Must Read: Taking Chances

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Taking Chances

Jide walked into the parlour and headed for the dining, he was really hungry, today had been so hectic that he had skipped lunch, the only food he had eaten was the Fried plantain and eggs Daisy had prepared this morning. So far so good, his choice of eating her meals hadn’t been a bad idea, she didn’t do bad atall.



He opened the dishes in front of him. Rice and stew it was, not bad, he thought and went about the business of dishing it.



After two spoonful of rice, he noticed something was amidst, what was it? he ruminated. Bingo! It hit him, the parlor was unusually quiet
today, Daisy would have been in that favorite seat of hers directly
opposite the television, lost in the world of all that make-believe she
so enjoyed, for him Africa Magic was disgusting, they showed nothing but annoying Nigerian movies all day, Then there were Mnet, MTV base, Channel O, Trace TV, E! these were the Stations he would see her watching
everyday, whenever he passed on his way out or back to the house,
that was what his ‘dear’ wife dedicated her time to. He grunted, it was totally her business if she decided to stay out of reality.


She practically owned the television set, not that he minded for he didn’t have time for all that nonsense, give him his Super sports and then, sometimes CNN, then he was ok. He completed taking a sip of water.
Soon Jide was perched in a chair watching a repeat broadcast of a
football match on Super sports, he was filled to the brim and satisfied, Daisy had been right when she had noted that he had a big appetite for
he had downed most of the rice.
He looked up at the clock, it was few minutes to eight, he expected
Daisy to walk in any moment, there was this soap-Tinsel or something-she
was so crazy about, he knew that it started by 8pm, and if he happened
to be in the parlor by then, he would press away at his phone to kill
his boredom and irritation. She never missed it.
Watching television at nights had always been done like an unspoken
agreement, Daisy would watch all her innumerable movies and soaps till
9pm then he would take over to listen to the newscast of the day after
which he would retire to his room and Daisy would continue with her
‘business’ till way into the night. He wondered how she managed to wake
up early inspite.



They always watched in silence, just the way he liked it. The cold
silence pact they signed was yet to be dissolved. Jide knew that it
might just as well stay that way for a long while to come.



The time now was half past eight, yet there was no sign of Daisy. That
was strange he thought.
‘oh well, maybe i get to colonise the television for today’ he said,
stretched lazily and picked up the remote.



Tomorrow was Saturday and
that meant no work, unless something came up, he doubted the possibility
of that happening, therefore there wasnt any need to retire early.




Hours later, Jide gave up the fight of trying to stay awake. Listening
to the news had proved the hardest task, he had had to force himself to
stay awake through out, he realised then that maybe Daisy’s presence the
other nights had beefed up his ability to seat through a programme,
that thought angered him.
‘What was that supposed to mean?’ He asked no one in particular as he
switched off the Tele and started for his room.


In the hallway, he stopped in front of Daisy room, he heard no noise
from within, that again was odd, he thought. That girl never kept quiet
especially when she was inside, she would unrelently sing alongside her
phone, sometimes that had irritated him, other times it had amused him.





He couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong with her this night? For close to a month now that they’ve lived together, he very well knew her nightly routines. He wasn’t sure about daytime for he was mostly out by then. He made a mental note to call Adamu later and confirm if she was actually in the house.




That said, he continued to his own room, but again he stopped, cast a glance back at his former room then at his study now his room, he felt his anger rise, it wouldn’t have been like this. He, jide, now settled with sleeping in a room that had been his study ever since he packed in.




His anger increased now. He entered his study banging the door.



Now on his bed, his mind slowly drifted to the very discussion that had changed his life for good.
Jide drove in his Blue Sedan car into the family house of the Olukoya’s situated in Victoria Island, Tuface’s ‘For instance’ track reverberated in his car. He was feeling really high.



Jide horned loudly when he finally settled his car in the garage. As he
came out, the music wafted out disturbing the tranquility of the
compound.
Jide didn’t seem to care, he threw some steps as he sang along the
music. In this bright Saturday morning, what could possibly go wrong? He thought.
After some minutes of musical ‘performance’, he went back into the car, switched off the music and started for the house. ‘Let get this over and done with’ he said to himself.
‘Iwo omode yi, what is wrong with you?’ his father ‘greeted’ angrily as he set foot into the parlour. The noise of Jide’s entrance had distracted him, and now the newspaper he had been reading lay carelessly on the table.
‘Morning dad’ Jide simply replied and went to sit on one of the settee.
‘O ni da mi lo hun ni!’ (wont you answer me) his father pressed.
‘Really dad, the time is 10 in the morning and i don’t wanna bicker with you, simply tell me why you asked to see me, then i take my annoying butt, outta this house. Simple as that!’ he replied.
‘Its early as you say, yet you disturbed the peace of this house with ur music and all…’
‘If that’s the contention here, please accept my apologises and lets move on, i haven’t got all day you know’ Jide cut in.
‘Exactly the issue, you haven’t got all day and yet we wont see you at the company…’
‘my apologises again! But i’ve been in touch with my department, Joyce tells me if anything comes up that requires my attention, and since
Tuesday she didn’t call me, so i supposed…’
‘Hear yourself Jide! Just hear yourself, you relegated your
responsibility while you frolic around Lagos doing God knows what’ his father shouted.
‘oh well, i knew we can never come to an understanding, since i didn’t come here to be shouted at, i’ll just kindly leave’ Jide said
resignedly, stood up and made for the exit.
‘Jide come back here, mo ni ko pada wa! His father shouted again.
Jide stopped in his track, stood for some seconds and retreated back to his seat. This overbearing attitude of his father was definitely gonna
make him give the old man a piece of his mind, he thought angrily.
‘We are not done here…’
‘oh, gush! Jide exclaimed angrily ‘why don’t you get on with it then!’
‘Ma kigbe fun mi, sho gbo (Don’t you dare shout at me, you hear!)’ his father shouted back.




Jide sat quietly. He wasn’t in the mood for his father, shouting back
wouldn’t solve any matter, the time was fast moving, today was Saturday, there was so much fun to catch, why is this man trying so hard to get
on his nerve! He seethed.
Silence. As no one spoke to the other.
‘well, your irresponsible behaviour these days is a cause of concern for
your grandmother and I, and we cannot seat back and watch you destroy
your life, so…’
Jide wasn’t listening, his irresponsible Behaviour? Grandma! He just
couldn’t wait to be out of here, just because he personally decided to
skip work since Tuesday and relax his aching bones, Groove the town with
Grace and his hommies for a while longer than the two days he got
weekly, didn’t mean he was going bad or anything. The next time he stood
to leave, he would walk out for good! He thought shaking his head.
‘Did you hear what i just said’ his father asked. He had expected a
fierce reaction, not this calm distant look on Jide’s face.
‘I heard and i agree. I’d love to be on my way now’ Jide lied and stood
up.
His father was confused, he doubted Jide had heard him. There was no
way, this son of his would calmly receive the news he had just dished.
‘Dad don’t sweat it, i heard you, so see you later’ Jide added and started walking away.




Mr Olukoya was really confused.
‘So you would marry her then?’ he asked, just to be sure.



Jide stopped, glanced back at his father, he wasn’t sure he heard well.
‘Marry…i don’t understand’
‘Daisy, that mama’s nurse in Boston’
‘yeah, what happened to her?’ he asked.
‘Have you been listening to me? Your grandma and I have decided she is the right bride for you’
‘i still don’t understand, i never knew they was a marriage somewhere…’
‘oh, Jide, you weren’t listening then. It’s your marriage, Daisy is the choice. Try listen to discussions’. His father said with finality and made to pick his newspaper. Jide laughter halted him. He knew now that it had hit home and he braced up for the aftermath.
‘Like dad, could you recap or something?’ Jide asked.
His father said nothing. He Just concentrated on the newspaper.
‘Like Dad, don’t f.ucking keep quiet, am talking to you! He screamed.
‘Yes, and i spoke English. Your granny and I decided to get you settled, tame
your wildness and we have the perfect bride for you’ his father replied
without a glance his way.




Jide smiled bitterly, this father of his was damn joking, maybe a little
crazy. It wasn’t even April fools day, so if it wasn’t a prank, maybe
a…whatever, he was definitely leaving here for good.
‘ya all must be kidding me’ Jide simply said and thundered out of the
house, got to his car and zoomed off.
His father hadn’t tried to stop him.
Jide might not have taken the matter seriously initially, he most
definitely did when Mama landed into the country the next Saturday with a
mission to conquer and subdue.
Jide ears was troubled with ‘you must Marry Daisy!’ everywhere he went,
it had been as if the whole world was against him. Threats of ‘i will
disown you!’ ‘i will Bankrupt you!’ ‘i will kill you myself!’ were
shooting from various directions, before he could say ‘jack Robinson’,
Daisy flew in and preparations started earnestly, Yemi represented him
at the introductions in Daisy’s father house, even though that side had
met obstacle, nobody had paid attention.





Jide couldn’t understand why Mama whom he loved and trusted for she had
been a mother to him and his siblings when their mum passed away while
they were still young, would be the leader of the pack, she even came up
with threats of ‘Killing herself!’ if he didn’t oblige.





Then, Like a flash of lightning he had found himself, Jide, 32 years of
age, Matured and sane enough! walking down the aisle with a girl he
barely knew, or had ever spoken to. Worst of all was the fact that the
silly girl hadn’t relented or objected even in the face of opposition
from her father.
‘crazy s.h.it that was’ Jide said after what seemed like hours. He had stood, relaxing his weight on the reading desk and ruminating over the marriage craziness. Just a careless impulsive action of his had gone this overboard. If he had known, he would just have remained straight up and not skip work that eventful week.
Months after, he wasn’t sure how he felt, funny enough, he wasn’t that angry anymore, it would be a waste of emotion to stay angry, he thought. He just had to stick through the marriage and wait patiently for the time when Daisy would be fed up, pack her bags and quietly leave. He was going to make certain that happened.
His mind set, he staggered slightly to his bed and let the sweet embrace of sleep soothe his angry nerves.