DISAPPOINTED

“Can you give me a minute, I want to talk to my friend. I’ll meet you outside shortly”, my crush said to me after service.

“Yeah, no problem. I’m good”, I said as I walked outside the church hall to wait for her.

I had been stalking her for like a month and was really optimistic. She was one of the smartest lady I had ever met. The conversation we had prior to this time exuded brilliance. She understood the basic and complex things most of the ladies I met, never understood. She was very tall; just about my height; was dark and had a very beautiful voice. If you know me quite well, you would know I don’t do business with dark ladies but she was an exception. Her intelligence made me fall in love with her.

I stood on the balcony outside the church patiently waiting for this adorable princess. Just when I was humming a song, my sanctuary unit leader saw me.

“Williams, aren’t you working today?”, he inquired.

“Most definitely, sir. Just waiting for someone. There are still enough places to clean inside so I’ll take care of it later”, I replied.

“Okay oh”, he said as he walked into the church.

I belonged to the sanctuary keeping department of the church. We were responsible for cleaning the church after services and this day was a Sunday; everyone was working except me. I said to myself, “is it not a quick meet? I’ll be done in a jiffy and I’ll get in there. God and I will be pleased”.

My friend passed, she saw me not working and gave me an evil smirk. She knew what I was up to. A couple of church members who knew me also greeted and passed. It was really weird. A.Williams wasn’t working because of a woman.

I kept checking my watch while watching to see if she would come out of the church. She finally did but just to dump two cans of finished malt in a trash can. “You’re still here?”, she asked as she rushed back in before I could answer the question.

The church premises was getting void of people. Workers had finished working and they had all gone home. I’m sure some would have even cooked Sunday rice. But there I was standing over an hour and thirty minutes. I lost my patience and decided to go check the church to look for her.

I was so shocked. I was outside waiting like a fool and there she was; drinking and flexing with some other guy. She saw me and didn’t even flinch. My mood changed in a nano second; happy Williams became depressed in less than a minute. I tried to do some work in church but I just couldn’t. I walked back outside and saw my friend.

“What am I doing wrong, bro? What do these girls want?”, I asked my friend in a gloomy frien

“Let me walk you home”, he replied.

We walked out the gate and he said to me, “these modern girls profile a man based on his appearance”.

“Bro, I’m not broke, I look good and I’m smart. What else?”, I asked.

“Does she know that? They don’t want to even know. You’re ready to settle and she isn’t, that’s the difference between you and her. Just calm down, you’ll definitely find someone better”, he said to me as I waved him goodbye.

I couldn’t get into a public transport, I had the money but I was too emotionally perplexed to do so. As I walked home, I thought about how many ladies I had met in the past few months and how something was always off about every one of them. Their energy was different from mine. I was enthusiastic but they were just deadbeats.

I got home, got myself a nice drink and ate away my sorrow. I slept off wondering how my father met his wife. A part of me wanted to call him but come on? This is Nigeria; that emotional connection wasn’t there.

Yes, I was still patient with her. I tried calling her numerous times but she didn’t pick up. Sent her some messages but no reply. I knew she wasn’t ready when I called and her mom picked. Who does that?

I closed my heart and said, “if I can’t get a woman, I can get money”. In less than three months, I was taken from the streets by an even better lady. My “bride price” was paid.