By Sulayman Jeng
“Certainly, you will not survive without me for a day”, he mocks Musukoi. “You are never serious when I am. Yeah…yeah. Who was running after the other?” challenged Musukoi. Amadou smile sheepishly as he recollected when he first saw her. Amadou was not ready. Falling in love again was the least in his priorities especially after his last relationship. Nevertheless, the moment he saw her face at the market, something inside him whispered, “That is her. Yes, she is the one”. “What?” he thought aloud. “Your soulmate”, it stated flatly. Their eyes locked. The gaze was intense, tender and pleasant. It felt as though they knew each other for years and smiled at each other spontaneously. His heart began pulsating like the canons of ancient wars. Sweat moistened his palms and legs began to shake. She started walking towards him. Oh gosh! Amadou felt the ground sliding under his feet as his head spun. Suddenly, everything went blank. He was not day dreaming. She walked past him smiling. Amadou’s mouth opened and remained ajar like a sleeping crocodile unable to utter a word. Afraid? Absolutely, he was afraid. He did not have a clue of why he was afraid. For the first time Amadou lost his confidence in approaching a girl. Perhaps, he was afraid to say something wrong. May be he was even more afraid to look oafish before her? “Holy shit!” he muttered. “How could you?” The inner voice was rebuking him for his cowardice. “She won’t bite beside shit is not holy, loser”, it added scornfully as if he has not already suffered enough humiliation. A part of him urged to go after her while the other warned against the idea; dishing it as frantic.
As she disappeared into the crowd, it dawned on him that he knew neither her name nor someone who knows her. Amadou became very livid with the voice which persuaded him from pursuing her. “Perhaps, she was sent by God to torment me. Or maybe she is another terrestrial being”, he tried mending his dented ego. While trying his hardest to block her off his head, a boyish idea sneaked rudely in Amadou’s saturated mind: “How about coming back tomorrow at the same time?” “Yes! Yes!” he shouted throwing his hands in the air victoriously. A couple of passers-by looked at him suspiciously wondering what he was celebrating. He will come here every day waiting for her, Amadou resolved until she appears. “That is really crazy and stupid. Possibly she lives in another village”, the wet blanket voice teased. “What is your problem? If it were not for you, I would have followed her and at least get her name, but thanks for nothing. Now, if you don’t mind, please let me be and mind your own business”, Amadou shouted and walked off dispassionately.
At home, Amadou went straight into his room and slumped into bed feeling disoriented. Suddenly, a gush of venom like molten lava filled his airways choking him into a state of breathlessness. He was so angry he could literally touch it. Angry at himself for not been manly enough to say at least hello to her. “How could I let some impulsive voice stop me in my pursuit when my guts got it right?” Amadou scolded himself. “Amz”, Karamo’s mischievous voice halted his train of thoughts. “Boy”, Amadou responded coldly, “You will not believe what happened to me today”. “Please do not tell me it is Koimafranso again”, he went on. “Definitely, it is not her. And what made you think it is her anyway?” Amadou challenged him. “All I know is she left with a big chunk of you with her. No other girl will ever fill her space in your heart”, he said dotingly. “To be honest with you, I shared the same notion until I saw this girl today. Oh my God, she is amazingly stunning Karamo”. “Just hold on for a minute. Is she anyone I know Amz? What is her name?” he asked sitting across from him. “Your guess is as good as mine. I know neither her name nor anyone who knows her but for now I will call her Sasaboro. In fact if I am lucky to see her again, I will tell her that I have rechristened her Sasaboro”. “Hmmm! Go on; tell me more about this mysterious girl”, encouraged Karamo. “It is not an embellishment to say that when God was creating her, he suspended everything else and concentrated on sculpting her from start to finish”, continued Amadou as he floated with every recap of their encounter. “Amz just chill for a second and be serious. This is not of you. Is she an angel?” interjected Karamo. “Sasaboro is an awesome light-skinned girl. Medium with curvy hips and a meticulously sculpted Fulani butt. Her mesmeric face is imbued with two piercing gorgeous eyes and a leaned pointed nose. When she smiled at me as she walked pass, her succulent and silky lips illuminated the whole market. What is even more beguiling is her confidence that is void of any tension”. “Amz, if I didn’t know you for long, I would say you are either crazy or making this up. Such beauty is only be spoken of the women in heaven”, Karamo stated flatly before adding, “I am heading to Swaibou’s tomorrow evening. Would you mind joining me?” “I will sleep over it”, Amadou replied absent-mindedly. His mind beating his conscience for not acting right with Koimafranso. Even though Amadou never subscribed to the notion he found himself remembering the admonition his literature teacher once told him: you cannot gain anything without first investing in it. “What about lottery”, one of his classmates chorused. Even in a game of chance like lottery, one has to be in it to win it. Why did he fail to approach her and say hello, Amadou thought. Karamo sensing his mate wasn’t himself, begged to take leave of him. By midday, Karamo knocked on his buddy’s door. “Wakie…wakie. Are you set?” He demanded. “Boy, honestly I am in no mood of going out today”, Amadou managed. Karamo insisted and finally prevailed on his buddy to accompany him to Swaibou’s house.
