I have had people tell me I’m charismatic and I make them feel safe. However, Hive Naija’s prompt made me reach out again and for sure, there was a little difference in story.
I have a very small circle of friends; those I trust with all my heart and those I trust with my life. There is only one such person though… well two if you count my Mother.
So once again, I randomly blurted while talking with them asking if they see me as the mom of the group.
Images are mine
“Yes. You are but you’re also the ruffian. Your werey when it stand up dey be like world war”.
That is true. I am not the most quiet but I’m the most observant. Well, if you compare me to the others, I am relatively the most quiet. I would hardly say anything (especially in a public setting) unless it is necessary. Most times, I would be gauging the environment especially when it’s an unfamiliar one. I am also very protective of what I love. This is something anyone close to me knows about me. I can be territorial even, but not in a toxic or suffocating way. I try to be there when I can and most times, at my own inconvenience.
One friend confirmed this when she recalled how I rushed to her side at about 9pm at night not minding that her place was in a location not quite safe. She called crying and my body reacted before I could think. I just knew I needed to be with her.
I slept over that night and left very early the next morning to make it to school. We’re laughing about it years later but it wasn’t funny when it happened.
My friend who is now relocated, referred to me as his motivator. In his words,
“I look at you and know that I can’t dull.”
He has called me severally over the nights to talk about problems he’s facing. Somehow, he trusts me to always have the solution and honestly, I don’t think I do most of the time. I just listen and give the best answer I could think of and somehow, that’s always enough for him.
I’m the first person he calls once he hits a wall and needs that motivational fire. I’m also the one he calls when he’s low and depressed. He’s made it clear that I’m the sister he never had.
I have had another tell me that l’m a downright pain in the arse. Yep. You did not read that wrong. Whenever we talk on the phone, it’s always part of the conversation. I won’t lie. I give him a hard time. If he was gray two minutes before talking to me, he would be shrivelled two minutes later. Right @tengolotodo?
He’s also a stubborn man that one. So we clash every time. However, he always makes sure I know how proud of me he is and how much he loves me. Hehe.
Well, the last one has referred to me as the sweetheart. I asked what that meant and she said I have a knack for acting like a mother hen which is good but annoying.
“You’re very intuitive even if you don’t know. And how you can read me sometimes just blows my mind”.
What I thought in that moment is that I don’t read minds. I just look at your face and body language. As a friend, I should be able to know when something is not right with you. And most times, I would just blurt out, “wetin happen?”
So, I have been called different things in my circle. The one that seems to stick is the Ruffian 🥲. Apparently, I still have my tomboyish ways slip out every now and then. And they don’t try to change me. They accept all of me. Which is why I love them very much. And why I could get a tiny bit jealous when I see them getting cozy with other people. But I’m reasonable unless I just don’t like you.
Hehe. That’s all for now. If you want to participate in the Hive Naija Contest, follow this link.