I became known as one of the “efikkos” (nerds)
Every evening back in the hostel, Deola would ask how my day was…she would talk to me for a while and I could tell she kinda liked me because she didn’t do that to everyone in our room. The day I ran into her at the faculty building, I had assumed she would snub me…it was like the re-enactment of when the prince met the pauper but she actually gave me a hug and I could see that even her friends were taken aback. She introduced me to them and some were still reluctant to say hi.
Deola said she would see me in the hostel later, as she walked away with her friends. They looked like real life Barbie dolls, from their hairdos to their shoes…and it felt cool to have even been “recognized” by and with them, maybe that would help hype my reputation with some of my snobbish course mates, I thought to myself.
Sister Grace visited me about five weeks after resumption; she brought me some stuff. I was already running out of things but I had learnt and mastered the art of surviving on little. She stayed a while and we talked and talked…
She told me that my brothers were also doing well and had sent me some money as well. I noticed she was holding a GSM phone (the technology had been around for some years but only one of the providers had service in our town. Their rates were crazy and very expensive, so we never bothered to get one in the family). Apparently, the phone was a gift from a guy that had been trying to date my sister but she had been too busy to give the guy a chance or even an audience and my being in school made her relax a little bit.
She gave me the number and it felt good to have a way to communicate with my family, especially my mum. Quite a number of students, especially the ones from the cities, had GSM phones too and there were call centers all over campus. I couldn’t wait to call my mum the following day…it was a Sunday.I quickly went to take my bath before the bathrooms were messed up. When I got back, I noticed someone had tampered with my bag…I was only away for about 10 minutes
“Ye…I don gawk myself” (I have let down my guard) I screamed.
Continues in episode 4
-Lanre Olagbaju
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Click 9 below to read episode 4
