you at your back
I asked the boy if he had the phone 
number of the guy
He said he will find it and send it to me
I thanked him
When I got home, I was restless and
mad
She didn’t even think I deserve a conversation
She had met another guy and I was history
I was the one who made her what she 
had become
I was the one who sponsored her education 
since we finished secondary school
Even if we wouldn’t get married, courtesy 
demanded that I be
treated with dignity
That young man sent me the number 
I walked to the available phone call centre 
and bought two new SIM cards
I removed my SIM card and wrote 
“My name is Taofeek, I am HIV positive. 
I used to sleep with your girlfriend and 
wanted to ask her to go and check
herself before she infects others because 
I am sure I got it from her. 
I have sent her this same message and 
I hope she will do the right thing.
I forwarded the message to the guy and 
my number then I forwarded this to her 
with the same number 
“I have been searching 
for you, wicked witch, you have infected 
me with HIV and you’re now doing the 
same to other victims.
God will punish you for ruining my life!”
I removed the SIM card and inserted 
my own
I waited
Within an hour she called me, she said we 
needed to talk
I said I will be in my parent’s house
She arrived within the hour
She was in tears
I feigned ignorance
What is the problem?
She lied that she had been so busy 
Then she said “Please I need some money, 
if you lend it to me I’d be happy to pay 
you back when I can”
I asked her what she needed the money for
She said she wanted to do HIV test
I asked her if she had been sick, she said no
So why the HIV test thingy?
She said she had a dream, and I should 
know that her dream comes to pass. 
In that dream she saw that she was 
HIV positive and she wanted to confirm 
if that was true or false
I couldn’t believe it
She was lying through her teeth
I asked her who Taofeek was, she froze
I told her I got a text message from 
one guy and the guy told me to do HIV 
test since I am her boyfriend 
She said “Ah, this thing has spread 
everywhere, my life is over. 
Why is Taofeek doing this to me”
Toh!!!
That Taofeek guy was a guy she was 
suspiciously close to some years back, 
she had always denied getting sexually 
involved with him.
So I said how many people do you think 
could have potentially received that 
message, I mean that you have slept 
with since you dated Taofeek
She said 23
That was when I realised I should have 
left her for the guy she was with at that 
moment
What would be the point of fighting for
a love that was never there?
I told her I didn’t have any money
She noticed that my countenance changed 
and left after a while
She went to do the HIV test the next day
When I called her, she called and told me 
where she was
I picked the second SIM card and inserted 
it into my phone
I wrote, my name is Seun, your girlfriend 
“so and so” has infected me with HIV
I have gone diabolical on her because I know 
she did it intentionally
Anyone that sleeps with her will die on top 
of her
The same thing she did to me, I have done 
for her mine is just deadlier”
I wrote the same message and forwarded it 
to her and then I forwarded it to my own 
phone number too
When her new boyfriend got it he called 
and broke up with her
She couldn’t believe it
The guy said he couldn’t jeopardise his 
life for her, she needed to deal with 
whatever it was
I didn’t know she was cohabiting with 
the guy, that was why she was never 
home when I went to check on her and 
her sisters never said anything
The guy threw her out and she returned 
home before 5pm that day
Then she came to my house and started 
touching me
She said the test said
“Non reactive” and therefore she was 
HIV free Even though they told her to 
do another test in six months
I said great
Then she said “I have moved back home 
from school, we will be able to spend 
more time together” and well I have 
missed her so much, how could I say no
So I kissed
her back and led her to my room
It was the one thing in my body that I 
had to get rid of
I needed badly to sleep with her again, 
the last time was before I left for school 
and I have missed her
When we were done, she started acting 
all wifey and we started talking about 
the life,
wedding, getting good jobs and settling 
down again
It was nice knowing she was back with me
As I began to walk her home that evening, 
I realised she really didn’t want to be with me
I was the guy she falls back to when other 
guys maltreat or disappoint her
She really didn’t love
me and it would be a mistake to marry her
So I told her this as we strolled slowly 
towards her parent’s house
I asked her why she wasn’t bothered that 
between when we met (she was a virgin) 
and that day, she was with me while 
sleeping with other guys
What was she looking for?
She said “You sound like you want to 
break up with me. 
Please don’t break up with me. 
Forgive me and I promise I will be 
faithful to you.”
I didn’t say a word
When she got home, we hugged 
and I left
The next morning, I picked my bag 
and traveled to Abuja
That was how I started
my new life
She tried reaching me through friends, 
her mother and siblings but I ignored 
all of them
There was no point.
My heart hurt so badly those days, but 
for once logic prevailed
I was posted for NYSC and I met my 
wife in camp
She was three years younger than me 
and bright
I married her three years later
Bro. Gbenga, I sent you this experience 
because the mother of this lady I 
described above is critically ill
She called me out of the blue and asked 
that I assist her in anyway I can
I don’t want to have anything to do with 
them sir, they are very
devious people
The way they acted that time was terrible
They treated me like a stranger and took 
advantage of me financially and in other 
ways when I was dating their daughter 
but they turned their back when their 
daughter found someone else

What should I do sir?

-E. M. 

The End