I had been trying hard to get this girl to go out with me on a date.


After using all the gimmicks I knew, especially the gift of gab (codename for sweet talk), she finally agreed to hang out with me.


'Excited' doesn't describe how I felt.


Victorious does.


So we fixed the date.


A Saturday in March.


She chose the place, KFC at Allen Avenue.


I was happy, but scared at the same time.


In my account was =N=13,547.34.


That was all I had.


At home, and abroad.


I knew I could only take out N13,000 since ATM could not dispense N500.



So I carefully sat down and planned how I was going to spend the money.



=N=5,000 for eating

=N=1,000 just in case we 'over eat'

=N=4,000 for transportation (I was going to give her 2,000)

=N=3,000 to take back home.


I was that good with calculating my money.


The special day came and we set out.


I had never seen a lady as beautiful as Sharon.


She was something like an Angel's dream.


Like a rare star flung from the farthest part of eternity.


Her pictures all lied.


Sharon was more beautiful in real life.


I was hooked.


I swore I was going to out to my best act to make this girl fall for me.


And I did.


We planned to meet by 12, I arrived KFC by 11:45am to pick the best spot where we could have some closure.


12:08pm, I saw the purest damsel elegantly walk into the hall.


My heart skipped.


I composed myself.


I threw my face away and pretended I did not see her. Then her call came in:


'I'm here, where are you?'


The voice.


The voice!


It melted my heart


'Look to your left. To the far corner.'


She did & saw me.


In another 15 minutes, Sharon and I were enveloped in a conversation that saw us both laughing our hearts out.


She was so charming when she laughed.


Her eyes folded into a squint that was as sexy as it was calm.


Time to order for food.


My heart began to pound.


Now, I wasn't rich.


I never told Sharon I was rich


But my packaging gave off the impression.


We started with Rice, Chicken and Juice.


=N=3,450 spent leaving me with a little over a thousand.


We finished the food and spent the next few minutes talking.


Sharon was nice.


Before we left, I asked her if she wanted anything else.


Politely, she said she'd love some 'Cold Stone.'


Not wanting to destroy all I have built, I nodded.


Cold Stone Creamery was at Toyin street.


We got there.


I asked her to place her order.


She asked for ice cream and pizza.


Bill came. =N=4,550.


I swallowed hard and paid.


All I had left was =N=3,250.


I offered Sharon =N=2,000 and she politely declined, saying she has enough to take her home.


Such sweetness.


I waved her goodbye and felt elated.


That night something happened.


I got home happy that I had a good time with Sharon.


But the problem was, I was about to face 2 weeks of hunger.


I did not know where the next Money would come from.


I had no job, but I was hopeful.


I never regretted spending the little I had on Sharon. No.


But I was broke.


I unlocked my phone, logged on to Facebook to unwind.


Then I saw it again.


An ad by a guy selling an eBook on how he made money online.


He was selling this ebook for =N=7,500.


The first time I saw the ad, I promptly told myself I could not afford it.


But here I was, I just spent =11,150 trying to impress a girl.


But I couldn't spend =N=7,500 on a book that could have possibly showed me how to come out of the rot I was in.


The book wasn't expensive after all.


My priorities were a joke.


As I made to switch off my phone, a message came in.


It was Sharon.


"Thank you for today. You are a gentleman."


Gentleman kor.


Gentleman ni.


I am broke and I need my mindset changed.


For clarity, this story is purely fictitious.


I wrote it to draw attention to something in our lives:


Priorities.



Your priority defines where you invest your time, energy and money.


People will easily buy things they don't need, to impress people who don't care but will hardly invest in themselves to get better.


If we must build a better future for ourselves, we must begin to prioritize things that enhance our vision.


We must not hesitate to grab opportunities that help us develop ourselves.


We can become all we ever wanted.


This is pure fiction shared from Stanlee Esdee, I got the permission to share it.


I hope you enjoyed it and you got the lesson.


Talk to you soon,
Favour.