Diaries of a New Yorker 1

                                                                      
It’s a day when the sun is really beaming with laughter. I’m sitting under a shade just basking in the euphoria of its cool warmth. I remember the poem Africa my Africa, o mother Africa; Africa of proud warriors in the great ancestral savannah. How good it feels to be free from the freezing temperatures of the temperate climate. Dressed in shorts and a tank top, I can’t believe my luck. Hippie!! There’s no telling how I’m having fun not having to dress like an Eskimo, or a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. My phone rings. Grrrng Grnng!!!! I check the caller id and it’s none other than my childhood sweetheart, Deremi. Hi darling. His baritone voice makes me want to go gaga. Hi love, I replied him. Welcome back to the country. How are you enjoying our 91◦f? So, so, I reply him like the African belle that I am. I’ve missed you darling. Same here, I tell him. I can't wait to see you. I can't wait to see you too, Deremi. Deremi and I were two peas in a pod. Several times, I’d put his love to the test. I knew I had a man who truly loved me. How we'd managed to keep our long distance relationship glowing, only God knew.Yawning again, I knew my battle with sleep wasn’t over. Some jet lag!! Deciding against further ‘tanning’ of my skin, I stroll into the house.

Babe, my mum calls me, walking into my room. Guess who’s here? I dunno. I tell her dryly. Okay, come out and see for yourself. Give me a couple of minutes ma. Putting my well cut short hair in place after donning my Eckored top and DKNY shorts; I grab my breath spray on my dressing table and spray my mouth. I smile at the image I present in the mirror. I had become the perfect definition of trim, with the right curves in the right place. How well my gold loop earrings and haircut suited my face! Calvin Klein’s Obsession did its best at giving me a soft feminine scent. 

He is standing tall, examining and admiring my father’s collection of art works and oil paintings in our sitting room. My head is screaming, who is this dashing guy in Giorgio Armani suited fineness. I fold my arms and continue gazing at him smiling. Then he turns round and my head spins. I can’t contain my joy. Koku Mensah! Koku Mensah, I scream again and again. He sweeps me off my feet, into his arms and swings me around. I can’t help laughing. 

That’s how I got dressed for a wonderful evening with one of the most eligible bachelors of the time; a man of caliber who was highly successful and ambitious. My evening dresses were singing wonderful songs into my ears. Pick me, pick me, they all screamed at me. In the end, I settled for my purple Tahari dress and silver shoes. How I’d blossomed into the fine lady staring at me in the mirror, I couldn’t tell. Aduke Ikomi, the guys are gonna be wearing their hearts on their sleeves when they see you tonight and you know what? I’m gonna try so hard to fight them off. I laughed in a ticklish manner. 

As we stepped out of my parents’ house on Osborne road, the night breeze gently caressed my skin with its softness. Everything seemed so magical. Koku opened the door to his ford car and I stepped in feeling like Cinderella. We talked and laughed about different things. And boy, I was so stuck on him. Thoughts of Deremi flashed into my head. No guilt feelings, I said to myself. I was out for the evening with a dashing friend. I didn’t mean any harm. Michael Bolton’s Missing you now played softly in the car. My friend, Irene was going to have a good laugh. Wait until she found out about this. It would be the end of my reign as Miss Prim and Proper. Wait a minute, who cared? 

Sit and Eat was one of the best restaurants around. They served real tasty food plus their services were first class. The restaurant itself was beautifully designed so one couldn’t blame Tare Akenzua for the expensive price at which everything was sold there. You love the food don’t you? Koku said to her while he put pieces of salmon in his mouth. I nodded not wanting to talk with my mouth full. I brought you here so we could talk without any interference from anybody. I nodded again, curious. What’s the problem? 

Do you remember my mum, Aduke? Of course I do. Who wouldn’t remember Nana? How is she? When last did you get to see her? How’s life without your father being there with her now? Is she still as agile as she used to be? Damn, young lady! You ask so many questions at a time. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Koku took a sip of the red wine we had on our table before answering my question. Nana is doing great. She’s become a pain in my butt. I laughed out loudly. What a thing to say about your sweet dear mother. For real o, my friend told me in his best Nigerian accent. See yourself, trying to sound like a naija boy. Abi now, I say make I try small. 

We kept quiet for the next couple of minutes. Nana wants me to get married ASAP. Koku’s rich baritone voice broke the silence. I agree with her, I blurted out. That’s the problem with everybody. You’re all quick to tell me to go get married. Can’t a man just be? I wanted to burst into laughter at the look on Koku’s face but the situation didn’t seem like such a funny one so I held back my laughter. Aduke, can you do me a favor? I popped a fortune cookie into my mouth. I’m going to Ghana next week. I need you to follow me. My mum likes you a lot and she wouldn’t bug my life when I tell her you’re my fiancée. She’ll be happy and I can rest a while from her constant anxiety. The best I could do at that moment was drum on the table with my fingers. Are you kidding? Is this some sort of childish joke? Koku frowned at me. You don’t know me as the unserious sanguine do you? Then tell me what this is all about? He held my fingers in his and rubbed them softly. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Just do this for me Aduke. Please. Only this once and I’ll be eternally grateful to you. Do you really want me to go with you to your family house in Ghana pretending that we are more than friends? You are crazy chap! You are going to deceive your dear mother? Please lady. I feel bad about this without you driving it in. I took a look at him and somehow, I felt some pity. Here was a man who was just trying his best to make his mother happy .Okay, okay. I’ll go with you to Ghana. Just once and that’s it. Thank you so much darling, I owe you my life. Koku’s face lighted up. The waiter came over just then. Perfect timing, I thought. Our bill was paid by my wonderful host and we were back in his Ford. I looked at my watch. It was some minutes past ten. 

I’ll book our flight to Ghana for next week Friday. Cool. I said, yawning. I’ve been longing to visit Ghana for a long time now. Ahhh. I’ve caught you red handed. So is that why you jumped at my offer? I pretended I was angry at his remark. Koku Mensah! You’re the most arrogant male I’ve come across in my entire life. He took one hand off the steering and tickled me with it. I burst into laughter. Oh! Stop it. I chuckled. Don’t cause an accident. Alright miss. I’ll stop it, he said mimicking me. I was still laughing when he drove into my parents’ compound. Goodnight fake fiancé, Goodnight fake fiancée. I stood and watched him as he drove off. 

Some minutes later, I was back in my bedroom slipping off my shoes and dress. It was time for my night rituals. As I stood in the shower letting water cleanse my skin, I smiled at the thought of Koku. He was a wonderful person. Too bad,Deremi meant the world to me.