It was Monday, and few days into a new term and we had a “new comer” in our class. Few of her neighborhood friends were my classmates, part of who was Moses. The next Tuesday, her seventh day in our school, Moses saw me with her but decided to “allow me have my own share” of her older sister’s insults. The next day at school, Abosede was literally asking me “Michael, how come your stature does not match your level of courage?” For seconds, I wondered why she asked such a question, but then I recalled that even though I noticed how awkward her older sister looked at me when we got to their house, I couldn’t figure out what exactly her message was! And placing that scenario right beside Abosede’s q uestion, I guessed she was one of those “overprotected species”.
We were both getting closer day after day, and so Moses and some of my class boys were feeling uncomfortable already. “How well does it sound; that a short boy like me is having a girl they – the taller and more handsome guys from the same neighborhood with her – couldn’t have. Not just that, but that this same short boy also sees her off to her parents’ house as he has successfully won the heart of her unapproachable older sister? Although getting that close to her made me a hero both in school (among the boys) and in her neighborhood, “Why Abosede had to go back to her previous school” is still a topic I am very much interested in, because she only stayed in our school for ten schooling days.
Who is Abosede?
She was in her early teen as at the time of her resumption to our school. From a family of six, she is the fourth of the girls. As the last born of the house, no male dare go near Abosede’s house in search of her; its either you see in school, or you wait till the next day, or opportunity. Her set of sparkling white teeth sets her apart from every other dark skinned girl I can think of. I will be correct to call her the black version of Lepa Shandy.
Academically, she was an average student. She had always wanted to be a practicing nurse, even though she was an art student. Throughout the two weeks she stayed in my school, she was known for calmness and orderliness; she was never caught making noise or disturbing anyone in the class. Typical of the usual Nigerian girl, she hates being beaten; so she was punctual, always writing her assignment, and maintained up-to-date notebooks.
Her moral values are second to none; under no circumstance did I ever found Abosede telling lies. She loves for a person to be as truthful as they can be. Abosede actually loves simplicity in its absolute definition. She would always remain calm and attentive during classes, and so was I. And I think this is one reason we got so close; I am also simple and calm in all I do.
I’ll disclose the genesis of our closeness.
Students usually leave the school in a group of friends. But usually, all of my “company” have their destinations (home, mother/father’s shop/office, e.t.c ) close by, and I would practically be left alone to proceed on my journey. Although I wasn’t the only student coming to school from a far distance, having to trek nearly 4km to and fro daily segregated me into my own category; and that was the actual reason I and Abosede got so close.
Her heart of generosity made her bend principles
Not only was her older sister against her having an opposite sex company, Abosede was not as well a fan of boys. This made her case as that of a supported desire; that which she didn’t want, her sister was also against! And even though we became friends due to the calm nature we both possessed, our friendship seem to be limited to the compound of the school. Little did I know that she noticed how I usually trek pass her street under hot weathers. One faithful noon, during break at school, she walked up to me and made me realize that which she had noticed, and that I never bought food during break time. She handed me a ₦100 note and I went to eat. At the close of school, she was ready to trek with me; just there and then I realized she had fed me with her transport fare. She could read how my heart melted inside me! And after some words of encouragement and an offer to be my good friend, we set out to leave the school.
That was her seventh day in our school, and little did both of us know that we would soon go our separate ways! Although her house was just few miles from school, I would gladly trek the remaining distance from her house to mine as though I got some calories stored up for the journey while we trekked from school to her place! Those three days were as heaven on earth!
And getting so close in less than ten days, having her feed me with her transport fare, and to trek with me under scorching sun for days were proofs that her coming to our school was divinely influenced. Really, I do not need a soothsayer to tell me that.
Our friendship after she left my school
She left, I didn’t have a handset, and distance became a barrier. Really, I actually felt like joining her in that school, but it was obviously a dream that can never come true, and it didn’t.
Abosede is really a girl of virtue, and I’m sure she’ll be still. I would never be able to forget how disappointed I felt on the valentine’s day of 2010 because she rejected the ₦500 face powder I got for her as a gift (how and where I got that money is still a misery to myself {smiles}). She politely rejected the gift, and expressed how displeased she was with my coming, even though she was happy to see me after a long while. In her words, she told me never to get carried away by the vogue of having a girlfriend at that level. She literally scolded me, and with that, I loved her more. That afternoon, she paid for my transport fare and went back to class for her extra lesson hour.
After that day, I never got the chance to see Abosede in person because I would always get to pass her house while she was still at school for extra coaching. The morals and values she infused in me all contributed to how well I’ve lived my life, and I can imagine if we were together for a longer period of time. Abosede meant a great deal to me, and she still does. To me, we’re still friends and I wish to reconnect with her some day.
Adefolahan-Ifeobasegun Marc wrote in via adefolahanmarcofficial@gmail.com
