Talent on the Street - Episode 5

 

‘’Mary Kay has taken over you, you look like a ghost when all your mates have gotten married, you are doing packaging old grandmother @sandradiva’’.

Sandra didn’t believe what one of her followers posted on her instagram account. She uploaded a picture of herself at a wedding reception she attended at the weekend. She replied the follower that ‘’your grandmother is a phantom’’ . Before she knew it, her reaction started generating more insults from people; it was trending on social media. That was the first time she will suffer insult on social media since she became a celebrity.

She was angry but truth must be told at thirty-seven, she has no man to call her own. All men coming her way wanted to have s*x with her or to swindle her.

‘’Look for a man to marry’’ Anita told her after leaving a set going home.

‘’Where is the man’’ she responded

Anita told her to look for a man even if he is not rich like her, she will just be humble and be submissive to the man. She promised to give it a trial but not giving it any meaningful commitment.

       * * *

Her bubble burst when she suffered insult from someone she loved most.

‘’I don’t want to see you with her again’’ Julius instructing his wife Joke to sever her friendship with Sandra. He continued ‘’I am afraid she will influence you to join her in engaging in pr*stitution one day’’

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/talent-on-the-street

. Joke was shocked by her husband last statement ‘’pr*stitution’’

He finished the discussion by saying ‘’choose between her and your family’’ and walked away.

When they were discussing inside their sitting room, Sandra was at their door eavesdropping on their conversation. They would have known she is around if she had driven in her car, but she parked outside. She was perplexed by what happened inside. She thought about her last conversation with Julius when he came with his family for a dinner in her house. ‘’If not because I know you very well, in Africa a lady of your age and status without husband will be called a pr*stitute’’.

The statement re-echoed in her head. She sat inside her cars sobbing; she felt nemesis was catching up on her because of her past. She remembered what Anita told her few days ago to look for a man.    

        *  *  *

                Affluence Club is a leisure arena for fun seekers; it is a place for those with money seeking for fun, everything at the club is very expensive compared with price at open market. It was the only Club in town that invites A-list artistes to entertain customers, a viable strategy the club is using to attract customers. Sandra entered the Club and found a seat at the back to prevent her fans asking for photograph. A waiter asked for her order, when she looked up from phone she was pressing; she admired the guy, tall, light in complexion and his uniform fit on him. The guy has been waiting for three minutes before she could talk. She ordered for her favourite Carlo Rossi wine.

                She can’t wait for him to come back for payment. When he came, she gave him three thousand naira extra and collected his number. She fell in love on spot for this guy. When she got home around 1:00am, she was tempted to call him but she didn’t know what to tell him.

She had wet night, she dreamed that she did wedding with him, she opened her eyes when the pastor said you may kiss your bride.  She was wondering  was has come over her.

                She picked her phone to call him; she summoned courage to book an appointment with him at popular Tantilizer eatery at Mokola by 2:00pm. She was asking herself many questions. Would he come? Is he married? How would she tell him her mind?  She missed Joke; she would have helped her out of this quagmire. She decided to go has agreed but won’t step out of her car until the guy is around.

                At exactly 1:00pm, the guy called her that he was about leaving his house to the place. She was happy but didn’t know how to tell him her mind. Before she got there, the guy was inside drinking a bottle of Fanta. She apologized for coming late. The guy asked her what she cares for; she requested for a plate of fried rice with chicken while he requested for a plate of semo with efo riro. Before she put her hand inside her bag to settle the bill, the guy has paid. She was impressed because other guys do expect her to pay bills.  

                It was after they finished eating she was able to ask him some questions. She needs fewer introductions because everybody knows her. The guy name is Emmanuel from Ondo State. He was a stylist during the day and a bartender in the night all in the name of survival.

                ‘’How is your wife?” Sandra asked

                ‘’I am not wearing any wedding band’’ Emmanuel responded

                ‘’You might decide to put it at home’’ she continued

                ‘’Marriage is for those that have money and I don’t think I have money’’

                ‘’How many girlfriends do you have?”

“None, because I just broke up with my girlfriend because she wants marriage which I am not ready for’’.

She was glad because she will be free from any scandal of husband snatching.

Read " Mothers' cry (1994 - 1998) " by the same author ( taiwo emmanuel )

. She gave him twenty thousand naira for his fare but he rejected it; she put it inside his jean trouser. She can’t put away picture of their meeting from her head, his white shirt on a blue jean trouser with a white trainer shoe.

She planned to establish a beauty salon for him. He stopped working at the club, when she is not on set, she will be with him. It was obvious that they were dating.

‘’When would I meet your family?’’ she asked. This is a question Emmanuel always tries to avoid. He will reply by saying ‘’soon’’. He told her he has seen a place at Ring Road for the planned salon, she gave him a cheque of One million naira. She was in Lagos for Tinsel production set, she stayed in Lagos for a month, and she had barely stayed a week when his number was not going through again. She was disturbed but can’t leave the location.

She drove straight to his new apartment she rented for him at idi-isin quarters from Lagos. The gateman told her that Emmanuel has travelled to America with his wife.

‘’Suleiman, you said his wife’’

‘’One pawpaw girl that used to come here’’

She can’t believe this is happening to her again. ‘’Men are liars’’ she muttered as she drove back home with tears.