.Aofiyebi

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May 1st 2005, Worker's Day in Nigeria.

I love public holidays. Always the time to wake up whenever you want, but on this day I woke up early ( you know why). I had use the past two weeks to imaginary evaluate her physical features, she should be in her early twenties, light skinned (though I couldn't tell exactly how light skinned she was) slim, yet the figure of the qualification of a damsel but one thing I couldn't describe is the tone of her voice. I'm sure she couldn't say a word to me because she was shy and I wasn't in the mood for long talks either. This is why being self employed is the ultimate for a man, you have the time remote control on your palm.

As early as 7a.m, I began my man-hunt. I had to remember the tactics used by undercover agents in Hollywood movies in searching for someone without raising eyebrows. I channeled into impulse buying, both what I need and I don't need, yet I made sure that I didn't purchase those items at the same shop or place. Let me explain, fortunately most of the buildings in my street has one or two shops in front, so it was easy for me to sight the items I had listed for purchase, thus aiding my strategy, if I'm buying a sachet of salt in store A, I'd purchase a bar of soap in shop B, with the aim of surveying with my eyes, the nooks and corners of each buildings. I should be able to see her in one of the buildings in the street, after all, it's public holiday, almost everyone should be at home!

After a long day, having spent exactly N23,575 (Twenty three thousand, five hundred and seventy five naira only) on impulse buying, my aim was not achieved. I sat on the bed tired, sad and frustrated, the money spent didn't bother me at all but the failed mission.

"True love isn't easy to find you know", I said comforting myself as I emptied the items bought. Why going through this stress over someone who may not even be thinking of me for a second? Two inner voices began to speak at that moment, all I could do to turn deaf ears to both voices was to go straight to my DVD rack and slot in Celine Dion's eight English Studio album, One Heart. I made the right pick because at that point of thought, I needed a song that would appeal to my emotion and every of the left me with hope. I have had to accept the fact that I fell I love with a stranger, who does that?

This weird but soothing feeling in me grew from physical and emotion to subconscious, this is the main plot of my story. May 5th, 2005, a Thursday again. I had a dream I wished never to be awake. I saw her! I had this conviction that it was her, not her imaginary description but her, even before she introduced herself, and yes-- she spoke and I heard the sound of her voice. Whether it was due to her being the last thought I went to bed with or not, I didn't mind but I saw her in my dream, and it was a replay of the well scene. While fetching water, this time, with my own fetcher, I looked behind me and saw her with that same smile in reality. I got so carried away that I let go of the rope and the pail fell into the deep well. We both laughed, it was so real, so real. Quickly I initiated the pre-conversational evaluation. There is just a slight difference in my imaginary description of her physical feature though.

"Good morning"

That was ALL that could come out from my mind. I wanted to say more like "Where have you been?", "I have been looking for you for like how many weeks now?" But on a second thought, I didn't want to be rushy.

"What do we do now that the fetching pail has fell inside the well so deep?" She asked. Oh world! The utterance of that statement was solemn. The world "we" was what stroke my heart hard. She was eager to support me in finding a solution.

"I'm going to turn myself into a hook to pull out the pail from the deep well, all you need to do is to hold my legs while I'm in so I won't fall." I replied. We both laughed out loud.

And then, I woke up.