"Iyana Ipaja, Iyana Ipaja, we're set to go. Enter with your change o, we won't be waiting or stopping, Iyana Ipaja straight."
That was the voice of a conductor from outside the Emirates lounge, but to Tayo, it sounded like an out-of-this-world sound. He was sitting down with his thoughts and a half-finished bottle of Coke. The lounge was strangely quiet. Around him were empty chairs, while the smell of roasted meat, chicken and pepper soup filled the air.
Funke came by, noticed him, and dragged one of the chairs to sit opposite him. She sat down, and her eyes caught the streetlight from across the street, so she changed her sitting position, tilted her head, and said, "ohhh, I never knew you were still around."
Tayo gave a weird but quiet kind of laughter as he replied, "Does it look like I'll be leaving? Everyone already left; and I'm just alone."
"Huhm, don't tell me this about Funmi?" Funke asked while thinking if it was right for her to.
"Don't, don't even go there... please" Tayo snapped at her.
"It's alright, I'm sorry, but you know sitting down here in silence won't fix nor solve anything."
"This isn't just about Funmi; it's about me. Everything I thought would stay, everything I thought would last, is ending. It's closing time for me. Everything's ending, and I'm supposed to walk away?" He asked, staring at the bottle of Coke.
"Nah, you're not supposed to walk away," she said as she moved closer to him, "you're to wait till the light comes on and see what's left. Then is the real closing time."
It seems the words were having a little bit of meaning to him. He listened with rapt attention until her last word dropped. He looked over her into the streets; he could hear clearly the sound of the humming generator now, and somewhere to his other side he heard two dogs bark at each other. The street outside was still alive, people were talking and walking in twos and threes refusing to even take a second pause for him.
He rested his gaze on Funke and asked, "Why does it feel like I'm the last man alive?"
Funke looked straight into his eyes and responded, "Because there are times when being last makes you see and notice those things you've always ignored. You see what matters and who's really standing with you so you won't feel alone."
He (Tayo) maintained the gaze and asked, "And you're standing with me?"
"Yes, and I won't be leaving." She said, grinning.
The music playing underneath switched from "Adulthood na scam" by Teni to "To be a man" by Kizz Daniel. He looked across the already empty room and drained what was left of his Coke. The lyrics of that song seem to be more meaningful to him now; he felt the weight of that which had ended, and for the first time since he's been lost in thought, a spark of clarity came through. It was closing time, but it was a signal for him to let go, move on, and restart.
"So, what about my place tomorrow?" She said, nudging him.
"Doesn't look like you will ever stop." He said, shaking his head with a smile he was trying hard to conceal.
"Doesn't look like you'll ever stop loving it." She replied, laughing.
He dropped the empty bottle on the table, stood up, stretched, and for the first time, he felt lighter. He looked into the busy streets ahead. Just that the streets look different this time—busy but light. And here he is after walking through the end of a thing, and about to step into the start of another thing.
"So, are you ready?" Funke asked.
"Of course," he replied quickly, looking once again around the quiet, empty lounge, "I'm ready for closing time." He said with a smile.
And together they stepped out into the night. The streetlights shone and bounced on the wet pavements, and the sound of people arguing, talking, and the humming of buses filled the air. Tayo thought about Funke and felt the end of her chapter. He glanced at Funke walking beside him, and he felt that quiet thrill of a beginning he hadn't expected. Closing time had come. And here he is, finally letting go and moving forward.
Images are AI generated.
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