Oh okada! I don’t think I can go on like this any longer. I can’t figure out why you like to show; how fast you can go or how you love taking risks… *sighs* they say ‘once beaten twice shy’ but with you I’ve always made an exception. I keep hoping and believing that one day you’ll change for the good of society. Don’t you know what the bible says… the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, nor the bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to those with knowledge, but time and chance happens to them all (Ecc 9:11).
My father has always disapproved of my relationship with you. For he loves me too much to allow you inflict any pain or harm his “little girl”. I never gave much thought to you before last summer when I got my first job. It was on the island so I was always in a haste trying to beat traffic. Prior to that I had been seeing you around town; you appeared rugged and daring to my untrained eyes. I was a little fascinated with you, but I was a mere child who sought adventure in the mundane. Anyways as I grew older I started hearing of your escapades, so I resolved in my heart to abstain from you at all costs. I promised myself that no matter how much you or anyone else begged me I would never give in.
Beg! That you did skillfully. You begged me until my resolve wore thin. I started to justify how you weren’t that bad after all and that if I was careful no one will get hurt.
So that summer, when Lagos traffic took its toll on me you provided an escape route. Initially I set boundaries- no expressways and no groupies! But little did I know that you’ll keep taunting me-on how fast you could go, the places only you could take me and how much time I’ll save, till I finally relented and said “yes”.
Looking back now, you were the cause of most of my embarrassing incidents. Do you remember when you tore my skirt and I had to go to work like that? I was so embarrassed. If it had not been for the sweater I left in the office the previous day, I don’t know how I’d have managed. What about the time I mistakenly dropped my headgear on one of our trips, you made me come down to get it and one of your friends almost bashed me in the process.
I don’t know why I turned a blind eye to all your faults. You have always been selfish, concerned about no one else but yourself. You rode in the rain giving no thought for my valuables. I know you think I’m breaking up with you (trust me I’ve considered it) but you are too vital to my life in Lagos. So instead I’m saying let’s just be friends_ no strings attached!!
Yours sincerely,
Cee
(P.S. in case you are wondering Okada is a commercial motorcycle in Nigeria)
