Even though I was joking when I told Aramide I was going to marry Daddy Orire’s daughter, I really want to meet her in person. I think I should meet her maybe she’ll be somebody I’ll like and then I can totally forget about Funmi. The truth is I can only let go of Funmi in my heart if I allow somebody else in, which is why I’ll have to be careful who I get close to from now on.
I wanted to ask Daddy Orire for his daughter’s number but I felt it will be a bad idea. I think it’s better to allow him use his own way. Touring Europe together will be a good Avenue to know her daughter very well even though it’s still gonna be longer.
Talking of Uncle Ben, his caring towards me in the little time I’ve known him his already surpassing that of Daddy Orire. He gets in touch almost every time and sends me money indiscriminately. I have a feeling he has a high share in the company so I’m going to assume he’s close to Funmi’s Dad.
After getting back to PH, we resume work and I was happy we were told to go to any engineering section we love. The company is a very big one having heavy machineries they use in processing of the fruit juices up to canning, bottling and packaging. Temmy and I used the first week to tour the whole engineering and none engineering sections as we were respected all over the places. I thought the respect was because we came through the manager bit I was wrong.
After settling to stay at the maintenance control section we discovered after the manager, the most feared personality is a young looking lady they called director. She’s young in face but old in age. She has a very beautiful face coupled with wonderful and appealing structure that fill in for her brief (not tall) height. She’s on charge of the employees activities in the company and will never take nonsense from anybody. Contrarily, she was nice to us and allow us to do whatever we like and this made others fear us thinking we can tell her anything. Why she’s nice to us, I can’t tell.
We were able to learn the maintenance routine on time as the chief engineer always asked us to include our ideas anytime we are on the machines. Temmy and I introduced Routine Maintenance which they’ve not been practicing very well before we came there. They were too focused on Repair Maintenance which we believed was too costly as it consumes both capital and production time. Our routine maintenance introduction was bringing great results as we were able to discover impending problems before they occur thereby preventing production down time due to total repair. This made us chief engineer favorites and made uncle Ben extremely happy.
The director took her being nice to another level one particular day as she took me on tour of PH, though she was supposed to be on leave that day. We drove through the garden city as she took me to a nearby island. I was initially scared of entering into the speed bist but seeing how confident she was, I summoned courage. Getting back from the island we headed into the other parts of the city we could get to.
Director: You looked too scared on the boat
Me: That’s my first time on water Director.
Director: You can call me Joy.
Me: OH, that’s not. . .
Director: Call me Joy. You don’t have problem, or you don’t like me?
Me: (Oh oh, which kind like be that one) Why not ma? I’ve heard you Aunty Joy
Joy: Do you have to put Aunty there?
Me: You know I’m a Yoruba boy, I dare not call my elder ordinarily.
Joy: Am I that old?
Me: You are actually young in face and beautiful
Joy: (Smiling) Thanks, that means a lot.
Me: But you are not as young as your look suggests
Joy: You might be right. How are you enjoying the city?
Me: I must confess, after these five months, I love this place.
Joy: Really? So you’ll love to settle here?
Me: I’m still thinking about that. I just love the environment. The traffic here is also not as thick compared to Lagos.
Joy: You can say that again.
As we were talking, she received a call and spoke on the phone for a while.
Joy: Will, there will be a little destruption to our tour
Me: No problem ma
Joy: I need to see my sister. I’ll get her some stuffs when we get to mile 1.
Me: It’s alright ma
She described her sister’s place and the place was on the same. E street as I he’s rented house. She rented the place since her PPA waa not providing her accommodation and the place was too far from her aunts house. Temmy and I do visit her there whenever we are free and she do come to our Lodge also. Ifunaya stays a little far from us and this reduced the frequency at which we can visit her coupled with the fact that she’s staying with her fiance’s sister. We wouldn’t want to give the said sister a reason to worry.
We drove into the streets and I decided to say hello to Uche instead of following Aunty Joy down to her sister’s place.
Joy: The friend live here?
Me: Yes, her house is that three stories painted on yellow and green.
Joy: Ooo, and I want you to meet my sister
Me: There will be another time right?
Joy: She’s not always at home
Me: I can come there when I’m done with my friend
Joy: Male or female?
Me: (Why that question now) Female, a fellow corps member
Joy: Okay, I’ll call you when I’m ready to leave
Me: Okay ma
She dropped me off exactly in front of I he’s lodge and I stood there watching where she’ll enter to know where to follow when the time comes. I entered into the gate and climbed to the second floor where Uche’s self contained room was located. I knocked at the door several times but I was not receiving any response. Her front door curtail drawn inside indicates she’s inside as she always pull the curtail outside whenever she’s going out. I knocked on the door again and I was about leaving when one of her neighbors who was obviously watching me asked me to push the door inside to confirm if she’s really inside.
I turned the door handle and push the door inside and it did open. I entered the room and met a guy in his boxers and top underwear, watching movie on his phone with the ear piece plugged into his ear. I guess that’s why he couldn’t hear me knock. Sighting me, he pull off one of the ear plug to greet me as I take my sit on one of the two chairs in the room. I suspect unease attitude from the dude the moment I sat down, maybe he wasn’t expecting me to be comfortable.
Me: I’m sorry, I knocked several times but there was no response
Guy: I was on ear piece, I’m sorry.
Me: No problem, she’s not around?
Guy: She’s in the bathroom.
Me: (I promise myself not to ill think. By the way, what’s my own) Okay, I’ll wait for her. I’m William by the way (I stretched my hand to him and shook each other)
Guy: I’m copper Kingsley
Me: Oh you are a corps member too
Kingsley: Really, which batch?
Me: Batch B
Kingsley: You redeploy to this state?
Me: Not at all, you?
Kingsley: No, that’s why I’m surprised not to have sighted you before. Not even on camp
Me: I used to be on my own on camp, so most people can’t know me.
We spoke on and talk as if we’ve always known each other. Uche dud came out of the bathroom not properly covered as she reacted rather shockingly seeing me. I don’t know why she was shocked though, maybe it’s because she wasn’t totally covered. I redirect my gaze to allow her dress properly as the guy gave her a bigger to cover herself.
Uche: Will! You didn’t tell me you were coming
Me: I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was coming too. We came to see someone in this vicinity and I decided to say hi to you.
Uche: OH, where is Temmy?
Me: He’ll be in the lodge or at work
Uche: So you came alone?
Me: To your room? Yes, to this street? No. I came with our director. I’ll be leaving now.
Uche: Why?
Me: I Promised her I won’t stay long here.
Uche: Oh, and I want to see you o
Me: No problem, we can see another time
Kingsley: Uche let me go to that place now, I’ll come latter in the evening if I’m back early.
Uche: Alright, Will this is K…
Kingsley: We’ve done that ourselves. Guy, we’ll see later right?
Me: Most likely. You take care Bro
Kingsley: You too man (He left the room)
Uche: You call him Bro?
Me: Yes now, all guys are brother.
Uche: Alright o, how are you doing?
Me: I’m fine. Hrs an handsome dude
Uche: Hmm, I know where you are going
Me: Uche I know you are dating him, so don’t try to play around the truth.
Uche: Not entirely though. Are you not the one that caused it?
Me: It’s my speciality with women, I’m always the one that cause stuffs.
Uche: Are you and Funmi back together?
Me: We are on good talking terms so we are good friends
Uche: Hmm, well truth is I wish I’m the one I’m your heart but I need to confess today.
Me: Confess what?
Uche: Will, please promise you won’t hate me
Me: Why will I hate you?
Uche: Just promise
Me: I’m a Christian, it’s a sin to hate other men
Uche: Em Em, she asked me to do it. She really begged me and I don’t have option
Me: I’m listening
Uche: I’m the one that told Funmi about you and Ifunaya on camp
Me: What?!!!
Uche: I’m sorry, she asked me to.