SIX YEARS AND IN LOVE - EPISODE 2.
*Mi o ba e sere mo*
(I am not playing with you again)

The first profound break up statement that left me sad.

Sad till Sunday evening at least.
For no one could be sad while seeing mommy prepare rice and stew.

Thank God for brother Nnamdi then.
For the sight of him, sending the chicken to its maker, warmed my heart very much.

Five weeks later,
I had another Muse in sight

Tinuke was her name
And my heart wanted to love her for all times.

I set my plan in motion

*Mommy buy me kito*
Became my daily cry for the next three weeks.
Who does not know that children are fascinated by new things.

I paid mama's purse it's unofficial visit too that week.
Forty naira was the full dividend of my endeavors
Who could blame me?
I was only taking back the money Aunty Isioma gave my mommy to keep for me.

The next day came.
I ran to iya bisi first
*Mummy mummy*
*Eclairs sweet twenty naira*
*Okin biscuit ten naira*

Then running westwards towards the day care class,

I me iya Ismaila.

*Guguru and epa (popcorn and groundnut) ten naira*

Having gathered my gifts.
I marched to primary 1b again.

Shinning kito on my feet.
Red plastic wristwatch on my hands,
Blue plastic sunshades on my face,

Both gifts from father Christmas last December.

Or at least that is what Uncle Leke had wanted us all to believe.

Too bad his sweat had wiped off all the face powder when I got to seat on his lap.

Too bad his voice was heavily laced with the Ijebu accent that it corrupted his English language.

Entering the primary 1b class I walked over to Ayo's desk first.

Lord knows I needed to nullify the potential threat going to be posed by an ex-girlfriend.

*Aaa-yo I have a gift for you oo*

All the while, bringing out the three Okin biscuits one after the other and sliding it into her hands.

*Okay thank you*
Ayo replied with a lazy response.

Hallelujah.
My heart sang
My momentary joy could only be rivaled by the joy of seeing daddy put on the TV to watch my power-rangers.

*Open Sesame* I almost shouted.
Doing my best impression of The chief of thieves in 'Aladin and the forty thieves'

Ayo had fallen for the ruse.
Now I proceeded with a delightful gait towards Tinuke mi.

Tinu had on a 'skuuku' hairstyle today.

Her earrings had a golden look with a smudge of silver.

Her shoes were kito too
*We would make a dashing matching couple*
My mind envisioned.

*Hee-loo Tinuke*
I said in whispered tones
For Aunty Lydia, her class teacher, desk was nearby.
Lest her ears latch on to loose words from my prepared love speech.

*Tinuke do you like TeleTobies*
I asked.
Trying to find a common ground from which to launch my assault.

*Yeessss. I love lala and Dipsy very much*
She said in sing song voice.

*Me too. I like Tinkie Winkie and boy*
I replied.

Even though Tales by moonlight and power-rangers were my only two programs.

*I have a gift for you o. You will like it*

All the while pushing the Eclairs sweet towards her.

*My mommy said I should not...* Tinuke started to say.

Up until her eyes sighted the Eclairs sweet.

With a sweet like that, which child could refuse?
For everything about it was just perfect.

A very attractive blue wrapper.
And a two layered, milky and chocolaty taste that could rival the ambrosia of the ancient Greek gods.

*Thank you*
She said as she popped two sweets into her mouth.

*Will you be my friend*
As I laid down the popcorn and groundnut at her table.

*Yess*
She replied.
Opening the gateway of joy inflow into my soul once again

I was as lucky as Akpan Akan Udo.
Was feeling so much fly that Samurai Jack would envy me*

*Run to your class now*
Aunty Lydia thundered at me.
As I scampered towards the door to primary 1a.

Our relationship lasted four days.

Who could blame her?

Apparently her mommy discovered an Eclairs sweet in her bag and had made Tinuke remember the presence and essence of koboko in character building.

Apparently I could not recollect three episodes of TeleTobies and did not even know Tinkie Winkie's color.

Apparently, like Ayo, Tinuke hated maths and expected me to always solve multiplication table.

Who could blame me?

Apparently mommy was the new owner of the money I thought belonged to me in the first place.

Apparently, Ayo, my ex girlfriend, told Tinuke that I was an *atoile* bedwetter.

Apparently, the feeling of love can be washed away with a hot slap from an angry mother.
This fact I learnt when mommy discovered the loss of her money two days later.
#BASHORUN

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