I never believed in such stories. I never believed in superstition. Growing up as a kid, you hear these stories about ghosts and reincarnation and you begin to wonder if they are true and even if they made any sense at all. I recall this gentleman i had met a few years ago. We had had a meaningful conversation and he offered to be of some value. We agreed to meet the following day and i realised i didn’t even get to know enough about him. It was just then that I remembered that I didn’t even know his name or what he did. Besides, he hadn’t given me a specific time. I didn’t know whether to turn back or continue.
“I have been waiting for you,” Someone said right beside me.
I turned in alarm. It was my handsome rescuer.
“How did you know I was coming?” I asked laughing self-consciously.
“Of course, I knew you were coming and just to allay your fears. I have put a stamp on the letter but I would advise that after eating, we go straight to that office. The MD would still be in the office. You can talk with him then.”
“Do you know him very?” I asked him hopefully.
“Yes! We are good friends.” Well he said casually.
Friends? A man who queued to buy stamps at the post office, and an oil servicing company’s MD? How could that be possible? I stole another sideways glance at him. He was wearing a neatly-tailored expensive-looking brown linen top over a matching trouser. His wristwatch looked expensive and on his finger dangled a set of car keys.
I opened my mouth to ask how he could look so affluent but I thought better of it. Just then, he laughed.
“Do you want to ask me all those questions here or can we take care of your hunger first?” I frowned.
“How do you know that I’m hungry?” I asked.
“Your pretty face has a look that shouts hunger”, he teased.
“Actually, I’m really hungry. I haven’t eaten today at all.
“Let’s remedy that quickly, I know where you can eat a nice meal.
We walked companionably as if we’d been doing that for a long time.
“I don’t even know your name?” I said.
“Stanley Babatunde is my name. I know that you are Nkechi Chima.”
“How do you know that?” I asked surprised.
He raised the envelope.
“But it’s sealed. Did you open it?” I asked.
“You didn’t seal it well. I had to gum and reseal it but by then, I had already assuaged my curiosity.”
It sounded plausible but somehow I couldn’t brush it aside like that.
“Are you angry that I know your name?” He asked when I continued to frown.
“No!” I denied quickly. “It’s just that I had used gum too to seal that envelop before giving it to you and it was quite secure.”
“Well, your gum was obviously expired. I have put a NAFDAC-approved gum now.”
I laughed and decided to let it go.
“What do you do Stanley?”
“I rescue pretty ladies in distress,” he said lightly.
“I mean what you do when you are not rescuing damsels or buying stamps?”
“Nothing.”
“How do you mean?”
“It’s just what I said, nothing. I worked enough to last me one life time. Now, I’m just playing”.
“I see! How long are you going to play?”
“I can’t say,” He said solemnly and I laughed.
“You are a strange person.”
“Yeah! I’ve heard that a number of times.”
We got to a very decent restaurant and I ordered a very heavy meal. Stanley didn’t take anything and he didn’t argue when I insisted on paying for the food.
“Do you come here often?” I asked him.
“This is my first time,” he replied.
“So why here?”
“I have noticed it before and I assume the food would be excellent.”
“It is delicious. Thanks for bringing me here.” I said sweetly.
We left the restaurant and walked down to the bus-stop. A taxi materialized almost immediately and stopped beside us. He signalled me to get into the taxi and joined me. He gave directions to the diver and he sped off. We reached the street where the company I was applying for a job was located. Stanley told the driver to stop a few poles before the office gate.
“I won’t go in with you,” he said.
“Why?” I was bewildered.
“I don’t want to see him now?”
“I thought you said a friend.”
“I lied. He is my elder brother and he would be very upset if he sees me now.”
“Is it because you are not working?”
“Something like that.” He said sadly.
“I don’t think he will want to see me.”
“He will. Just send this note to him from the gate.
He handed over an envelope to me. On it was written. Mr. Lekan Babatunde. He marked it as a Very private and Confidential.
“I wish you were coming in with me Stanley. Somehow you raised my hopes and now it’s as if they are crashing.”
“It will work out. Have no fears about that but always remember that nothing is the end of the world. If one does not work another would.”
“Thank you for the advice but I want this one to work. My present job is not fulfilling at all. There’s too much to do and too little to gain.”
“Take a job that leaves you time for recreation. I worked round the clock and look at where it got me.”
He was sounding too melancholy and it scared me a little.
“You sound so sad Stanley. A while back, you were full of laughter.”
“I get this way when I make new friends and have to lose them.”
“Who?” I asked.
“You!” He replied.
“You are a very wonderful person, Stanley. I’d love to be your friend forever.”
“Forever is a long time, Nkechi. But right now, you can do me a favour.”
“What?”
“Can you tell my brother that you met me over a month ago and not just today?”
“I don’t know Stanley. If he asks me questions that I can’t answer, wouldn’t he throw me out? It seems wrong to start out with lies.”
He digested that for a while.
“Alright! You are correct but don’t say anything unless he asks you.”
“Okay!”I said.
“How will I see you again?” I asked.
“If you want to see me, you will see me.”
“Where?”
“At the General Post Office.”
I smiled happily, gathered my things and I told him to wish me luck.
They dropped me off at the gate of the company and the taxi sped off.
