I have had many dates. No! Not many but a couple of them. I can even count the times on my hands. More than five yet lesser than ten.
Some were embarrassing, others bad—good and not up to par.
But one date stood out for me. One that changed the way —a perspective I viewed life, spent money and enjoyed myself. One that taught me to be watchful.
She was my love.
Simmer down, let that sink in.
She was because I’ll miss her. I miss her. It was my mistake that she became spoken of, in the past tense.
Listen, when you go on a date. Focus your attention on your date. Stop staring, and moping at anything that walks across. Stick to your date and make her your priority.
Okay, back to the story.
She was my baby, my woman— my everything. I met her two years ago in a shopping mall. There were a couple of people in there, swaying luscious hips and flaunting cleavages but No! she only caught my fantasy. She was elegant, to say the least. Decoratively packed like a Jumia delivery. An epitome of class—high class.
It was love at first sight. Immediately I set my eyes on her. I fell for her, hard. She captured my beating heart, revived the dead part, and blew me away.
I moved towards her with the gait of a tiger. Wooing her was a war with Goliath the giant. I was lashed with torrents of name-calling, negotiations, rolling of eyes, hisses, and jeers. I stood firm in my resolve. The confidence and belief I exhibited that day still shocked me today. Like the heck did that come from?
The good news—is she gave us a chance.
Our times together birthed memories— good and bad. I remember the joyful sound she makes when alerting me of new developments. The way she teases me. The smiles she painted on my face most of the time. The laughter. Our hand-in-hand walks on the streets—under the moonlight. Her cuddles and caresses. And most of all her educational prowess and soothing tunes.
I also remember the bad. Don’t I? When she goes stiff, Gaga practices her silent treatment. Was it her irritating snubs? her turn-off moments? Was it her addictive gum? The errors she made? But I loved her with her flaws.
There’s no need to cry over spilled milk, I told myself.
Lamentations won’t and can’t bring her back. These things happen and we can’t help but blame our poor choices.
She’d have still been by my side if not for the event of yesterday.
How did I get entangled in the world of regrets you’d ask.
Well, read on.
I left home that afternoon, covering my eyes with dark shades. The confidence I exhumed was contagious as people stared. They were shocked at how I held my dates and boarded an Okada.
We visited New Haven’s resort. The resort had a bar, a gaming centre, and a swimming pool. The environment was lit up. Waiters did their jobs of tending and serving. Swimmers were having fun in the pool. Fresh flesh was on display as ladies in bikinis flapped their fleshy buttocks. Guys too displayed their torsos, hairy chest, and things of importance.
“Thirty billion for the akant o,” was the song bursting through the stereo. I drew a chair to myself and sat close to the pool. My date sat beside me. A man should be allowed a moment of fantasy. So as they—glass-figured ladies sashayed around rousing some desire in me. I stared, sparing my date with a little smile and a few chuckles.
Ordering some drinks, I gulped a couple of glasses. The view was priceless. I was in dark shades—it was hard to notice. I stole a few glances at my date who in turn didn’t complain about the starved affection.
It was then my bladder called. Had I known I would have stayed put on that chair but with a tap on her glittering skin, I informed her of my intention to visit the toilet.
She obliged.
I stood up. Mother earth turned her back on me. Heaven frowned. I staggered courtesy of the drinks running in my system and as my legs left the table, my laps pushed my baby off balance and she landed in the pool.
I screamed as I saw her body drop into the water. Cold panic paralyzed me. She didn’t know how to swim, I didn’t either so she let her body submerge, flapping herself once. I wanted to jump in and save her, save the day like Superman but the lifeguard was on hand to rescue her.
The lifeguard rescued her but she lay motionless. No sound. No movement. Nada! We tried flipping her to the side, and performing mouth-to-mouth oxygen — resuscitation yet she never moved. The lifeguard shook his head and I got the message. I walked over to where she lay, tears forming as the memories came flashing by.
She had been my best friend. My pal of life. I carried her in my arms to feel her body one last time.
I’ll miss her, that I know for sure.
I weep for you, my love!
I will miss you forever !!
Rest in peace my TECHNO SPARK 4 Smartphone!!! Till we meet to part no more.
© Stephen Toochi
StephStories
