LOVE HEALED ME (MY SECOND SHORT STORY)

Love Healed Me

Being blind is not something, anybody wished to be, but Hadiza felt she was lucky to be blind. This is what she sat thinking while she waited for the bus to fill up and they’d start the 10hours journey from Lagos to Kano. With all her senses sharpened; she heard the insect trying to get out, as it kept hitting the windows, looking for a way out… she could also perceive the different smells the park offered; cheap perfumes, smell of gas, and the various foodstuffs hawkers shoved in your faces to ensure you got a whiff of what you’re missing if you didn’t buy what they’re selling. Too many sounds, so many languages…looked like its Pentecost all over again, it won’t be a surprise if Peter stands up again to assure us that all these people are not drunk, but are seized by the Holy Spirit, she thought to herself. So many languages and I admire people who know how to speak more than one language, just like the Nigerian interpreter at the South African embassy that said he could speak six international languages just because she told him she admired the way he spoke Bantu. Would Nigerian pidgin be considered an international language? She thought, smiling to herself, remembering how her dad always ensured that her and her siblings spoke Queens English while they were young, but somehow, pidgin always found its way to their conversation.

‘’Is this seat taken, Miss?’’, ‘’No, it’s not’’ Hadiza said, collecting her tote bag from the seat next to her, she was also impressed with the powerful cologne her seat mate was wearing. She’s always had weakness for a nice smell; her olfaction was just so intense. So intense was it that she didn’t know when she said ‘’you smell nice’’…that must make him think I’m coming on to him, she  thought ruefully to herself after he didn’t respond, she was grateful that at least he didn’t hear her or that maybe, he was just uncultured. The bus eased out of the park 20minutes later, and she was sure the bus was already filled, for she could hear people starting to settle in for the long trip and she was sure the sun was already somewhere behind the clouds. Her mom always worried about her travelling at night, sometimes forgetting that Hadiza was even blind to see what happened around her. Tales abound of how accidents happened at night due to drivers who sometimes fell asleep on the wheel  and also about  robbery attacks which were so rife during night trips, she remembered an earlier experience where her bus was attacked by robbers who disposed passengers of their phones and cash, but when they got to her and found out that she was blind, one of them murmured to himself how beautiful she was and how vulnerable she looked with her big black Ray Ban shades, he just went on to the next occupant, leaving her to her fears and when everything was over and the journey continued, she heard some people wishing they were blind…how funny it was, thinking about that now, but she made a silent prayer that this trip should be as peaceful as the  many others she’d had.

Obinna squirmed out of his jacket as he reclined on his seat, staring at the beautiful woman that sat beside him. He was taken aback when he heard her say; ‘’you smell nice’’. Right now, smelling nice was the least of his worries, today had been one very challenging day for him; he took the first flight to Lagos that morning, hoping to close a deal with one of their promising clients, only to discover that a rival firm had already sealed the deal. He spent hours trying to convince the client that his company still had the best offers, and having failed on that front, he decided that taking the long trip home, as opposed to the 45minutes flight, was one way of slowing what’d surely come, when he gets to Kano and had to face his boss. To make matters worse, he also found out that his seat mate, wasn’t only just beautiful and classy, she was also blind, and he prided himself in not saying ‘’thank you’’ to her compliment, so that she wouldn’t think he planned on taking advantage of her situation.

His friend, Dele, picked out the Calvin Klein perfume for him, saying that Obinna needed to smell nice, that sometimes, how we smell determined the kind of people we met and for once, he agreed with Dele. He made a mental note to thank Dele when next they met, as he settled in, wishing he was blind, maybe his boss won’t be that mad at him, tomorrow.

Thirty minutes into the trip, Hadiza being so sentient, especially around men, felt her uncultured ‘nice smelling’ seat mate all over her, wanting to adjust this and that, trying to make her comfortable, ‘was he trying to make her feel handicapped? She thought as she….” Hello, I can do that myself, thank you”, she rebuked him as, he tried reclining her seat. “My bad, I just wanted to make you feel comfortable”, he said, wondering why some handicapped people were so irritable, just like the physically challenged man he sat with sometime ago on a Delta flight from Orlando to New York, who had stumps for legs, but still insisted on having the aisle seat, just so he could stretch his legs or ‘stumps’. Little did he know that the beautiful woman beside him never saw herself as handicapped, but ‘handicappable’. Trying to douse the flames, Hadiza reached over and whispered, “Don’t sulk, I just don’t like being taken advantage of, especially by strangers’, wondering why she’d think like that, she added, “even though you’re uncultured, you do smell nice”. “At first, I didn’t hear that, so that’s why I didn’t say thanks”, Obinna lied and then, “My name is Obinna”, he said, sitting up to face her. “Mine’s Hadiza”….”and I’m from Kano”, she added. Then an awkward silence and Obinna sat up again and asks, “What took you to Lagos? I don’t mean to pry, but I’d just love to know and I hope whatever brought you here was better than what brought me”.  Hadiza smiled, as she settled into her seat, wondering where to start her story, for she knew this man wasn’t just interested in what brought her to Lagos, but also every other thing about her, but she decided she’d just let him ask her himself. People always believed every ‘handicappable’ person had a story to tell. “I came to apply for a South African visa to go study”, she said this with the same pride she’s always shown when she started to tell people about her dream of helping other blind people feel the impact of the light they can’t see. Impressed by this, Obinna decided to ask another, but it didn’t turn out to be a question in the way he’d have wanted….’ You do know how beautiful you are, right?’ he immediately felt foolish after this and “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that”. “It’s okay; I do know how beautiful I am. When I was younger, I always wished to be in a pageant when I grew up, then, I use to preen in front of the mirror”. She said this with nostalgia as she sat back and turned her face to the window, wishing she could see the scenery they were passing. Yesterday made it 14 years that she became blind, though she’s gotten accustomed to her situation, she still hoped that someday, like her optician promised, she’d get to see again. Deciding to break the ice, he now went on to compliment her dress sense, especially the watch she wore, and he wondered how she could tell the time because even with his eyes, he couldn’t tell the time from looking at it, he also wondered what her story was and he’d rather swallow his tongue than blurt out another foolish question.

“You still haven’t told me what brought you to Lagos”, she said, jolting him out of his thoughts. ‘Oh, you don’t want to know’. ‘I want to’, she said, as she brought out the blanket and draped them over her legs, for the mosquitoes were starting to buzz. Marveling at how coordinated she was, Obinna knew instantly that this beautiful woman had learnt more from life than the letterings on her braille.

Now, at the outskirts of Lagos, he’d told her  about the business deal that brought him to Lagos and how unsuccessful it went and why he decided to use the bus, instead of a flight and how lucky he was to have made that decision for if he’d taken the flight, he wouldn’t have met her. But he didn’t tell her the last part. He was also impressed at how good a listener she was, for she only chipped in politely to ask questions, but for the most part, she was just quiet while he spoke, which reminded him of the parrot of a girl that was now his ex. And after encouraging him that all was not lost, Hadiza told him her story.

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EXCERPT FROM MY NEW NOVEL: SOAKED PILLOWS

SOAKED PILLOWS

She watched him leave; still playing the words he’d just said in her head, it seemed like a nightmare, but it’s so hot in the afternoon to be having nightmares, pinching herself the second time, she knew this was really happening, the man she’d loved was walking away from her, into the arms of another.  She just couldn’t believe that a flame that had been burning for five years could suddenly be extinguished. Sean was her first, he unlocked her passions and every day with him was a discovery. Watching him leave was the last thing she ever thought would happen. What happened between last night and this afternoon that made him realize that she wasn’t the best for him? He was the best man for her, the only man for her, even.  Last night, he took me to the clouds and today, he’s sent me down to hell with just three words: “I want out”.

Lunch break had not been something she delighted in, she was called a bee because of how she immersed herself into whatever job she was doing, no matter how unimportant, but when Sean called and asked if she could meet him at the Italian bistro 3 blocks away, she cleared her desk, stuffed her panties in her desk drawer and touched up her face, for she knew how Sean always was, he’d make love in a church if everybody closed their eyes for long. Sean was one of those rare men that gave love making a meaning that would make even porn stars green with envy. He could take a woman to orgasm in 2 minutes if given the chance…all he needed was a place. On her way down the elevator, she hoped people wouldn’t notice that she wasn’t wearing panties… she was wet in anticipation for she knew nothing Italian would be eaten at the Italian bistro…..

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WHAT A REAL WOMAN WANTS

 

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WHAT A REAL WOMAN WANTS

Now, you know it won’t be fair to talk about what a real man wants without also letting the guys know what a real woman wants, right? Well, yesterday, while I posted ‘What a Real Man Wants’, I started thinking, what does a woman wants? Now, not just any woman, but a real woman. I may not be the right person to say or tell what a real woman wants, but I could still tell the fellas what it is that woman wants that you just have to find out and ensure you do to bring out that woman in her.

There are five things I can say a real woman wants, but before I go on to state them, I wanna make clarifications that a real woman is not that woman you have on the side, just for the sex. She’s the one you plan on settling down with as a wife, she’s the one that you plan on making the mother of your kids, she’s the one that’s gone through hell and high water to bring out that man in you.

A woman is not really as convoluted as most men would think, she may appear all intelligent, sexy and beautiful, but at the core, she still needs that man that can make her feel like Eve, she needs that man that can make her forget her worries. She needs that man that can always come through as a knight, even though he has no shining armor.

Now, some women don’t even know what it is they want, because they have started to believe that whatever they’ve read in romance novels and seen on movies, is what should happen to them too, but girl, close that book, turn that TV off, and come on close to your computer screen and find out if this is what you really want. I had to ask one of my friends and here’s what she had to say:

‘’What a REAL WOMAN wants is LOVE!!! Period... LOVE is a many splendored thing!! LOVE will make you say YES!!! When all she hears is NO??!!! LOVE will open the door to whatever lies ahead!! LOVE will communicate her needs to others and her MAN will want to do that... There's a lot that can go into LOVE it’s not always sexual’’ – Renee Fesson Anthony

Now, to those five things a real woman wants in and from a man and what distinguishes a man that’s serious from that man that just wants you for the sex.

Words

Now, when I say words, I don’t mean just about any word, but the right words. You do know men are visual creatures, right? Well, ladies are also turned on by what they hear, so dudes, you need to step up your game and go read some books, show your woman how intelligent you are, now, don’t just rely on your words, back them up with action too. Since love is a verb, words play a major role in defining the actions that verb demands.

Right Touch

This is something that can’t be over emphasized; every relationship falls apart when this is neglected. And when I say touch, I know what’s running through your minds, but dude, that’s not all I’m referring to. Yeah, you need to be able to take her to that realm with your fingers, but not all touch should lead to sex. There are times when she needs for you to just touch her heart, do all those little things that matter. Never neglect the little things, they are what make or mar a relationship. Wake her up in the morning with a kiss and send her to bed with a smile…. 

Honesty

Now, any relationship that is not built on honesty is surely bound to hit the rocks. Dudes, I know how you wanna shield your woman from the truth and yeah, the truth is always bitter, but would you rather drink lies sweet juice, only to throw it up later? And at all times, the bitter truth is always the best drink. I know you may be scared of losing her with the truth, but when you have her with your lies, what do you think would happen when she finds out the truth? Dude, you need to let her know what the truth is and if she won’t stay with you cos of that, then, she’s gonna settle for a boy and not a real man.

Honesty pays, dude…

Emotional Maturity

Even if this applies to what a man needs from a real woman, dudes, you need to know that a real woman also needs for you to be emotionally matured. A woman is beautiful, you need to know that beauty is more than the looks and you need to understand that before you came into her life, she had a life of her own and she also had a past. You don’t expect her to let go of the past just cos she’s now met you.

A woman wants a man who can let her feel secure, a man that’s not afraid to show how he feels for her. A woman needs that man that’s not ashamed to show her off, a man that always keeps his promise.

Now, some women may be in an online relationship, or she may be in a long distance relationship, but one thing you should know, dude, is that, even though you may have not physically met that woman you’re dating online, or the distance between you two is so vast, you need to know that you also have to show her how emotionally matured you are. She may have gone through issues that she feels you can get her out of, so, dude, you need to step up to that plate and let her know that you’re for real.

Communication

This is one vital part of every relationship. It is the cement that binds all the bricks of relationship wall together. Now, the real woman wants that man that can communicate in a level that surpasses just word of mouth. When you can communicate, you make her feel like she has your attention and you best believe that when you have that woman’s attention, love’s bound to kick in.  Our words and in the way they are conveyed plays a major part in our relationship and sometimes, when words fail us, understanding kicks in, there are times when all she wants is a man that’d only listen. Communication is also about listening, you must know that she doesn’t want you talking all the time, you need to learn to listen to, a man that listens is bound to get that real woman. Now, I know some dudes might think that when you keep listening to your woman talk, that gives her the image that you’re weak, but dude, that aint true. How do you think she’d think of you if all you do is talk?

Make out time to let her know every time you get how you’re missing her, how you love her, give her little surprises. You don’t know what she might be going through at work and sometimes, she needs a message from you, with your goofy face or you can just call and let her know that all’d be well. These little gestures, goes a long way, dude.

So, dudes, you need to have all of these points on hand when you meet that real woman, but most importantly, you have to be yourself too. When you meet that real woman and she can see and feel that you got all these points covered, then dude, you really won’t be missing much, cos she’s gonna make a real man out of you.

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