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The Slugger
So in 2012, I finished my final examinations
and the next thing on my agenda was
marriage
You see, I had this babe that I had been dating
for eight years and we had both made solid
plans for the future, all I needed to do was
graduate and get a job
I packed all my bags and went
to Oshogbo
When I got to her house she was not at home
When I asked her younger sister, she couldn’t
reply clearly
I should have seen it
The thoughtful responses & forced smiles
I should have seen it and made sense of it
but I didn’t
I went home
I called her phone over and over
She didn’t pick
The next day, I didn’t see her and she didn’t
return my call
Wow
What was my offense?
The last thing on my mind was that she had
moved on or left me hugging a duffel bag
I was sure it was due to circumstances
beyond her control
I went to check her at home that
evening
I met her folks but she was conspicuously
absent
Nobody told me anything, even her mother
There was a boy who came to live with her
folks because he wasn’t doing well academically
in Lagos
That boy followed me for a bit when I left
their house
He said “She is with one guy now, his name
is so and so, they will not tell you but
someone has to tell you because they will
just be laughing at you at your back
I asked the boy if he had the phone
number of the guy
He said he will find it and send it to me
I thanked him
When I got home, I was restless and
mad
She didn’t even think I deserve a conversation
She had met another guy and I was history
I was the one who made her what she
had become
I was the one who sponsored her education
since we finished secondary school
Even if we wouldn’t get married, courtesy
demanded that I be
treated with dignity
That young man sent me the number
I walked to the available phone call centre
and bought two new SIM cards
I removed my SIM card and wrote
“My name is Taofeek, I am HIV positive.
I used to sleep with your girlfriend and
wanted to ask her to go and check
herself before she infects others because
I am sure I got it from her.
I have sent her this same message and
I hope she will do the right thing.
I forwarded the message to the guy and
my number then I forwarded this to her
with the same number
“I have been searching
for you, wicked witch, you have infected
me with HIV and you’re now doing the
same to other victims.
God will punish you for ruining my life!”
I removed the SIM card and inserted
my own
I waited
Within an hour she called me, she said we
needed to talk
I said I will be in my parent’s house
She arrived within the hour
She was in tears
I feigned ignorance
What is the problem?
She lied that she had been so busy
Then she said “Please I need some money,
if you lend it to me I’d be happy to pay
you back when I can”
I asked her what she needed the money for
She said she wanted to do HIV test
I asked her if she had been sick, she said no
So why the HIV test thingy?
She said she had a dream, and I should
know that her dream comes to pass.
In that dream she saw that she was
HIV positive and she wanted to confirm
if that was true or false
I couldn’t believe it
She was lying through her teeth
I asked her who Taofeek was, she froze
I told her I got a text message from
one guy and the guy told me to do HIV
test since I am her boyfriend
She said “Ah, this thing has spread
everywhere, my life is over.
Why is Taofeek doing this to me”
Toh!!!
That Taofeek guy was a guy she was
suspiciously close to some years back,
she had always denied getting sexually
involved with him.
So I said how many people do you think
could have potentially received that
message, I mean that you have slept
with since you dated Taofeek
She said 23
That was when I realised I should have
left her for the guy she was with at that
moment
What would be the point of fighting for
a love that was never there?
I told her I didn’t have any money
She noticed that my countenance changed
and left after a while
She went to do the HIV test the next day
When I called her, she called and told me
where she was
I picked the second SIM card and inserted
it into my phone
I wrote, my name is Seun, your girlfriend
“so and so” has infected me with HIV
I have gone diabolical on her because I know
she did it intentionally
Anyone that sleeps with her will die on top
of her
The same thing she did to me, I have done
for her mine is just deadlier”
I wrote the same message and forwarded it
to her and then I forwarded it to my own
phone number too
When her new boyfriend got it he called
and broke up with her
She couldn’t believe it
The guy said he couldn’t jeopardise his
life for her, she needed to deal with
whatever it was
I didn’t know she was cohabiting with
the guy, that was why she was never
home when I went to check on her and
her sisters never said anything
The guy threw her out and she returned
home before 5pm that day
Then she came to my house and started
touching me
She said the test said
“Non reactive” and therefore she was
HIV free Even though they told her to
do another test in six months
I said great
Then she said “I have moved back home
from school, we will be able to spend
more time together” and well I have
missed her so much, how could I say no
So I kissed
her back and led her to my room
It was the one thing in my body that I
had to get rid of
I needed badly to sleep with her again,
the last time was before I left for school
and I have missed her
When we were done, she started acting
all wifey and we started talking about
the life,
wedding, getting good jobs and settling
down again
It was nice knowing she was back with me
As I began to walk her home that evening,
I realised she really didn’t want to be with me
I was the guy she falls back to when other
guys maltreat or disappoint her
She really didn’t love
me and it would be a mistake to marry her
So I told her this as we strolled slowly
towards her parent’s house
I asked her why she wasn’t bothered that
between when we met (she was a virgin)
and that day, she was with me while
sleeping with other guys
What was she looking for?
She said “You sound like you want to
break up with me.
Please don’t break up with me.
Forgive me and I promise I will be
faithful to you.”
I didn’t say a word
When she got home, we hugged
and I left
The next morning, I picked my bag
and traveled to Abuja
That was how I started
my new life
She tried reaching me through friends,
her mother and siblings but I ignored
all of them
There was no point.
My heart hurt so badly those days, but
for once logic prevailed
I was posted for NYSC and I met my
wife in camp
She was three years younger than me
and bright
I married her three years later
Bro. Gbenga, I sent you this experience
because the mother of this lady I
described above is critically ill
She called me out of the blue and asked
that I assist her in anyway I can
I don’t want to have anything to do with
them sir, they are very
devious people
The way they acted that time was terrible
They treated me like a stranger and took
advantage of me financially and in other
ways when I was dating their daughter
but they turned their back when their
daughter found someone else
What should I do sir?
-E. M.
End