I am not much of a fashionista, and I have curves. Loads of curves! My curves have curves, but as usual, I digress, Anyway, I got off this steroid that I'd been on for about 4 years which made me put on so much weight (Thanks Dr M, God is watching you!) and the weight just started melting off! So, being me, any-time I found a style that worked for me, I stuck FAITHFULLY. I had some ankara skirts made, same style different colors, that showed off my brand-new waist-line. I figured I'd just tuck some tank tops into them, slip into my staple- comfy flats, grab the nearest handbag (THANK YOU COLOUR-BLOCKING) and be out the door in no distant time.
That worked for a while, and it was fab until I saw a picture of myself in a magazine and promptly flipped! The supposed empire-waist was somewhere under my belly! So, the next time I heart that weird scissors-clicking-against-sewing-machine noise (don't be a snob, you know the one!) I yelled "Aboki!" And for a little amount of money, I was back to my fabulous, stylish self!
Anyway, my waist-line wasn't done reducing apparently, so another day I was set to go on a date, and voilà! a gape at the waist! Again, I hear the clink and yell "Aboki" and before you know it, I am back with a bang!
The guy was a dweeb, and my "efforts" were wasted.
Now, in the business of love, giving up isn't an option, so about a month later,the day came that I had dinner with a hottie and since I had convinced myself that one of these ankara skirts would land me my hubby, I whipped out the skirt again and tried it on and behold the gape again! I yell "Aboki" and so we start the process:
Me: Aboki, please hold this skirt at the waist for me, maybe an inch on each side. How much?
Aboki: Madam, why you no go just wait make you lekpa reach as you like, then you fit change the skirts? Or buy new one sef?
Shocker! I look at him, and I could've sworn I'd never set eyes on him before!
Me: Ah! You don do work for me before?
Aboki: Ah Ah! Na me do de purple one, that yollo one and de red one. Abi you no remember me? Dat last time, you come give me coke mek I drink, you say sun too hot.
Me: (still looking on in disbelief) No, I no remember.
Aboki: Ha! Na im be say Madam na very kind pesin. You even pray for me sef dat day, then give me coke on top!
Me: (preening a little) okay o! No wahala.
It's not much, but it got me thinking about all the other people we meet or work with everyday while we are busy living our lives. The little off-handed kindness I had shown to this man without even thinking could save my life! God forbid there's another Jihad, but it did cross my mind!
I thought about the convo's I'd had in taxi's where I couldn't be bothered about who was or wasn't listening,or even the conversation's with the cabbie's( cos I have a knack for picking chatty ones), my favorite restaurants, the waiter's and waitresses there, even the market near my house with all the marketers there. What little things could they have picked up from that brief, almost meaningless interaction?
Sometimes, these so called "little" people have great power! You think I'm making a mountain out of a mole-hill, right? I might be, but I remember the girl who came to me looking for a job, she wanted to be a nanny, and when I asked her why she left her previous job, she said her Madam was so nice to her and her family, she loved her so much, and trusted her too. She had flown her out of the country twice! Something she never thought she'd get to do, but recently her Madam had to go away for surgery and she was left to take care of the house and Madam's hubby, but he started to make advances towards her, tried to grope her every chance he got, so she just thought it best to look for another job till Madam returned!
I also remember coming home late one Friday night after a party and chatting away endlessly to the cabbie, most of it was alcohol-induced, but we got along well. We exchanged phone numbers and I went to sleep as soon as I got in. He called me the next day to tell me that I'd forgotten my wallet in his cab, and asked if he could bring it over, and he actually did! No bills were missing, my Id cards and ATM's were intact!
Well, I wrote this long story to make two points really clear:
1. I am nice to the "little" people.
2. You should be too!
That worked for a while, and it was fab until I saw a picture of myself in a magazine and promptly flipped! The supposed empire-waist was somewhere under my belly! So, the next time I heart that weird scissors-clicking-against-sewing-machine noise (don't be a snob, you know the one!) I yelled "Aboki!" And for a little amount of money, I was back to my fabulous, stylish self!
Anyway, my waist-line wasn't done reducing apparently, so another day I was set to go on a date, and voilà! a gape at the waist! Again, I hear the clink and yell "Aboki" and before you know it, I am back with a bang!
The guy was a dweeb, and my "efforts" were wasted.
Now, in the business of love, giving up isn't an option, so about a month later,the day came that I had dinner with a hottie and since I had convinced myself that one of these ankara skirts would land me my hubby, I whipped out the skirt again and tried it on and behold the gape again! I yell "Aboki" and so we start the process:
Me: Aboki, please hold this skirt at the waist for me, maybe an inch on each side. How much?
Aboki: Madam, why you no go just wait make you lekpa reach as you like, then you fit change the skirts? Or buy new one sef?
Shocker! I look at him, and I could've sworn I'd never set eyes on him before!
Me: Ah! You don do work for me before?
Aboki: Ah Ah! Na me do de purple one, that yollo one and de red one. Abi you no remember me? Dat last time, you come give me coke mek I drink, you say sun too hot.
Me: (still looking on in disbelief) No, I no remember.
Aboki: Ha! Na im be say Madam na very kind pesin. You even pray for me sef dat day, then give me coke on top!
Me: (preening a little) okay o! No wahala.
It's not much, but it got me thinking about all the other people we meet or work with everyday while we are busy living our lives. The little off-handed kindness I had shown to this man without even thinking could save my life! God forbid there's another Jihad, but it did cross my mind!
I thought about the convo's I'd had in taxi's where I couldn't be bothered about who was or wasn't listening,or even the conversation's with the cabbie's( cos I have a knack for picking chatty ones), my favorite restaurants, the waiter's and waitresses there, even the market near my house with all the marketers there. What little things could they have picked up from that brief, almost meaningless interaction?
Sometimes, these so called "little" people have great power! You think I'm making a mountain out of a mole-hill, right? I might be, but I remember the girl who came to me looking for a job, she wanted to be a nanny, and when I asked her why she left her previous job, she said her Madam was so nice to her and her family, she loved her so much, and trusted her too. She had flown her out of the country twice! Something she never thought she'd get to do, but recently her Madam had to go away for surgery and she was left to take care of the house and Madam's hubby, but he started to make advances towards her, tried to grope her every chance he got, so she just thought it best to look for another job till Madam returned!
I also remember coming home late one Friday night after a party and chatting away endlessly to the cabbie, most of it was alcohol-induced, but we got along well. We exchanged phone numbers and I went to sleep as soon as I got in. He called me the next day to tell me that I'd forgotten my wallet in his cab, and asked if he could bring it over, and he actually did! No bills were missing, my Id cards and ATM's were intact!
Well, I wrote this long story to make two points really clear:
1. I am nice to the "little" people.
2. You should be too!
No comments:
Post a Comment