LOVE IN DAMASCUS XI

 

April, 2009

It has been a month after I challenged her, she seems not to remember that someone had corrected her when she was wrong. I began to lose hope on getting closer to her because she doesn't really think someone like me exist even after our encounter. 

Even when I saw her and her friends talking, I had passed beside them thinking she would recognize me. I became a regular practical attended just to get her attention, but hell No!. Everything seems so normal to her. I had never gave up on getting a girl before but I began to give up on getting her by my side. 

Even when I got Melissa, the hottest chick in her department. She had walk her way up to me saving me the whole stress, but with the unknown girl, I haven't gotten a chance to talk to her privately. She was either in the midst of brainies or wrapped up by some lads looking for solution to their course. She seems like a goddess in her lane, everyone run up to her for answers. Guess am also looking for answers to my life, a messiah to save me but I became so determined never to give up.

On one unfortunate day that later turned a blessing to my life. I was coming back from school, so my car broke down on the street down to my house. I had wanted to get down and check what was wrong with the car but it was raining profusely, it like the rain won't stop. So I stayed in my car and waited patiently for the rain to subsidize. I kept on checking my wristwatch and to my surprise I had spent more than an hour on that spot and the rain seems to have just began, it doesn't even look like it would stop in the next one hour. So I became so impatient and I decided to take a cab home, and maybe comeback to pick my car if the rain stopped or probably the next day, depending.

I got down from the car not minding whether I was drench by the rain. So I stayed beside my car waiting for any cab that pass but unfortunately, every cab that was passing was already occupied. I was already wet from my head to the toe. My feet had start to tremble, I began to feel immersed cold. Suddenly, I saw someone with an umbrella coming my way, I became so happy but the EGO in me crept in.

'Hell No! I won't share anything with anybody' that voice kept ringing in my ear. 'What if it is my course mate?' I thought. I knew I would be so foolish if I don't ask the stranger for help. So I lean beside my car and watch the person pass beside me. I couldn't utter a word, my EGO has clouded my mind.

As the person pass, I try looking at the persons face but couldn't. It was fully covered by the umbrella, but I could hear the person voice, talking. It was a female voice but I didn't care. So all I was looking for was just to get a cab and get the hell out of there. I began to feel stiffness in my toes, like there was no longer blood flowing through it. I had wanted to enter my car and whine the glass up but I was already determined not to spend even a seconds outside. All I needed was to get home and have a nice shower and roll myself up with a blanket. So I kept signalling any oncoming cab but all of them were occupied. I then discovered the person with the umbrella coming my way again, but this time she stopped.

"Hey, you are shivering" a lovely voice called "get under the umbrella" the voice continued. 

I was reluctant at first but I had to keep my EGO and get under the umbrella. Something I should have done before but this EGO of mine was getting out of hand. 

As I got under the umbrella, what I saw was beyond my imagination. I wouldn't have thought of it, it was someone I had never thought of meeting in this state. In this cold and shivering state of mine, it all seems like a fairy tale. It was the same girl I had knocked my head for, the same girl I had troubled my mind just to catch her attention. The same girl I had corrected some month ago. That same girl standing beside me, sharing the same umbrella. It wasn't something I could have thought of, but it seems am having this charm of girls walking their way into my life.

'Why have I been bothering myself?' I thought

And that became the beginning of a new dawn in my life. I hadn't believe that something good could come from something bad. Getting drenched was the craziest thing that had ever happened to me, but she standing right next to me was the most fantastic thing have had in months. 

'I won't lose this chance' I said to myself cause this is a one in a million opportunity, but she seems not to recognize me. 

"Are you okay?" She said and drew my scattered attention back

"Yes, have never been this okay in my life" I said but didn't realize what I said until I let it out.

She gave me a nerd look but I seriously don't mind, cause she doesn't understand how happy I was.

"Are you going my way?" She asked and I merely said 'YES' even though I don't know where she was headed but I was ready to follow her wherever she was going but luckily for me, she was also headed my way. We got to the road that headed straight to my house, then she stopped.

"That is my way to my house" she pointed to the same road that leads straight to my house. I was so happy that she was arm length away from me. "Maybe I should give you the umbrella, so you can find your way home" she said and I discovered she had a kind heart, she wouldn't mind entering the rain till she get home

"Never mind, I also live that way" I said

"Really?" she said looking at me firmly "I knew it, your face look so familiar. I just can't remember where I have seen it, maybe on the street" she concluded and I suddenly realize she had forgotten me, maybe I didn't make an impact for her remember me.

So we began the second phase of our journey. I had wanted to start a conversation but couldn't. My coward mind couldn't summon any courage. I then decided it won't be palatable to talk about love in this kind of condition. Where our minds are not at rest, I know her body needs to be under a blanket. So I wasn't ready to spoil my first impression.

 'now isn't the right time' I thought

When we got to the student mini hostel down the street, she had paused and told me she was staying there. I was very Happy for I was living few blocks away from her. I had always pass by the student hostel, it has always being crowdy. So I had detested that hostel cause the one I had lived in my first year wasn't that crowdy but this was very different, probably very cheap.

'So what I was looking for was even around the corner' I whispered 

"Nice place " I said not trying to sound too impressed and she only beam me a shyly smile 

"alright I should be on my way" I continued but something in me wanted me to stay and chat with her but I couldn't. 

I had lose all my courage when I saw her and I couldn't engage myself in any discussion. What I needed the most was to be under my blanket. So I announced my leave.

"Alright" she replied "...and whenever you are free kindly return the umbrella" she added after a pause.

My heart became filled with joy 

"we are going to have another meeting" I whispered to myself

"Sure I will return the Umbrella" I said with gladness and I could feel those cold eluding me for awhile.

"Okay, bye" she said with a lovely voice as she entered the verandah. I stood in the rain shielded by an umbrella and watched her as she disappeared into one room. I was glad as I turned to take my leave. I began to walk home majestically not even in a rush anymore

I began to get flashes of the whole incident, I had been drenched and she had come to my rescue, i began to relate issues with how I met Melissa. I had being eyeing Melissa for so long but she took no notice of me and after a long time, she had walked into my life herself like this particular girl.... I suddenly realized I haven't ask for her name. She had been in my eye for so long and with enough patience, she had walked herself into my life, at least if not fully into my life. I wasn't ready to let go, Never!

My thought was disturbed by the sudden change in weather, the rain had stopped. It was God work, guess I was destined to be with her, destined to meet her. I looked up at the sky and saw the rainbow smiling at me. I was so happy, for the first time I was happy I was soaked in rain the rain had engineered my meeting with her and I call it 'fate' for we were destined to meet one way or the other.

Soon as I entered my compound, what I saw was beyond my imagination. A mad man in the compound dancing naked. He was shouting and screaming, guess there was no one at home cause nobody came out, maybe they were stuck at school due to the rain. I wondered how he entered the compound cause the compound was always locked. I was not ready to ruin such a lovely evening. So as i was about to enter my apartment, I saw a glimpse of the face and it registered in a seconds in my brain.

"Oh my God!" I shouted.

 I didn't know who pushed me or what made me run. I just saw that I was running, not away from the mad man but closer to him. I just couldn't bring myself to mention his name. It was ..... Oh my God! Can I really say it, I couldn't even dream of it. 

Danny was already mad at least if not completely mad for now mentally unstable. He was displaying in the compound naked. So immediately, I took him to my apartment. He was trying to free himself from my grip but due to my huge masculine body, I was able to get a hold on him, so I pinned him down. I let loose of my belt and tied his hand with it, it was just like in the movies. 

Guess I watch too much of it, so I immediately wore him my anorak. Actually in the reverse manner like they do in the asylum. So I tied the sleeves of the anorak together and he was unable to move his hands. For the first time I was so glad to have being able to practice what I watch in movies.

So I looked round my room for sleeping pills Melissa had gave me when I had complained to her that I find it unable to sleep. So she had bought me pill which I had only used once. So I ransacked my cabinet looking for the pill which I found lying helplessly beneath my textbook. I ran to my kitchen to get a metal spoon and a glass of water. I used the metal spoon to open danny mouth and immediately flush the pill with a glass of water.

I sat opposite him waiting for the pill to take effect. After twenty minute or so, the pill was already taking effect. I could see him dozing, I became relieved so I laid him down on my bed and went to the kitchen to prepare what to eat. Its been a very long day.

'What if people were in the compound' I thought. It would have being a stigma on him for many years to come. Am glad I had came at the right time.

I knew what was wrong with danny was Frustration. It was something similar to mine. I thought i was okay but I wasn't. Danny had been living like a living dead for a very long time. He looks okay physically but something was wrong with him mentally.

I didn't know exactly what was wrong with him or what might be bothering him and I felt sorry for him. I felt annoyed at myself for pushing him away, I knew if I had been with him, such might not have happened. I might have detected the problem with him, but I had pushed him away all because I felt he was a bad influence. Since I knew what was right, I should have made him realize the effect of what he was doing, the negative influence of smoking but instead I pushed him away and I felt bad. All I know is that danny needed a quick intervention. He needed someone he could pour out his mind to, someone who he could rely upon, someone who he could lean on, someone who can save him from the ditch in his life, someone who will make him a man he really wants to be, he need a messiah.

   * * * *

After few hours, the pill had began to lose effect. I could see that danny was already regaining consciousness. I began to pray silently, I didn't want anymore unstable display especially not in my apartment. I had put my tape closer in case he wakes up and began to shout. I would immediately tape his mouth. I don't want the rest of the people in the compound to know what was happening for they have all arrived.

So I stood still and watched him gain consciousness. Danny opened his eyes wide and I could see pain in it. I had expected shouting and screaming but found none.

"Joe" he said and I thanked God for his recovery "why am I being bonded?"

I was happy he was already in his right senses

"You don't remember anything?' I asked looking stern

"Well, all I remember was that I was......" Danny looked at me and I perfectly understood what he meant. He had being smoking-

"....... after that I went blank and didn't remember anything"

I stared hard at danny, I could see how miserable his life had become. I didn't know whether to feel pity or hatred for him. I had always thought he was smoking cigarette, but now he is on blunt. Only God knows what mixture he had smoked to put him in that state.

"Danny" I called with disgust "something is bothering you and it is killing you. I think it is time to let go. Time to say whatsoever that is weighing you down"

Danny looked at me and I knew he must be wondering what made me think he was bothered, but it was so glaring and obvious. I could see that he was bothered.

"Nothing is bothering me" he said after so many thought but I merely smiled knowing fully well that he was lying or maybe he didn't know that something was wrong with him or probably didn't want to accept the fact that he isn't in his right state of mind.

"Danny" I said "let's face reality, you are not okay"

"Joe!" He said half screaming and it jerked me from my seat. I thought he had started displaying again "I am okay" 

"Well, if you say so. I want you to know I was once in this type of situation before I discovered myself early"

"Really?" He said calming down

"Yes, but mine wasn't mental instability. It hadn't gotten to that" I suddenly realized I shouldn't have said that. "Just tell me what the problem is"

"What is wrong with me? Is it really a problem? If so, then I have a problem" he said as he confessed everything to me but I only smiled because he had admitted he needed help....an urgent help.

So I was glad I might be of help, or maybe....... I was his Messiah.