Live and direct from Lagos city, the clouds spill and pour and cough unapologetically. Too much to do and too little time, makes the eager crowd race and rush to meet their deadline. The time to resume work, especially before the boss come in. To the bus that gets you across the Third Mainland Bridge, just before seven. Any time after that and we are definitely late, they grumble. As the determined worker bees talk about the unnecessary traffic they face on their way to make a living.
I just missed this crowd and I desperately want to see how fashion forward, Lagosians have gone.
Of course they didn't disappoint and as I step out of the cramped mini bus, the feast of fabrics begin.
I see that six pieces skirts are still in and the peplum reigns supreme and I can clearly see that gowns have replaced the jeans wearing culture and flared three quarters sleeves are preferred. My eyes digest and munch on men that love the Ankara shirts made to look like short sleeve versions of office shirts. And of course, midi gowns and maxis reign supreme. It was interesting to see raw sewn crudely made clothes and perfectly tailored bespoke outfits, brush and pass one another. It was beautiful to see many different fabrics tested and so many fails and guess what, so much more achieve lovely finishing and that perfect outfit.
I was truly on the best street fashion runway and as I walked from CMS to Idumota Lagos, I stroll on the freshly tarred road and take in how past and current trends are transmitted into Beautiful outfits for all shapes and sizes. My beautiful mind caught a new kind of fire and as minute raindrops blown by the intense Lagoon breeze, splashed my flushed face. I paused, got out my design pad and pencil down the words raindrops, wind and vultures.
I almost bump into a harsh scavenging bird pecking with head buried deep in a nylon, as if it was a caucus. As it fed, I could see the black feathers of its massive bulk hiding beneath the yellow nylon and just like that..... The skirt took shape in my head like a dream on a whimsical runway....
My Visa lottery boyfriend, it's been exactly twenty years we last saw eye to eye and I was not expecting to see or hear from him ever again. Although he was a controlling psychopath with grandiose imagery of himself, he tried to make up for it by sending me an apology via Facebook with a friend request. This was long after oooo, exactly a decade after we dated. With claims of a bigger psychopath dealing with him relationship wise, I didn't care I just wished luck and blocked him.
Yes he was my former type, broad shoulders, v shape, six packs and biceps that could bench press me above his head without breaking a sweat. And yes he still looked good and like a model out of a fashion magazine. But like they say, all that glitters is not gold and it's the contents and not the container that matters.
He holds on to my hands and refused my subtle gesture to let go, mmmmhhhfff. Before Nko, still the controlling pig I used to know. Because little things do matter, he pulled me to the side of the bookshop and stared hard at me like he used to. Only this time, I stared back and yanked off my hand out of his firm grip. Maybe he realized it or maybe he just wanted to look like a human being that had manners, wetin concern me. Shaaa he quickly blots our an apology and that quelled the rage brewing inside me.
'I'm so sorry, I'm just shocked to see you'
'I see you have not changed', I add in a very demeaning way and eyeing him up and down.
'Of course I have, I just didn't think you would wait and talk to me'
He adds and takes my hands again but this time, with less force.
'So what brings you back here?'
We both ask and then I pause and stare at him.
'All the times you came to America and the UK, I tried to reach out but you were not interested'
'Exactly', I add with a smile.
My point exactly, does one want to see vomit from way back? No.
'You have done well for yourself, the published books, comic books, fashion empire and production company'
Former humble me, would have corrected him. I didn't, I only smiled and lead him towards the CMS market.
He was going to grab my hands Again and as I was going to protest, he stopped.
'God, it's like yesterday'
The statement annoyed me eh, as if he was not acknowledging that I have existed without his abusive behavior.
'Cant be, I was in my late teens when we dated'
'I proposed, do you remember?'
Please tell this guy high on cheap drugs that this was almost two decades ago, I did not let him land and add.
'I declined, do you remember?'
'Of course I do, but you made me feel the rejection was not from you'
'I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer and not raise babies'
I remind this man that aged and tried to smile at young youthful me.
'I could tell', he adds a little sad I think.
'And you?', honestly I have no memory of what he wanted to do with his life. He was too busy trying to control my life back then.
'A civil engineer, see you don't remember'
Like I care, I think and then stare at a box pleat skirt on a hanger, in an open kiosk by the road.
'You always loved clothes'
'I did', I said joyfully for the first time since I set eyes on this man from the past.
'If you weren't already married, I would not take no for an answer....'
'Your arrogance has peaked'
'And you always mistaken my love for arrogance...'
'Because I thought your confidence was a good thing'
'It isn't?'
'Not since I learned about emotional intelligence'
'... Financial Intelligence is much better and na emotional intelligence your twins go chop?'
It just dawned on me what he was implying, he thinks my family members are still alive and I'm too shocked to correct him.
'We all have our crosses to bare', I say making no sense at all.
His phone rings and he brings out the latest iPhone and types my name.
'Your number?'
I hand him my university phone number, the one my P.A. carries about, to quell stalkers.
'You didn't even ask about my sister or my family?'
I remembered but I didn't want to, the last time I saw his sister this crazy guy had his fist in her stomach. He was jealous she was spending time with me.
'She is fine with three boys and a girl, my mum passed...'
'May her soul rest in peace', I add.
'My daughter is in Tantalizers with her mother'
'So you married...', I was shocked.
'No, she just manipulated me into having a child with her'
I say or do nothing.
'You could meet...', he adds dragging back on the path we just left.
'Nope, my friends are waiting', I stop and shove off his arm from my shoulders.
He hugs me and placed dollars in my hands and as I protest, he walked away briskly.
The bureau de change men clustered around me and I stare at him as he walks away.
Who does that?
I changed the hundred dollars and give all the money to the young beggars near the old post office road.
A horn blasts and I turn to see him driving a beautiful Lexus.
'Are you giving out all the money I gave you?'
I nod my head and he opened the front passenger seat.
'Come let me drop you...'
I shake my head and wave without looking back and then enter a street they sell trouser materials and escape into the busy market. I really dodged a bullet with that one.
Just as I did heavy rains start to pour and I am glad my hair is dry and protected and I am far away from a past I never wish to revisit.
Nnoye's call comes in and I tell her to guess who I ran into, she had three options and didn't get it right. We attended the same university and knew of each other but didn't get close until four hundred level when my relationship with that bully was long over. But she was very much aware of him and his proposal and my refusal, I thought I hid his verbal abuse but everyone knew exactly who he was, because he was such a nastt bully. She never liked him or how he talked down to unpopular girls and guys.
According to Nnoye, it was not raining on the Mainland, so she did not mind driving down to the Island to pick me up.
Meanwhile, there's a reason I have not mentioned my date with Daniel to any of my friends. It is because we got too comfortable and he was almost kissing me...
The only reason he didn't is because I placed my palm over his mouth and he did the funniest thing and kissed it tenderly.
I shake my head and none of us speak of it or to each other one full week after.
As my phone rings and his name pops up, I feel a tingling teenage sensation with a full dose of guilt.
Should I pick up the phone.....
**"ADE'S JOURNAL", Season 3, Episode 30**
*"ADE'S JOURNAL", 30, COPYRIGHT 2018*
**BUSOLA ELEGBEDE, COPYRIGHT 2018**
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