Shua Shua

I can never forget the day I told my youngest brother to lay my parents bed. We were quite young back then. We were probably still in elementary School. Typical of my lovely brother, he started grumbling. It was getting late and my parents were expected home any minute so I begged and pleaded with him. I told him to do the “Shua-shua” method which was a hurried quick approach to bed making. As the only girl in the house, the dishes were specially reserved for me and I hadn’t finished washing up so I couldn’t lay the bed myself.

I had forgotten about the whole episode until later that evening when I heard a shout from my parent’s room followed by our names in the sequence of our birth. We were being summoned! It was sign that someone or everyone was in big soup. We all ran to my parent’s room to meet a very displeased Dad. I can’t remember everything my Dad said that night but I remember him saying “if you guys do not want to lay me and your mothers bed then don’t do it, we can do it ourselves after we get back from a long day at work. Just don’t disrespect us by doing this”. Apparently my brother had thrown the covers on the untidy bed. He had misinterpreted the concept of Shua-shua and felt it meant “don’t make the bed instead just cover up the mess nicely with the duvet so that everyone thinks you did.”

A few days ago I reminded my brother about the incident and we had a good laugh about the whole incident but that fateful night it wasn’t funny at all. Anyways it got me thinking about my life and life in general and how it would be so much easier to throw a duvet to cover up the mess and plaster a smile pretending everything is normal when it isn’t. The Shua Shua style never really works in my little experience. It’s simply just a way of delaying the inevitable. Plus God, our Father sees everything we do so there’s NO hiding from him.  

"would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart."

Psalm 44:21(ESV)

I’m grateful God didn’t throw a cover over me and my mess of sin instead He sent Jesus. I daily need His grace to go the love way and neaten untidy situations with love.

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

Oblivion

There was a time I could not go a day without writing or scribbling something but in recent times I have left my thoughts to wander into oblivion. Quite sad buh true. My coursework is not helping matters too. Anyways I attended my first Igbo traditional wedding last week and it was Awesome!(Pictures coming soon) Hope everyone in blogville is doing great n getting ready for the holidays :)! cheers!

Yours sincerely,
Cee

Protective Trappings

"My phone recently fell down the stairs. Thanks to my new phone casing the phone came out of the fall without a scratch or crack. Why am I telling you this? It's because every year 1.8 million people die of aids related causes. Use a condom."

That was the funny but profound message I got this morning from a friend. Although studies have proven that condoms do not prevent the contraction of HIV/AIDs. Its also Sad to note that  statistics show about 1 in 25 Nigerians are living with HIV and AIDS.

"... Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex"
(Hebrews 13:4b, The Message)


Yours sincerely,
Cee

Truelove!

I saw this post by Joyce Meyer Ministries and felt I should share...

Add caption

God is not the least bit surprised or shocked by you or your behavior. He's not put off. He knew everything about you when He invited you to come into relationship with Him, and He's committed to work with you through the whole process, if you just won't give up. (Psalm 139)

Nigeria

Whoop!!! Nigeria is 52 :)! My Prayer for her is that May she experience increase in all sectors and parameters and not just in age & population...

The Past 3 months

I’m so so so sorry for the long leave of Absence.

A lot has happened in this past months. I have cried…two very important female generals of the Faith. Women of God; who I have come to admire and respect went to meet with their Maker.
And I have laughed… Taju! My ATF crew! I coordinated summer camp this year and the kids kept us totally entertained and on our toes. I have also become a certified chef (Lol!!) but seriously I must have cooked more meals these three months than I have done in my entire life.
I have been sad… I got some rather shocking and disturbing news. I’m just getting over it. I have also learnt the meaning of sacrifice… in fact I’m still learning it.
I made some new amazing friends! Some were brand new from the friendship market (Lol!). They include most of my ATF crew and some were old ones who have been recycled to become very cherished and dear to my heart.
I have learnt how to organize and improvise. I attended a 3-day project management training and its effects are still speaking. Along with that I also learnt to accept disappointments like a Man… I applied for some other workshops and didn’t get a reply.
In this past months, God has been indeed faithful and full of tender mercies as I have leaned heavily on His support and love of my family.
I became a year older at the beginning of this month. I had a little get together to celebrate and a little Keke-napep field trip with Og and Nuella (you can read her funny version of it click here)
In these months, I was scolded and made to feel like a toddler with no idea of the future and sadly I had become too busy, neglecting important things including my blog (I’m truly sorry and promise to be a better blogger).
And most importantly, I have learnt to love ‘In spite of’ and ‘despite of’ and not just ‘because of’…just like my Father God.
All in all, three months have come and gone but my testimony is sure.

“But I thank God, who always leads me in victory because of Christ. Wherever I go, God uses me to make clear what it mean to know Christ. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air.”
2 Corinthians 2:14, GW (paraphrased)



(Cartoon image from google images)

**sigh**

...that picture summarizes why i have been away for so long.

School! Exams!Projects!

Just when i feel i have finally finished one another one pops up. I can't say how many times i started posting a story and had to drag my mind back to work. Oh well! it will soon be over... dunno why masters in Architecture can't be one year like every other course.

 Finally my most anticipated summer BREAK is here!! i really want to make it count and do something worthwhile. Last year i volunteered to teach at a free summer camp for primary school pupils in some Nigerian public schools and i had mega fun. This year, i have applied for a few workshops and i'm also looking for a summer job that will be exciting and educative too.

During my architecture-induced-leave of absence, My darling brother joined the league of graduates in my family. He made a first class in Economics so my parents haven't stopped beaming :)!
Also finished reading the book i won, ANTONYMS OF A MIRAGE by Atiola and it was really worth the wait. It kept me laughing and thoroughly entertained. Grab your copy now!! *winks* 

I know i've missed alot on blogville and have alot of reading and catching up to do...

Yours sincerely,

Cee

The 11 question tag

The lovely Ms Infamous has graciously tagged me in the “11 question tag”. I’m always up for a good challenge (which I must warn you this is) so I’m very gratefulJ! I had to take a deep breath before embarking on this so I’ll advise you to do the same too.

THE RULES

*Post the rules.* You must post 11 random things about yourself*Answer the questions that your tagger posted for you*11 questions, then choose 11 people and tag them to answer your questions*Remember to let them know you tagged them*No tag backs…*Let the tagger know when you’ve answered their questions*

11 Random things about me *eye lashes*

·         I’m the only girl in my family that should explain why I’m close to my mom… we ladies have to stick together ;)

·         I’m also the shortest too. I’m the only adult I know who isn’t taller than at least one of their parents. (Or do I have partners??!)

·         I don’t have a best color. I used to love yellow then it changed to purple then lemon then a whole bunch of others.  Now I’ve decided to ‘break up’ with all of them so that I can be free… to explore the world of colors and buy stuff without the ‘best color’ restriction or bias.

·         I love Plantain and I miss it when I involuntarily go weeks without it. I love it raw, boiled, unripe, ripe, fried, roasted *boli*. The bottom line is I love it any way I find it J

·         I love reading what I call a ‘good book’ especially inspirational/witty books + classic romance novels

·         I like playing spider solitaire when I’m bored or in between assignments.

·         I don’t like when people take my stuff and don’t give it the TLC it deserves or worse…misplace it L

·         Not really a TV series freak. I only watch a few and the sad part is when I get to like it… they don’t make the ratings (Na wa for the oyibo rating system).  The one I like include Lie to me, Quintuplets, Two broke girls, modern family, Tyler Perry’s house of Payne (I’m way behind on this one though), Drop dead Diva etc

·         I’m not a dog or cat person; although I’ll pick a dog over a cat any day. I love my pets in big bowls (gold fish) and cages (parrots).

·         Usually secretly dance ‘azonto’ in my mind every time someone new follows my blog

·         Last but not the least , I have Crazy friends with a capital C but I love then all the same and still wonder how they put up with me or is it the other way round J

11     Questions from Ms infamous

1. What do you think of when you think of New York or Paris?                                                        # Bright lights, Romantic getaway, Movies
2. Which one of your character flaws would you like to improve?                                                   #could be judgmental sometimes
3. If you had it to do over again what would you study in school?                                                   # I’ll do architecture all over again (although French has a nice ring to it)   
4. If you had an extra room in your house what would you use it for?                                                          # My library
5. What would you do if you were invisible for a day?                                                                      # Play pranks on my friends or play “the spy” 
6. Who is there in your life that you would take a bullet for?                                                #hmmm. Asides my family? No one
7. If you could spend five minutes with the president what would you talk about?                               #still thinking about it *covers eyes*
8. What cause are you willing to fight for?                                                                                  #My faith, Against Women and Children abuse
9. How would you explain love to somebody who had never heard of it before?                      #love is the supreme will power that allows you to give and keep on giving your very best to someone(s) or something despite the difficulties involved.
10. If you had a year off with pay, what would you do?                                                                       #travel  and explore the world
11. On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you with your life right now?                                             # number 7

My 11 tags

TrixyCae                 caeblogs.wordpress.com

Toin                         toinlicious.blogspot.com

Che                          naijabankgirl.blogspot.com

Coy-introvert       coyintrovert.blogspot.com

@ilola                      atilola.blogspot.com

Luciano                    lucianochinwe.blogspot.com

Ema Leecious        bellezworld4real.blogspot.com

Adefemi                  mjadytots.blogspot.com

Remi                           royremi.blogspot.com

Miss pweddy face misspweddyface.blogspot.com

Northern chic        northernchica.blogspot.com

Cee’s11 questions

1.       What do you do in your spare time?

2.       What one thing are you most proud of?

3.       What is your ultimate dream vacation?

4.       What are you most looking forward to in the next year?

5.       Most important thing you are saving up for?

6.       Have you ever rescued someone? What were the circumstances?

7.       Who influenced you the most when you were a child?

8.       Who influences you the most now?

9.       What is the most daring or dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

10.   What person in history would you most like to meet?

11.   What would you love for your next birthday gift? (I just might surprise you ;)



The Laptop Incident (Part 2)

Ewoo! I was too numb to react or think clearly. I practically ran inside my room, dropped all the stuff I was carrying on the floor, changed to comfy shoes, carried my wallet and ran out. Until that day I had never ran and prayed at the same time in my life. I kept begging God to have mercy and deliver my eyes from tears. The worst part of the situation was that I couldn’t remember where I had left it. I called a friend who was still in class to help me check if I had left it there and her reply was in the negative. As I ran, different thoughts scrambled through my mind but the most prevalent was "how was I going to explain my carelessness to my father?” I started doing a mental calculation of all my estates (clothes/shoes/bags) and bank accounts and what it would take me to buy a new system in the worst-case scenario.

Since it wasn’t in class it had to be in the cafeteria or in the ‘free’ ride I had taken. I couldn’t stomach the possibility of my beautifully new in the car of someone I had no concrete information about, so I ran to the cafeteria hoping for the best.

As I got nearer to the cafeteria building, I began looking at every one that suspiciously. It’s funny how all the male species I passed by looked like my laptop’s abductor. (Yeah I know females steal too but in that frame of mind I wouldn’t have credited my own sex with such betrayal). There was even a young gentleman with a big black bag that I had to steel myself from walking up to and demanding rights to search his bag.

By the time I got to the counter, I was heaving heavily. Some students were buying meal tickets so I waited patiently for them. I couldn’t risk someone overhearing my inquisition out of sheer embarrassment. With my heart in my mouth I mustered all the courage I had left and asked the lady if she had seen a grey laptop in a matching grey laptop case. When the lady didn’t reply immediately but instead proceeded to call her friend, it suddenly dawned on me that I might have lost it forever.

The ladies asked me some questions pertaining to my pc’s identity and features. Then the first one smiled and said I was very lucky after which she proceeded to berate me stating how I must have plenty laptops to throw away. The second lady said I should go and buy them drinks. It’s funny how if they had asked me to buy them the whole cafeteria I would have (although that would have been subjected to the money in my possession). I collected my laptop and in that moment my world was made right again. God had indeed delivered my eyes from tears.

“Glorify the Lord with me,

And let us praise his name together.

I asked the Lord for help and he answered me.

He saved me from all that I feared.

Those who go to him are happy,

And they are never disgraced.

This poor man (referring to me) called, and the Lord

Heard him and saved him from all his troubles.”

Psalm 34:3-6 (NCV)

(Emphasis added)

Yours sincerely,

Cee

The Laptop Incident (Part 1)

So my old laptop who I named ‘ablaze’ had all of a sudden started acting up and giving me full blown ‘wahala’ (trouble). The trouble reached its height last year when I was working on my final year project. At first I thought it was a passing phase, until it’s fits of anger and temper tantrums increased dramatically in its frequency and duration. I’ll be working and the screen will just blank out and start display multi-colored lines. Being the cool headed lady that I am I took it all in good stride but that was until it started getting really angry with me for No good reason and it would shut down by itself after I had typed for hours and then I wasn’t a fan of saving while working so you can imagine how many times I sat on the floor and wept out of frustration. Anyways by God’s grace I was able to finish my project and defended it. The amazing thing was God compensated me big time by giving me the best grade in my class.

So at the beginning of the year I pleaded with my ‘Economist’ father to get me a new one and he did but that was after he gave me a serious lecture and told me this was going to be last buy and that after this I was *OYO* (on your own).

 After a few weeks of enjoying and basking in the euphoria of my new good tempered laptop who bears my name(you can’t blame me for resisting the temptation of naming anything exotic), I had to carry him (referring to the laptop) to class for a mini presentation with my supervisor. It was just a routine meeting with our supervisor to show him our architectural drawings so that he can monitor our progress and make any corrections where necessary. As soon as we were done, I went to the cafeteria to buy a meal. I was carrying a fashionable but BIG (as in one of those lady’s bags that are big enough to hide a multitude). On getting to the meal ticket counter, I couldn’t find my wallet in my bag so I had to empty the contents of my bag to get it.

I wasn’t in the mood to eat alone in the café that day as I have learnt from past experiences that a random male species who feels he has the prerogative to seat beside me will come over and ruin the meal by talking utter nonsense. So I bought a take away food pack and left. On getting to the bus stop I was lucky to get a very nice ride to somewhere very close to my post grad lodging. As I was walking the short distance from where the car stopped me to my room, images of my freshly laid bed and how beautifully I was going to sleep in it after eating came to mind. Suddenly I realized that my bag wasn’t as heavy as I remembered. I quickly opened it only to get the shocker of my life… My Laptop was not inside.

...To Be Continued

I'm a winner!!!

Last week Thursday I won this amazing novel from Toin (click here for details). Thank you soooooo much!! Plenty hugs and kisses. The novel was written by a fellow bloger @ilola aka Atilola Moronfolu. It is a collection of poetry, prose and drama illustrating the real life experiences of different people. I just recently started following her blog and her posts are very captivating and interesting so I’m really looking forward to reading my new novel.

WhAt He ReAlly Did

Tade Balogun knew he was a bad father. He hadn't done right by Tara. It wasn't that he did not provide her needs because he did. He payed her fees, gave her shelter, food and other necessities. He was aware she cooked up 'money laundering' schemes but he indulged her because he didn't have the time or patience to argue or berate her. It had always been this way. She was always trying to get his attention and he couldn't and wouldn't be bothered. But in all his wildest dreams, he never thought Tara would become a replica of him-selfish and arrogant brat! It wasn't his fault that he hated his daughter. She symbolized everything he had lost the day she entered the world. He had lost -Nike-His life! Nike had begged him  to stay by her side during the childbirth but he had vehemently refused stating 'money must be made' especially with a child coming. The irony of life was he had lost his job that day and was saddled with the responsibility of a daughter with NO WIFE! Life had become bland and lacking in color and its spark without Nike. He had stopped living that day. He simply existed a shadow of the man he used to be.

He married Sandra a year later because he was tired of the army of house-helps and nannies that had come and gone. Plus well meaning relations kept saying the baby needed  stability aka - A Mother especially since his obvious neglect for the child was apparent. They were happy when he introduced Sandra as his intended. They felt she would cure him of the malady that Nike's death had caused but if only they knew...
   Sandra was out matched! she couldn't light a candle near Nike's memory thus she was an ornamental wife. Tade didn't know why but he never got over his resentment for Tara. He had really tried but the fact that she was a splitting image of her mother only worsened issues. When he saw her, she reminded him of what she stole from him in order for her to live.
Over the years, Sandra had turned into a real pain. She was no longer content to lavishly spend his money on her eccentricities. She was always looking for a reason to fight and argue. Her high pitched voice always attracted the neighbors. He was a family man and respected in church he didn't need the bad publicity and he had told her so. But  it seemed to have the opposite effects. She had totally redefined the phrase 'a nagging wife'. She blamed him for her childlessness.
On that fateful day, Tade had stomached way too much. He was about leaving for work when Sandra planted herself in his path and started her rant. He didn't know what made him do it or maybe he did- SUPPRESSED ANGER! In an attempt to move her from his path he had pushed her but what happened next he couldn't explain. Sandra was lifeless at the bottom of the stairs and his dear Tara had just come in through the front door, so she had witnessed it.



(Cee's notes: Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions... kept me laughing and thanks to Alfafuss for inspiring this one ;)! )

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

WhAt ShE FouNd oUT

Tara always heard her name whispered in corridors. It wasn’t the hush-hush “bad gossip”, in fact anytime she heard it her face lit. Her name was mentioned with great awe. They all envied her. Everyone felt she had it all and with little effort. Although some called her obnoxious, spoilt and carefree; she couldn’t be bothered.

She prided herself in the fact that all her ‘eye-catching’ possessions and spending money were legitimate. She didn’t have to sleep around, beg or steal to get the money. Her Daddy gave it to her. it wasn’t her fault that her Dad was shrewd  and she had to keep inventing authentic  foolproof reasons why she needed money.

At an early age of seven, she had learnt that Daddy won’t give her five Naira to buy sweets but would happily give her five hundred Naira to buy a non-existent textbook. As she grew older her schemes became more convincing and tactful. By Js2 she could forge her principals and the school bursar’s signatures in her sleep. She reasoned her father had too much money to spare and since she had worked hard thinking and executing her schemes, she was worthy of a pay all the same, plus she hadn’t  begged him to knock her mother up so he was responsible for catering to her needs.

She kept living life like a normal girl her age but with the occasional scamming and scheming until one fateful day. She had come home unexpectedly and saw the unsayable…

 It’s funny how a little coincidence can change one’s fate. Her teachers were correct; KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Now she no longer had to crack her brain thinking of schemes for poor old Daddy. BLACKMAIL-was much better and its rewards more gratifying. Daddy loved his position in society and church to risk the ‘truth’ leaking out and he also depended on her for the “robe of respectability” that having adorable daughter endowed him.

[Cee’s note: Since my blog readers are great thinkers… I’m curious to know what you think Tara found out that ‘fateful day’…]

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

The Mosquito Analogy

I was talking to my friend yesterday about a big 'blood sucking' mosquito i had killed and how nauseating it was to see MY blood splattered all over, when it suddenly occured to me that Christ must have felt the same way, although to a greater degree and with a lot of pain involved. Each stripe He took, involved sharp thorns digging deep into His flesh and ripping it until His blood was splattered all over.

But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him - our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.

Isaiah 53:5 (MSG)

...He did it all

so that I might have it all

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

Hope you had as much fun as I did ;)

yours sincerely,

Cee

April Fool's DaY FoR Me

Every year I look forward to the 1st of April but not for the conventional reasons of playing practical jokes on other people. It’s the day I celebrate the greatest Dad ever (that sounds cliché but it’s the truth)

As a child, I remember racing to the door daily screaming “Daddy is back” just before throwing myself  at him, never doubting the fact that my daddy will catch me and give me the goodies he always brought back.

The only threat that ‘held any water’ and I never got tired of using on anyone who dared offend me was ‘I’ll tell my daddy for you’ for in my mind and heart he was my Superman and he’ll surely get the bad guys ;)

My dad gave me an important gift. He taught me how to write, especially essays and how to use big words like ‘eradicate’, ‘tautology’ and ‘relegate’. He also gave me the freedom to express myself.

He is the only person authorized to give me nicknames that stick and he loves to oblige me by making use of this privilege frequently. Just last month he added a new one to the collection.

I can never forget the day my dad gave me a lesson on logic stating ‘we were age mates’ because the first time I saw him was also the first time he saw me thus making us equals.

He taught me about ‘inward beauty’. One fateful day after spending hours in the salon making my hair, I came home to ask my dad, “How do I look?” He smiled and told me Igbo proverb… ‘The beauty/goodness of a peacock is not its colorful feathers but in the meat inside.’

My dad respects my opinion and has always made it a point of duty to discuss ‘big people’ things with me. Nowadays he calls me ‘my fellow graduate’ to further reinstate the value of my opinion.

Just calling my dad and hearing him say ‘my darling daughter’ as soon as he sees the caller ID has a way of brightening my day and reminding me that I’m loved. For to him, I’ll always be his adorable little girl.

So on this day I celebrate

My ‘CATCHER’

My SUPERMAN

My TEACHER

My NICK NAME GIVER

My LOGIC TEACHER/AGEMATE

My FELLOW GRADUATE

My FRIEND

My CARE GIVER

My FATHER, My LOVE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

With Love,

Cee

TRUTHS ABOUT HER

With her eyes alone she can give the best set down to an erring child and still be able to instruct us on what course of action to take next.

With her nose, she can decipher and fish out the child who hadn’t taken their bath from a mile away or a pile of dirty clothes stashed away or faulty business deal.

With her lips, she has kissed away our tears  ensuring we knew how much she loved us but more importantly how much more God loved us.

With her smile, she has been known to win many battles involving persuasion and bargaining; for she has the killer smile that disarms her opponent.

With her laughter, she always had way of convincing us to see the good in every situation e.g. when gas finished one year on Christmas day and every store was closed.

With her tears, she has assured us that it’s okay to cry but it doesn’t mean we should go overboard, displaying tantrums and melancholia especially since there is still a God.

With her ears, she has proven that it is possible to hear what we are not saying and decipher when we are telling half-truths or feigning ignorance.

With her legs, she has gone to great lengths to ensure she was and is always available when we need her the most especially with teeth removals and visiting days ranking high.

With her cooking, she has nourished and endowed us with robust figures and a given us a refined taste appreciative of the good things of life

With her words, she has guided, encouraged and challenged us to be the best we can be and has never failed to tell us the truth whether we wanted to hear it or not.

With her heart, she has shown us the true meaning of love and trust; never blind sighted to our faults but loving us in spite of it and yet hopeful for the future.

With her life, she has taught us and still demonstrates who a Christian really is especially behind the scenes when the lights fade.

...She is my MOTHER!

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

I just overhead a very funny phone conversation…

“Hello! Why are you calling my boyfriend? No! You keep flashing him. You just flashed him now sef. We are together. He doesn’t know you. I’m his fiancee. Please stop barging him…”

It reminded me of a similar incident. We were driving to church one fine Sunday morning when a very angry and bitter wife who in an attempt to call her husband’s girlfriend had called my mom. She started ranting and calling names. You can imagine our befuddlement. At first the angry lady refused to believe my mom (who is Igbo) was not Folashade, her husband’s girlfriend/snatcher. It took a lot of convincing before she finally believed and then hurriedly cut the phone call amidst tears. My mom immediately called her back and prayed with her- asking God to heal the lady’s emotions, intervene and restore her family.

Sometimes I wonder whether these men (the likes of those mentioned above) are worth fighting for. It’s annoying to say the least when the lady has to be her own knight in shining armor all the time and champion her relationships, marriage and children’s future. She has to ‘save the day’ since the man in her life has chosen to be a sissy in desperate need of rescuing from the ‘other woman’, alcohol and other forms of debauchery.

“You only need to remain calm; the Lord will fight for you.”

Exodus 14:14 (NCV)

Yours sincerely,

Cee

Homecoming 2

So for two weeks he had been traipsing round about town having fun. It was really good to be home but time was really flying fast, he was dreading his departure. So much had happened in these two weeks, his younger sister Ifeoma had gotten married to a good family friend, Kene and it was obvious theirs was a love-match.

He had been right; Cynthia, the lady he had met on the plane was really something. She had attended the wedding and had blended in well even with Uncle Joe and Anthony, the renowned family jesters. Even His grand aunt fell in love with her and had cornered him to tell him not to leave the country without putting a stake on her. He had laughed inwardly because he didn’t need anyone to tell him what he already knew. They had spent every minute they could spare together except when she had to be at work or when he had family obligations. They both knew his departure date was looming in the shadows and had set out to make the most of it.

The mere thought of her always made his spirit soar. She was a mix of wit, charisma and beauty. It was funny how she understood him so well and she had only known him a few days while so many people in his life after so many years were still barely scratching the surface. With her there was no pretense, he always knew where he stood and when he made a faux pas. They had talked and asked each other different questions both mundane and important. So He could beat his chest to great extent that he knew her.

So yesterday when she had asked him what he thought about single parenting and the ladies who had children out of wedlock, it didn’t sound unusual. She went ahead to narrate a story of a close friend who was in such a dilemma and how the guy she was dating has been behaving standoffish to the child and has started avoiding her altogether. Up until this moment he still didn’t know why he said it but he blurted out, “Can’t blame the guy, nobody wants to raise another man’s bastard.” Immediately the words left his lips he regretted especially since as Cynthia winced. She was looking at him with a mixture sadness, shock and disappointment. He tried being diplomatic and made a joke of it but it didn’t help. For remaining part of the meal she was silent with exception of her brief replies to his questions.

By Wednesday, two days shy of his departure the issue had escalated. She was ignoring his calls and messages. His flight was Friday morning so time was running out. Since that fateful dinner on Sunday, it was as if Cynthia had turned into a ghost of her former self. Initially she had given the excuse of being swamped at work to avoid seeing him but now she wasn’t even talking or replying him anymore. He would give an arm to get that careless remark back but he couldn’t. He   still didn’t understand why she was overreacting and taking it personal. After all it was just a friend and he was sorry about it. The way things were going it was obvious she was going to avoid him until he left and he wasn’t going to sit back and let that happen. What they had was special and definitely worth fighting for. He had never been inside her home. She had always insisted on saying goodbye in the car. Since going to her office was out of the question since he knew how much she hated office drama or ‘scenes’ plus he didn’t want to embarrass her. So that left going to her house uninvited the only alternative.  As he sat in his rental car, across her street, thinking of what he wanted to say, a school bus passed by and stopped in front of her house and a little girl whom he guessed was about eight years old came alighted. When she turned to wave at her friends on the bus he got a glance at her face and then it hit him. It was like looking at a very young replica of Cynthia. There was no doubt this was Cynthia’s daughter. So many things were going through his head and he needed answers quick. He waited a few minutes to put his thoughts in check before approaching the house. He knocked and was about to give up and go back to the car when the door was opened by the help with little girl in tow. He said his name and introduced himself as a friend of Cynthia and lied that she was expecting him and had told him to wait here for her. He had half expected his bluff to be called or told to wait on the porch or something but what he didn’t except was the little girl to lunge at him and give him a fierce bear hug. It was so unexpected that he almost didn’t catch her. She started screaming and talking with a high pitch that it took awhile for him to understand what she was saying. After what felt like forever, she lead him to the living room and told him her name was Ama and that her mom had showed her picture of him on her phone and had said he was her special friend just like Jennifer and Tunde were Ama’s special friends. For the next few minutes he found himself interrogated and loving every minute of it, she asked him a lot of questions from his best food to why he liked her mother. She was a smart and that didn’t surprise him. Anyone who had Cynthia as a mother would be. He was still enthralled as she told him about her friends, mom and grandparents in Enugu.  She was still talking when he heard someone insert a key into the front door and open it. Immediately Ama jumped off the sofa shouting Mommy! He couldn’t make out what Cynthia was saying but he could hear the both of them laughing and it did wonders to his heart. As she entered the foyer, she looked up and was startled to see him. She whispered into her daughter’s ears and little girl said OK then waved at him before leaving the room. As she turned to face him, he noticed she was angry and had a few words for him. But at that moment Chuks couldn’t care less. He loved her and everything thing about her especially her child. He would be a fool to walk away for in her eyes and that little girls he had seen a glimpse of his future and it was wonderful. He didn’t care if he had to grovel or beg or use any other tactic to make her see reason, he had finally come home and he had every intention of staying home.

Yours sincerely,

Cee

Silent Treatment

"Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary to tact and courtesy become."

-Oliver Wendel Holmes

I'm done talking!

I've said enough already

If you are not smart enough to know

when to draw the line

then its quite sad that

our friendship obviously doesn't mean much to you!

yours sincerely, 

Cee



Homecoming

Chuks hadn't been home in ten years. He had a serious case of home sickness. He had left just after high school to further his education. Ask any medical student,in-between studying and paying bills there really hadn't been much time or money to allow him the luxury of coming home.
He had taken a direct flight from Atlanta to Lagos and was now eagerly awaiting his connecting flight to Abuja. It had been so long, but with the help of the Internet and Facebook he had been kept in the loop and up to date. Although it still wasn't the same as being around. He knew his family was proud of the doctor he had become. He was now a consultant in the renowned Reginald Cook Hospital.
He usually wasn't the friendly sort but there's something about knowing that in a matter of minutes, you'll be re-uniting with your family, that makes any man become friendly. He found himself talking and exchanging pleasantries with an elderly lady in the waiting lounge. She was like most grandmothers, happy to tell the world about their adorable grand children with pictures to validate their claims.

      This is to announce the boarding of Nigerian Airways Flight AK-4799 to Abuja.

He was finally going home. He said goodbye to the elderly lady, she was travelling to Enugu. It was funny how she reminded him so much of his late Granny. He entered the aeroplane and slumped into his seat ready to take a quick nap. His plans of sleeping were quickly replaced as the most beautiful lady he had ever seen sat on the seat beside him. She had an easy smile and no wedding ring. Things were really looking up for him. The next forty-five minutes flew by as they got to know each other. Her gaiety and wit had enchanted him. He was amazed how much they had in common. She intrigued like no one had ever done. Fate had finally smiled on him.
As the pilots voice came on air, telling them they had arrived at Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja. She smiled at him and in that moment he knew that his journey home held a few delightful and unexpected surprises.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
(Jeremiah 29:11, MSG)

Yours sincerely,
Cee



The Versatile Blogger Awards Nominations

I received a versatile blogger nomination! Thanks alot http://caeblogs.wordpress.com/ :D!!!!
Now I have to follow the rules for the Award which are :
1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers.
2. Inform the bloggers of their nomination.
3. Share 7 random things about yourself.
4. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award pic on your blog post.

So Random things about me;

• I hate yoghurt
• I'm in love with google (practically google any and every thing)
• I can't dance or carry a tune *covering eyes*
• I love solving puzzles
• I dislike horror and vampire movies
• I wrote a book with three of my friends in secondary school
• I used to be scared of Father Christmas (the Nigerian version of Santa Claus)

My Nominees

• http://naijabankgirl.blogspot.com/
• http://toinlicious.blogspot.com/
• http://triballane.blogspot.com/
• http://thegenevareport.blogspot.com/
• http://lovestolosecontrol.blogspot.com/
• http://maestromedia.blogspot.com/
• http://jbraggs.blogspot.com/
• http://bellezworld4real.blogspot.com/
• http://leggy-freda.blogspot.com/
• http://contentcritique.blogspot.com/
• http://iamnotevensure.blogspot.com/
• http://katlynmoncada.wordpress.com/
• http://etoileoye.blogspot.com/
• http://royremi.blogspot.com/
• http://fleau-funmi.blogspot.com/

Missing In Action!

Blame exams and advance design studio for kidnapping me away from bloggville. I thank God for successful completion of my first semester in grad school. I wrote these two short poems last year but never got round to posting them.  Hope you like them :)!

I don't like meeting strangers

I don't trust them

No one knows who they really are

They could be wolves in sheep clothing

Or Bonnie and Clyde on a mission

But no one can tell

Strangers may become best friends

And best friends may become strangers

Only Time will tell

He thinks he knows me

Or so he claims

He feels he loves me

Or so he says

But what he doesn't know

Is that what he knows and loves

Is simply a figment of his imagination

Yours sincerly,

Cee

The Sweet Peril

So they were arguing again. I’ve learnt overtime not to join if I have a term paper or anything better to do but since I didn’t and the topic seemed interesting I allowed myself to be dragged into it. The thing about these arguments is that they could start off with something like “The best car to buy is a Range Rover” and end up arguing about “how Igbo girls are the finest”. It never seems to end as people keep fueling the argument with diverse opinions and most times unrelated argumentative topics. Anyways mid way into our typical argument, one of the guys blurted out that he was surely going to cheat on his wife. Whoa! I know the fidelity rates have been going downhill for a long time now but I have never heard or seen someone who has predetermined to cheat even before being ‘tempted by evil’ to do so. So it got me thinking and the short story below is the result….

Critically, she watched her husband as he got ready for work in his black designer suit, whistling an old tune. Why was he in such a good mood today? It almost felt as if he knew. They had been married for only six years but it felt like a lifetime to her. So long ago, when they had stood before family and friends at the altar and taken their solemn vows. It only took few days shy of their wedding day for her realize that all that was just a ceremony and nothing more to Lanre. Lanre taught her a lot of lessons. He was a patient teacher repeating the lessons over and over until his naïve student finally caught on.

At first she resigned to the role of the diminutive wife feigning ignorance of her darling husband’s escapades. For six years, she had tried to do everything to please him and keep him satisfied at home but it never seemed enough. He was plagued with the wanderlust. He always had to stay back and work late or go on business trips out of town he claimed but she knew better. After going to the office on several occasions only to discover that none of his coworkers were in the knowing.

He had taught her how to be a good actress. It was an art she had learnt from the master Lanre himself. She had come to know all her lines and the exact way to say them per time. To their neighbors we were the loving inseparable Mr. and Mrs. Smith. One could say they were good at keeping up appearances but to Lanre it was the real deal. The problem with him was he felt smart in fact too smart for his own good and he had never learnt how and when to draw the line.  She would have continued living like that especially since he made sure she lacked nothing, except this time he had gone too far. Haba! The landlord’s daughter!  There is only so much a woman can take.

Her judgmental thoughts were interrupted by his voice asking her to help straighten his tie. As she did it and gave him his last kiss on the cheek, she smiled because in a matter of minutes, a permanent end will come to all his charades.

Yours sincerely,

Cee