August 2015, I was almost 25 and had just finished my NYSC in Bayelsa state. As a result of the recent breakup with my boyfriend, I decided not to involve myself in any other romantic relationship. I moved down to Lagos into my parents' house and began to apply for jobs in companies.
I submitted my CV to different companies with the hope of getting a feedback message, but none was coming forth. Thus, I started to pound the hot pavements of my local high street in search of work. I needed a job badly to tide me over and also make me independent of my parents. I enquired in every shop, bar and office, displaying my CV in an ostentatious manner and filling countless application forms.
After trying this for three weeks and all to no avail, I decided to quit and devise another strategy. On the last day of my three weeks of street-to-street job hunting, while still devising another strategic means of survival in my head, I decided to follow a quiet road instead of the normal busy highway that leads to my house.
While walking through the road, I saw a vacant "waitress needed" in front of a restaurant, and I decided to try my luck. I entered the restaurant looking around to see if there was anyone to talk to. The restaurant was empty. It was a not-so-big restaurant but nicely decorated. I sat on one of the chairs arranged in front of a beautiful round table with a small flower vase on it, enjoying the cool breeze blowing in through the vast open windows at the front of the building.
Very shortly, a young man approached me from a door which I rarely noticed at the right side corner of the restaurant. "I'm sorry madam, what would you like to have?" he said. "Ehm, actually I'm not here to buy anything, but I'm here for something. I would like to apply for the job, sir" I replied in a shy manner. "You're applying for the job of a waitress?" he asked surprisingly. "Yes" I nodded my head in response.
Six weeks of working in the restaurant proved itself to be a hectic one, however, something kept me going. Although the pay wasn't really worth it, I had to continue because it's better than doing nothing. Also, it provided a way of avoiding the consistent chants of “Tiwa, you're not getting any younger ooo. When are you going to bring a man home” from my mum.
Going into a relationship was the least on my agenda. I've had a series of breakups in the past which made me decide never to allow a man into my life. The recent one I had with Femi came as an unexpected one. I never believed he would do such a thing to me. I trusted Femi. Infact, I loved him.
The first day I had set my eyes on him, I knew at once that he is my man. Yes, my man. But, that's all in the past anyways. The right statement should be “He was my man”. Talk, dark and handsome Femi with cute and sexy eyes sent me a breakup message two days after I had caught him flirting with Benita.
“Oh no, we're just having a conversation”, he had said, and I had let it slide. Only for me to wake up and see his text on Whatsapp.
“Hi Tiwa. All the moments we've had together have been really amazing. However, we'll have to put an end to this relationship because I now see beyond the horizons. Have a good day. Byeee.”
Femi now sees beyond the horizons. The horizons I created for him. He was practically nothing when I met him. I bought him clothes, fed him, and even gave him money on a daily basis. I wanted to be a good wife material. I did everything to become one. His mother and sisters were already calling me “Our wife” and I loved it. However, it all ended in…
“Hello!” The voice of a man who walked into the restaurant woke me up from my reverie. “What would you like to have, sir?” I replied, recovering from my lost consciousness. “We have rice, beans, and…” “I need a bottle of cold malt”, the man answered abruptly. After serving him his drink, I went back to where I sat earlier and continued to ponder past events of my life.
I had really envied my immediate elder sister when she brought her fiancee home. She was just too lucky to have a man like Jeff. “Oh, Jeff is my world, my life and everything. He's been there for me through these years”, she sings this like a lullaby. She had met Jeff in our secondary school. They were both in the same class and their relationship had flourished since then. Jeff loved her, and he continues to love her. “Why then I'm I so unlucky?”
Before graduating from secondary school, I've dated two guys, one in my class and the other a senior, because I thought I could be like Simi, my elder sister. Even during my university days, I dated another two before Femi. But, everything seems not to work out.
Nevertheless, my mind is made up and at this point, I'm ready to face anything that life throws at me.
