Eid fLicK

This Sallah celebration was unlike any other i could ever remember;it was slow,dull,sunny and bleak to say the least.I couldnt sleep after the morning prayers and i had no appetite for the first time.I barely had visitors as everyone i called was out there somewhere sharing a similar story.I guess growing up has something to do with this.The ironic thing was that i had my pockets full but nowhere to go and spend the money.I stayed indoors all through with my denims and a tee shirt which i only changed whenever it was time to say my prayers at the mosque.
One thing i actually liked this Sallah was that for the first time in my life i slaughtered a ram all by myself.Atleast the experience is noteworthy and something i surely will never forget.Even the meat didnt taste the usual delicious way it always had.Before i knew it,the long day was spent under a mango tree gisting with the family while watching the butchers do their thing.I left the place at a few minutes to six,performed my ablution and went to the mosque.Next,i went into the house to see mum,have dinner and say goodnight.I was exhausted from doing nothing but sitting and talking.I went off to bed early,had a short chat session and dozed off as soon as my head hit the pillow.Some Sallah i had this November.

THe feveR tHaT maKes meN sHiveR

Marriage is one thing i know that means much more than just mere words.We tend to speak about it every now and then but it still appears blurry and obscure.Not until we fully commit ourselves by paying the dues and building a solid foundation.Now that's when the real thing begins.The thought of choosing that special someone to be your partner for the rest of your life despite the difficulties,trying times,sticking through thick and thin and the traditional "till death do us apart".
Since my brother proposed to his fiance a few months ago,he's really had a firm hold of himself.He's been preoccupied and much more serious.He's been looking at life in a different light.Its like he's a stranger i've never met.He thinks differently and when it comes to spending he's thrifty.He's been busier than a bee and has been living inside a clock lately.He barely has time for us when he's in town for the weekend.All these are a result of the first word i mentioned up there.He has now found the word "responsibility" in his dictionary and is willing to apply it full-time.I am so proud of him,its not easy but he still strived to do it.His proposed wedding date is new year's day 2011.We all highly look forward to that day with bated breath.Everyone's counting down the days as they go by.We've got so much faith in him and believe he was born to win.We all pray that with Allah's guidance and blessings he will find bliss on that special day.We are putting in our very best to make sure things go like clockwork:all hands on deck!

DeaTh aT a fuNeRaL

At Zarah's third day condolence,we were all gathered at the venue after dropping my little brother at extension classes in school.When we arrived at her house,everything seemed normal.The atmosphere was quiet as expected but its surprising what death has become;no face was actually looking like it was going through a painful moment.Even her parents were lively and full of energy.The house seemed as if it was having an occasion and invited relatives plus friends over.My cousin who lived next door met my sister and passed on some sad news that another cousin of ours who was schooling in Adamawa had had a fatal car crash that morning and died instantly.It was like a sharp razor blade was tearing my flesh from inside.This was a kid i hadnt seen in quite a long time.I put my head down and for a moment everything paused without a sound.I shook my head and sat down outside on a mat and kept recalling his face and the last time i saw him.i couldnt,it was too hard.Death has become a stranger that knocks on random doors everyday.Someday its going to be our turn to give up the ghost.This is one thing we cant avoid either way.

GiviNg uP tHe gHosT

At some minutes after seven in the morning i was about heading out of the house to the office when my brother stopped me and said that he'd just received a text message telling him the girl he had an accident with some days back had passed away.The previous day,it'd been reported that she'd been losing a lot of blood and needed to be hospitalized at that instant.We all thought that by morning she'd be okay until this shocking news changed everything.An early wake up call and a total "shocker".I felt it deep within myself and paused for a second before i asked him to inform mum who was busy in the kitchen.
At work,i was feeling so cold and down.Everybody couldnt help but notice my unusual mood.I took permission from my boss and closed early enough to go and condole the late girl's family.Its so sad the way we feel for people we never even got to know before they left us. R.I.P ZaRaH,i never knew you,but may your soul rest in peace.amin

SoLdieR oF misFoRTuNe (two reaSoNs he cRies)

My friend Yusuf is a soldier and i dont mean this metaphorically.He was actually a soldier who passed out from the Nigerian Defence Academy successfully.He is now a naval officer somewhere out there in water world.In March this year,his mother passed away.It destroyed him so badly that he hadnt been himself for as long as i could remember.He could barely speak to me over the phone even though we were BFF's.He loved her so much and apparently he was her favorite son.
Eight months had passed since his mum died and he was finally recovering from the horrible ordeal.One night in November,i received a call from a friend at Dubai who told me that Yusuf's dad had passed away a week before.I was shocked,i didnt hear about this sad news until a week after.I just pictured how devastated he'd be then;i mean another shock right through his veins.I could only imagine the pain he was going through.This was just like opening a healing wound again.
I called Yusuf but he wouldnt pick up the phone.I sent him an sms but there was still no response.I wondered why,considering we were very close friends yet he still didnt feel like talking to me.Today.this guy is an orphan,but in my eyes he's a brave soldier who lost both parents within a span of nine months.The gestation period of a human baby inside its mother's belly.If he was married as at the time his mum had died he'd have had a child the same month his father passed away.It isnt any wonder he joined the academy.Now he's alone in this life fighting to struggle and hustle for a living,and his theme shines brightly in the sky "Every man for himself"

THe foRecasT was a caR cRasH (BoNNie aNd CLYDe aNd tHe aFTeRmaTh)

It was past 4pm and i was catching forty winks in my room after a hectic day at work.My younger brother had made initial plans with my sister to borrow her car by 5pm,which i was unaware of.By 5pm,i was fast asleep and my brother had spruced up,grabbed the keys and driven off.
I woke up at almost 7pm and was sitting in the living room tweeting on the sofa.Suddenly a friend of mine walked in and dropped the bombshell;my brother had called in a few minutes earlier,freaking out over the phone that he'd had a terrible accident.I dropped the phone and rushed to mum's room.They'd already heard the news and were terrified.Mum had called the driver and reported the emergency.The minute he arrived we hurried to the scene.
The car was there,a pristine Honda civic turned into a total wreck.I didnt recognize it the first time;it looked like a vehicle from the junkyard.The airbags had popped out,glasses were broken to shards and the entire body was dented.I almost thought i was watching a Transformers movie again.Then i snapped back to reality,the police were everywhere.Tauts all around the atmosphere.We dropped and approached the scene.There was no barricade,but we were stopped from coming any closer.My brother was not there,that's the first thing i noticed.I gave him a call and asked him where he was,that's when he mentioned a "she" involved in the accident."her leg's broken or something like that" he said in a shaky voice."she's been complaining about her leg" he added.I asked him to quit panicking and show up immediately.We waited and faced some interrogation before he made it to the accident scene.He was totally not himself,he was a tad delirious and so nervous.I asked him to relax at the roadside while we handled the case.
In the end,we managed to get a few things out of the damaged car and put them in the trunk of our car.However i couldnt find my sister's bunch of keys which she claims to have left on the dashboard.They somehow disappeared when the car crashed.Instead,i found a squished tray of chocolate fudge underneath the driver's seat;a sign of a romantic tryst.A few minutes later,we were done with packing and the session was over.The rest of the case was left to the police.Next we went straight to the hospital to bandage my brother's bleeding and scan his body for any internal injuries.Shortly after that,we were at home.The patient had some food and swallowed his painkillers after which we all called it a night.

THe daY oF a tHousaNd scaRes (PaRT 2)

As if the mystery wasnt bad enough,i showed up to prepare the haunted house the next morning as the package had arrived late the previous day and the entire dummies delivered were skeletons except the horrid green goblin sculpture.The scene was just set for the grim reaper's appearance but he never showed up cos i never found the mask.As a last resort,my friend Victor offered me a scary werewolf mask which had been lying around in his room.We zoomed to his place,grabbed the mask and got back just in time to begin the act.The mask matched my outfit,i even covered half of my face with the hood to create a disguise.It wasnt what i initially planned for but it turned out fine.The kids were scared to death,and we earned a lot for the fund raiser.Objective achieved,mission accomplished.

Me,mYseLF aNd tHe mYsTeRious Mr masK (PaRT 1)

Last four halloweens,i was at the haunted house in a certain school to give kids the biggest scare of their lives.I wore a green vampire mask with long jetblack hair.It was awfully scary,cos even i was freaked out when i first set my peepers on it.But on that day,there was another mask,a skeletal glow-in-the-dark hooded mask which was akin to the grim reaper.But i couldnt play two people at the same time so i picked dracula for the night and decided to save the other mask until next halloween.
Today,three halloweens have passed and i havent been volunteering to participate in any scary occasion or costume party so the mask was just as good as any other old shirt which had been hanging in my closet for years.I only know its there cos i come across it when am cleaning out or looking for something in the closet.So when KAD Academy mentioned the day of a thousand scares coming up and asked for volunteers,i didnt hesitate to lend a helping hand.I just thought my time to play grim reaper had arrived.I was so sure that the mask was in my closet and didnt bother looking for it until a night to the occasion.I even purchased a black cowl,gloves and socks to go with the mask.Then later i'd only have to find a scythe.But to my greatest astonishment,i turned the room upside down looking even in the most awkward places but couldnt find the mask.I asked everyone who knew about it but nobody had seen it.I checked the other side of the house where my old stuff was but there was no sign of the mask in the cartons and bags.Finally i gave up cos it was no use.I'd already opened my big mouth and told everyone that i'd be coming as the grim reaper and they thought it was a cool concept.Now i was clueless and didnt know what to do.So much for all the scary stuff i'd planned on doing.
I pondered over the situation but couldnt figure out how a mask would disappear just before its day of awakening.I thought of the craziest ideas like the grim reaper coming for his head but it still didnt make any sense.Then again i remember it didnt actually belong to me.Somebody exchanged it with my mask some time ago and since then i've always known there was something creepy about that mask.

THe ToMbsToNe oN DeaTh STReeT

Since my brother broke up with his ex-girlfriend,i havent really been in touch with her and getting rid of her number from my phone was virtually impossible cos she's such a jolly good fellow.I've been looking for a good reason to break the silence but unfortunately i found a sad one.My sister was toying with her Blackberry this evening when she came across a new picture on my brother's ex's avatar with a status update which contained a mourning statement.Out of curiosity she asked who had died.Instantly she received a reply with two words which read "my mum" suddenly she stared at us and told us the sad news.It was shocking and very touching.I went blank for a minute.This was a woman i could barely remember my last encounter with.A loving,caring and emotional woman.I picked up the phone and dialled her number to pass my condolence speech.She answered in a low tone.We spoke for a few minutes then it was time to say goodbye.She thanked me and felt so appreciated.I even dedicated my next Facebook update to her late mother and promised to keep in touch.May her gentle soul rest in absolute peace.R.I.P Mrs Umoru,we'll surely miss you :'(

ALoNg caMe a soLdieR

It was 5am and i'd just cosied up for a second round of sleep.Shortly after i shut my eyes,i heard a heavy knock on the main door.It was quite unusual considering everyone expected to knock was fast asleep in the room next door.I paused and wondered who it could be.Then the knocking resumed,my friend got up and answered the door.It was my brother (Agent Ace Airman as i call him) the one who had joined the air force (Aerospace Academy as i call it) three months ago.He was back with luggage,atleast he earned a window out after passing his test.It felt so good to see him in this environment once again.For a moment the house felt like a home.We caught up on old times and shared jocular conversations.I even missed my daily jog listening to his funny stories and experiences.Then i hit the shower to prepare for yet again another busy day at work.Soon i caught up with him for breakfast at mummy's place.We went through a few pictures and updated ourselves on what's been going on in our lives.Shortly after that i grabbed my stuff and left for the office.

aN exTRa caNdLe oN heR caKe

Yesterday was mum's big day.I cant believe it almost flew by without me even noticing.Truth is,i've only been able to commit a few birthdays to memory so i often forget a lot of birthdays and end up sending belated wishes wrapped with apologies.Thanks to Facebook,my saving grace once in a while,where i get reminders.But my mum's not on any social network so i guess i just have to set a reminder on my phone against next year.
The day started like any other.I woke up early,went out for a jog,came back and showered then went into the main house for breakfast.There in the kitchen i found mummy preparing breakfast and exchanged the usual morning greetings with nothing special to complement my statement.Am very sure she thought i'd forgotten her birthday and she guessed right.Suddenly my little sister rushed downstairs half-dressed holding a mobile phone saying "mum,its dad.i think he wants to wish you a happy birthday" it was then that it dawned on me "26/10" mum's birthday!How could i have forgotten such a significant date?Just then an idea hit me to try and make it up in the evening with a pleasant surprise just for her.So i had breakfast while she was still on the phone and headed straight to the office.
When i closed from work,my plan was to get mum a fresh yummy chocolate fudge from DaLeMa,but i remembered how much she complained about its sugary taste.So i stopped at another store and got her a nice cream cake with jam and a cherry on top.I knew her all-time favorite drink was fresh milk so i got a large quart for her.Then i added a bar of her best chocolate "Bounty" with my change.My final stop was a shop where the best cards in town were sold.I walked in and my little sister helped me find a sweet one for mummy.We ended up buying two cards,one from my sister and the other from me.On our way home,i composed a touching text message and sent it to her phone.Luckily for me,she received it the moment we got home.I went upstairs,opened the door which was ajar and sat down in front of her saying "HapPY biRThdaY mum"! "this is for you" i smiled as i handed her the stuff.She paused,smiled back and opened her arms as wide as she could pulling me into a great big warm hug saying "thank you so much ROoFie,may Allah continue to bless you forever" i couldnt contain the happiness,so i blushed and found my way out of the room.I knew i'd made her day a special one.Thanks to dad's wake up call ;)

ART ATTacK!

During the good old days,i'd sit down,doodle,sketch,draw and color a couple of cartoons for several hours.I could honestly say that this routine was altered in the past few years.So many obstacles came into the picture and built a barrier between me and my favorite pastime:art.The good thing's that its always on my mind but a lot of other stuff just clogs up my brain and prevents me from picking a pencil just to draw a few lines.Lately,a lot of people have been enquiring whether my flare still stood still or perhaps i'd thrown it away somewhere and didnt really know how to find it.I know am a bit rusty now considering i havent been giving quality time to my work like i used to,but i know that a little practice will re-ignite the lost spark again and my midas touch would return in no time.
I decided to randomly draw a new toon to see how much i'd lost since the drawing days had taken a break.It wasnt much,maybe just a little but the cartoonist in me hadnt died.It was just asleep and now the machine's been restarted.Fame Academy,here i come.There's no stopping having come this far..

SuNdaY moRNiNg

Its been a long time since i had a sweet slumber complemented by the rain and calm of an early dawn.But Sunday morning was one quite noteworthy if you asked me.I heard the drizzles outside and raindrops on my rooftop,but i never thought it'd pour so hard later on that i'd be unable to go out for my early morning jog.Well it did.I was willing to,but it was impossible cos the rain was ceaseless and pouring heavily.So i forgot about my track suit and muffled up inside my blanket,took another look out my window and gently shut my eyes until it was almost 10:00am.Really the worst part of sleeping is waking up.aaargghh!!!

CRasH oF THe TiTaNs

my friend had a terrible car crash just before the weekend.Luckily,he survived and came out unscathed but the car was worse than a wreck.He was on his way back from Abuja to Zaria at top speed heading towards the main road when another vehicle came into the picture.It was too late for him to hit the brakes,so he had to choose the lesser of two evils;crash into a nearby truck parked ahead of him or coincide with the overtaking car.He did the latter with a panic attack and waited for fate to decide what was left.He hit the car hard until it fell offtrack and spun into the air with airbags popping out from the passenger's side only.As soon as he managed to park his car,he dashed towards the spinning car to determine whether the driver was still breathing.To his greatest astonishment,the man walked out without a single scratch on his skin.These two souls were meant to live longer than that day.As for the cars,they would have abandoned them at a junkyard but the owners had no choice but to check them into a motor clinic for thorough check up.Drive carefully next time guys,we only get to live once in this life.

THe weeKeNd wiThouT sLeeP

I had quite a long day yesterday.I barely rested my tired little head to catch forty winks.To make things worse,i hadnt even had a long enough sleep since last night.Usually i'd return to bed after my early jog.But yesterday,i did a little sanitation,had a bath and added some touches to my drawing.Then i went out with a friend to purchase a few things and returned in the evening.There was barely time for me to sleep then,despite the fatigue.So i waited until it was dark and quiet before calling it the perfect moment.

UNpLuGGed

its been ages since i posted something on my blog.I dont know how this happened,but it did and i apologize to any follower who's been anticipating updates and got disappointed in the end.So many things have been happening in my life.Its crazy how time just finds a way of stealing itself without one even noticing.I cant actually list the series of events stating chapter and verse,what happened during the hiatus,but i know that everything happened so fast that am still trying to convince myself that October's really ending.All those months i spent in oblivion are long gone.But am trying to pick up where i left off.Blogboy's making a come back next month and this time its not a fad.Am here to stay and hope to entertain you everyday :)

THe God oF waR 3 TouR

The minute i set my eyes on the large screen,i couldnt take them off anymore.My brother had invited us over to his section where he buries himself in a spellbound "God of war" state until the power goes out.Am not much of a game freak,and even if i was,the genre this particular game falls under is not a favorite of mine.However,i fancied the interesting plot regarding ancient Greek mythology.I studied art history a few years ago and this sort of brings back some good,vivid memories.The gameplay was awesome,and as always am the onlooker and never the player.I'd rather sit back and watch a pro handle the control pad of my very own console rather than play on my own.My brother had been playing this game for a while now and had covered almost half of the story.I enjoyed the speech,diction and the graphics were highly commendable.It was just like sitting in front of a projector at a cinema,except instead of popcorn and coke,we had some Twix finger chocolates and a beverage.I laid back and watched for a while until the player reached a difficult battle where he had no idea what strategy to use in defeating the villain.After a few trials,he gave up and turned off the console.This was my first experience with the Play Station 3,so i could probably say its super impressive.Sony have done it again.By the way,i look forward to catching up with the rest of the "God of war" story when i come around again.

THe lasT waRd oN tHe leFT

My friend told me about his dad's mishap at the bathroom over a month ago while he was still in school,and as the weeks went by,i inquired further about his dad's health.When he came home two weeks ago,he told me daddy was recuperating but he had to be taken to the clinic for redressing on a daily basis.This week,his dad was hospitalized and i luckily happened to call at the right moment when they were together at the hospital.I asked him about his dad's health,then he felt glad that i did that cos daddy was right beside him.He handed over the phone to his dad and i wished him a speedy recovery.He was happy to hear from his son's very good friend and thanked me a lot for the care and kindness.A few hours later,i came into town and my friend picked me up to go and visit his dad at the hospital.We got there,and saw him playing a ZUMA game on his laptop.I was happy to see that he was feeling a lot better.We stayed for a while and left just as the doctor walked in to give my friend's dad his injection.I said goodbye to the old man and he thanked me once again.

Road TuNes

After lunch at my uncle's,we hit the road to Kaduna.Usually dad asks me what i'd like to listen to before the journey begins."what's a road trip without road tunes?"as Peyton Sawyer of the TV series "One Tree Hill" once said.The last time,i didnt have any cds onboard,so i had to settle with old school music and early rock.But this time,i was fully equipped.I'd specifically selected two alternative rock albums from my stash at home:Snow Patrol's "A hundred million suns" and Keane's "Under the iron sea" two albums i knew daddy would enjoy and relate to quite well cos if i'd chosen punk,he wouldnt have minded smashing the radio and throwing the cds right out the window.I opened my tiny bag and handed him the cds.He loaded both of them and off we went.Dad was totally hymning to some of the catchy choruses and even asked me "does this really fall under the rock genre?" i answered "yes,alternative rock to be precise" Both bands were from the Europe and they had quite a few singing styles that appeared to be common.I still havent gotten my cds back from dad yet,i just pray he remembers to return them,otherwise there's gonna be a remake of this cartoon series i used to enjoy as a kid entitled "My dad the rockstar" :-D

THe bOoK oF oPTicaL iLLusioNs

Dad pulled in to pick me up at my cousin's place on Saturday.As soon as i dumped my luggage in the trunk and stepped into the truck,he smiled and handed me a strange square-shaped book.He didnt say anything after that,as we drove out of town to my uncle's place.It was an art book,a rare kind that one seldom comes across.And even if we do,we try not to walk out of the store without it.It had a weird cover depicting a cat's face and a tiny mouse inside the face in a genius concept even an artist would "whoa" to.I opened the first page and there written with a felt tip red pen,was my full name and the date.Dad had already signed it as he always did when he bought me comics and MAD magazines.As i flipped the pages,i fell deeper and deeper into an imaginary world outside reality.So many abstract figures,symbols,illusions and other stuff you find only in your mind.Most of them were scary and seemed like they had hidden meanings.Sort of like the Da Vinci code cos most renowned artists from all around the world were featured in this book.I happened to figure out almost the entire pictures i came across.Some of them were actually moving or changing in depth.The puzzles were quite baffling as well as the symbolic diagrams.As i read on,dad asked me if i liked the book.I just nodded my head and said "yes,very much" cos i was spellbound at that moment.This book was awesome and challenging.One i could use to brag about for a long time too as it was a collector's item.We took a left bend after the bridge to my uncle's neighborhood.And that's when i actually snapped back to reality.I didnt even realize how far out of town we'd gotten cos i was entirely in another world buried in this book.A world of the creative,unique and extraordinary...

BReaKiNg tHe baRRieR

Since my friends left for school last year,i could say that i havent really been in touch with them.And if memory serves me right,i may only have contacted a few of them once.This isnt as a result of not caring a straw as most people would think.The "out of sight,out of mind card" may come into this picture and blot the landscape,but it isnt so.Most people who leave find it hard to communicate instantly as they need to arrive,settle and acclimatize before thinking about finding a tiny card to insert into a phone and contacting you.Well,i have been meaning to give them a ring atleast to find out how life's treating them there cos we never know.So a few days ago,i promised myself that i'd give some of them surprise calls.The Egyptian's phone was switched off,the Malaysian had already returned home.But i managed to reach the two English men and did some catching up.It was nice talking to them after umpteen months,atleast somebody made the first move to break that hard wall standing in between the friendship.

RoRo tHe meNace

My brother handed over the keys to the dusty Civic to this bellboy at our house.Atleast i could refer to him that way considering he runs errands,does chores and the likes of such.He was instructed to clean only and that was it.But when my brother was out of sight,a crazy thought crossed the boy's mind.He wanted to actually see if the screeches and stunts he saw on TV are really as easy as they seemed.So when we were all having a session at the sitting room,we heard the sound of a starting ignition.None of us paid close attention to it as it sounded a bit distant.Next we heard a louder sound as the boy stepped hard on the reverse pedal.That's when we paused and looked out through the curtains.And there,right before our eyes was the naughty boy in the driver's seat.He could barely see a thing in front of him,but still didnt mind accelerating at a fast rate.He was totally oblivious to the other vehicles parked there and almost put a dent on the nearest car to it.We screamed out his name,but the glasses were up.Nothing mattered but his stunt lesson.My brother dashed outside in the nick of time to save a life.Luckily,he prevented some minor damage on the side of that car by going for the door and asking the boy to get the hell out."what do you think you're doing?are you crazy?" the boy felt so abashed and frightened on the spot.He froze for a bit,then apologized and walked away.My brother parked properly and joined us back inside the house.Thank God for the life and cars he saved on this day.

HoMe aLoNe aNd loviNg tHe zoNe.....uNTiL.......

The entire house left for Jalingo to attend my cousin's wedding taking place tomorrow morning.Its quite unfortunate that i couldnt be there,for some cryptic reason still unknown to me.My brother was supposed to meet me here from his trip to proceed to Kaduna together.But little did i know that his plans had changed.He took a U-turn and hit the long road home without me.So here i am all alone in this majestic home.Indoor bound,except the 15 minute walk i took to perform my Friday prayers and the brisk stroll i took to get myself a voucher.Other than that,i've been in this room burying myself in my writing pad,sketching new characters,reading my MAD magazines,relaxing behind my headphones and reciting my holy book every now and then.I like it,dont regret being here by myself one bit.The fortress of solitude is a haven,a sanctum that i could always find solace when the shadows grow closer.But everyone back at the headquarters was anxious for me to come back,so mum called and incisted that i should accompany dad on his trip back to Kaduna tomorrow.Guess i'll be heading home where my missing heart is waiting for me to arrive and put it right back into place.So much for the silence i say,for its time for me to take a holiday.Atleast until Monday :)

BLiNd daTe

My friend had always teased me about tying the knot whenever we were at a wedding ceremony.He's made it his hobby horse to discuss the marital life,though its funny that he's not even in a relationship.A few weeks ago,i received a beep from him notifying me that he'd already set me up with somebody and needed to tell me how much he screwed up.I found it rather intriguing and inquired for chapter and verse until i had all the necessary details.He suggested that i'd give it a shot since i was single and he assured me that it was a good wager considering she's heard a lot about me and couldnt wait for her phone to ring.The first episode commenced when i sent her a jocular beep introducing myself.She didnt reply,so i decided to give her a ring two days later.I was diverted to another line which explains why my message was still hanging in the air.She picked up and we had a little chit chat.Then we laughed it off and set a rendezvous on facebook.I showed up with a request,but the confirmation was pending again.So i browsed through her pictures to see for myself what the voice behind the phone looked like physically.She was cute,and quite a shutterbug.After a few riffles,i got tired and logged out.Finally,she accepted my request the next day.Then we began talking and chatting via mobile.Got well acquainted,and took off as friends.I even named her "Hawaii" a derivative from her name and she liked it.So far so good,the jelling is going like clockwork.Then i found out that we even lived in the same town as she was done with her exams and returned home.I didnt make inquiries about her address then,and i still havent.I think slow mo's the wisest decision for now.Last week,she told me she'd be leaving for Dubai to spend her holidays.I wished her a safe trip and now its been a few days since she's been gone,so am still looking forward to hearing from her again :)

oNe sTep cLoseR,two sTeps bacK

Rumor had it that the then governor of Kaduna state had been appointed as the new vice president.Though he hadnt resumed office and wasnt sworn in yet.The mere speculations on everybody's lips had the entire crowd stirring stories about the past life i shared with this man's daughter two years ago.I dated his daughter when he was in office,but unfortunately called it quits the following year.We hadnt and still havent been in touch since then.A large opaque barrier has built its wall between us and i really dont see it becoming any clearer soon."good riddance" was the final card she played in the game,so i actually had no regrets cos her mind had already been made up.The silence from the crowd prevailed until her father was announced vice president on TV and radio last week.That's when the endless calls,congratulatory messages and tweets emerged out of the blue.I didnt even know what to do or say,but wish them well on their appointment.The teasing still continues with me being a sell out in the picture;a wet blanket who's stopping his people from being connected with the second person in command in the country.I know i didnt mess up,fate had it all figured out.If only these people who have made me an effigy could see through my eyes,they'd know that a good thing happened for all the right reasons.

THe sicK cRadLe

My baby niece had been ill for almost a week and it had both my mum and sister facing sleepless nights staying awake for vigils in turns.Apparently,the infant had a boil or something of that nature in her ear and was constantly crying every night.Even after the hospital consultations,the pain only subsided and resurfaced again.Shortly after the first few shots into the baby's system,good health started seeing the light of day.Everyone was excited cos we all faced a painful ordeal the past week.Now baby's fully recovered with perky giggles and the subtle baby talk ;)

THe coLdesT sHouLdeR

Okay so it was a saturday afternoon and i was watching the O.C on TV.Suddenly my phone rang and an unknown number was calling me.I paused,then answered and there was a strange female voice at the receiving end."Ahmed" she said,"how are you,guess who?" i didnt have the slightest idea who it was cos her voice didnt sound familiar at all.When i gave up,she said "its Hadiza,your old classmate.Hadiza Blell" first of all,i was mute.I didnt say a word until she asked if i'd recognized her.I said yes,but had a funny feeling that somebody was playing a prank on me.She was so disappointed that i didnt shriek or show any excitement one bit after all the years of silence.She said goodbye with a cold low tone and hung up the phone.A minute later,she sent a text with terse contents expressing how hurt she was and how much it had shocked her to hear me utter those words.Later on,i felt very bad about what happened on the phone and decided to call and apologize to her.She didnt pick up the first time,then i called again.Still no answer,so i gave up and rinsed the thought off my head.Though its materializing again.Am not proud of what i did and hope she'll eventually forgive and forget everything.People make mistakes,that's what makes us human.

Road TRipPiNg

Daddy was leaving for Kd today and coincidentally i had already packed and was set to skip town.Mum called me and told me to wait up and come over with him later in the day so i did.After 5pm,his driver picked me up at the office and took me home to get my luggage.Then we went straight to daddy's place without wasting any more time.I put my bag with his suitcases in the truck,and we were good to go.Daddy asked me for my favorite genre of music.I told him i was a sucker for rock,and he tuned in to a station which played my sort of jams.He was amazed by my choice and even promised to get me the famous Led Zeppelin album on vinyl which he owned during his prime times.We talked shop and caught up a lot.Seemed like my dad was trying to get to know me better by throwing random favorites and awaiting answers.I told him about my job and how exciting i was about it.He encouraged me and gave me pointers to ponder on and innovative new ways to win my crowd.He also told me about his current projects,status,and future plans for the family.It was the most interesting conversation i've had with him this year.And considering the number of times we see eachother,i treasured it so much and utilized it to the fullest.Seldom do dads have time for their boys these days,but on this special day,we fastened our seatbelts,just the two of us and rode hobby horses driving past distant skylines and nearby turnstiles.When it started getting dark,dad turned on the radio and we listened to an islamic program until we pulled inside the house.Fun fun fun trip.I totally loved it!

SHawaRMa scouTs

When i got back home,my brother was still snoring.I waited patiently for him to wake up so we could grab some dinner.Luckily,his phone rang and he woke up.It was only a flash.He asked me if i'd eaten and i said no.So he spruced up a bit and we went off to a fast food joint to get some shawarmas and beverages.Atleast that'd suffice for the night.We parked at our favorite spot on the roadside and devoured like hungry bears.A few minutes later,we headed home and it was straight to bed.Goodnight folks!

THe sTaRiNg macHiNe

While my brother was snoring in bed,i went to the nearby salon to take a haircut.I walked passed the barber without even noticing him until i got in and found the ladies doing their hair.The woman in charge sent for him,and in a few minutes he showed up.He welcomed me and asked how i'd like to cut my hair.I instructed him to cut it low.As he was fastening the cloth around my neck,i noticed the girl behind me sitting on a chair and staring at the mirror without taking off her eyes even for a second.Everytime i looked up,i'd find her scoping even with her head slanted and the barber blocking her view.She bided her time to watch me whenever there was contact between her and the mirror.This went on until i was finished and good to go.I almost asked her "excuse me,do i look like someone you know?" but i hesitated,grabbed my change and stepped out of the building.

RaiN agaiN

Since we arrived in the morning,the weather was cool and suitable for a good rest.Its usually hot in this town,but it rained today and everything changed.I wrapped myself in a warm blanket after having my bath and still i cant get up.The feeling's so good and the drizzles sound serene.I didnt sleep cos i was scared of what i'd miss if i closed my eyes.So here i am,enjoying the moment while it lasts.Atleast i wont be up,not until sundown when i get up to say my prayers.What a day!

MiNd oF a soLdieR

My brother has always fancied the army cos of discipline,courage,power and respect.Lately,he's been applying for available jobs and plying every angle seeking for employment.But his missions were almost impossible in the end.After umpteen trials,he gave it up to apply for short service as an air force recruit soldier.Atleast that would replace the redundancy and also open up avenues for him as it's a lucrative career that's booming in this country.Last week,the list of lucky applicants was out and his name had appeared there.With utter excitement,everyone at home gave him maximum support as well as advice.Plus,the pros lectured him with briefings and all the necessary details.Yesterday,i offered him my backpack as he gathered his required belongings.Then he went to the salon and shaved his scalp bald as an egg.All night,he waited patiently for his early reporting at the base the next day.This morning,he came over to my room and said goodbye."No phones or communication for now" he said,and went off like a soldier.Goodluck bro,train hard and see you when i see you again...

THe sacRed socceR souveNiR

My brother's friend Farouk had given my brother a merchandise cap of the soccer team Arsenal to put on and display to other fans around town.It was authentic and unique,and the moment i saw it,it caught my eyes.Blue's my color,and this cap had three different shades of blue on it.The main material was navy blue,the emblazoned label writing was aquamarine and the Nike tick in front was light blue.So i wore it to work for a day,everyone complimented when i passed by.I knew this cap looked good with the Umbro sports top i wore.It made me feel like a sportsman.Quite ironic if you ask me.When Farouk noticed how much i fancied the cap,he decided to give it to me as a token from him.I was so surprised when he handed it over to me considering he was a huge fan and i wasnt even doing a foray into the game.This is why am gonna treasure this cap with all my heart.But it wont lead me towards the soccer street,this am pretty sure of.

MaY DaY

Yes,i finally had time to catch forty winks and recharge my batteries.The first day of May is usually a public holiday for everyone around here.However,it didnt really seem like a holiday considering its a weekend.But as it extends,i know that lucky feeling will exude out of me either way.Thank you May for giving me a day off work.Its fun,but atleast a little break once in a while wouldnt hurt.