Jazz Music


BY wittydude

‘So how are you doing?’ Mirabel asked, and without hesitation I said ‘great’
‘You know the dinner is a week from now’ she smiled, I knew what was coming next, I could see anxiety in her eyes.
‘And are you going with anybody?’
Yes, that was it! That question sent tickles down my spine, what’s happening? Was I dreaming or something because it seemed quite impossible? Is Mirabel actually asking me out? This isn't real. I became anxious.
She continued ‘hm, I'm just curious, and....’
I felt someone pulling my legs, I wanted to let go but the pulling persisted, and her image became distorted.
What's causing it? Who was distracting me from this golden moment?
Before I knew it, I was dragged out of my fantasy.
‘Dayo! You have seven!!’ That was the voice of my roommate ‘Precious’. I was a dream. I should have known. These dreams could be so real you'll wish it was the actual world and dreams could swap.

I stretched and yawned. Damn Precious had done it again. Precious my roommate wakes up at four o'clock in the morning every day, he brags about it. I can't tell if it is true because I have never been awake at four o'clock in the morning. Precious is a final year student said he took his decision to be a good time manager after he carried over almost half the courses he was doing in his second year. He decided to start his day early in order to get the best of it, he said its self development and it has worked for him as it is now part of him. So I always beg Precious to wake me up anytime I have a class starting by seven but the problem I have with Precious is that he wakes me most of the time I was in the middle of an exciting dream. The other day, he woke me up when my I was checking my semester result, straight As, I was running to Pascal's room to brag, someone pulled me back, Precious! He was an important pain.

I wrapped my bed sheet round my waist and stood up. It’s a Wednesday morning. I head for the toilet and bathroom, first of all to urinate, before any other thing. The sun had not yet risen, and Gamaliel hall was still quiet, a few people were awake. As I got to the door of the toilet, I slipped and nearly fell. Thank God for the pole beside me, I held on to it with my both hands. My bed sheet fell to the floor, I quickly picked it up, yawned again as I got myself together. A sty is cleaner than our hostel’s toilets. The tiles were once cream but now brownish black. You don't need to be too close to the toilets before pungent urine blocks your nostrils. You might say ‘oh’ that’s a normal University toilet in Nigeria, but this one is more than that. Cleaned everyday and almost every time but remains dirty every time. The Janitors could just be done with the toilets, then less than a minute later, the toilet’s aroma would prevent fresh air from entering your nostrils. Then you see someone coming out, zipping up his trousers with that Smile of relief in his face, and funny enough, he could be the sixth person.

I hurriedly had my bath and dressed up. I have a Seven o’clock class and with Mr. Ofulue. As I got to the reception, the S.O.P on duty turned me back. He told me to go and get my ID card. ‘But I have a seven o’clock class, the man is already in class, please’ he was adamant. These guys of recent have become strict. It's the middle of the semester that’s why. At the beginning of the semester, they’ll all be nice, ‘wetin you bring come for us’ will be written on their foreheads. I shook my head and ran to my room to get the ID card. I ran past him showing the ID card without even looking at him.

I walked briskly into the class. Then suddenly ‘young man leave my class!’ That was Mr. Ofulue in fury. The whole class turned back to look at the unlucky fellow, then he went on, on how irresponsible I was, entering the class after he had stepped in. Embarrassed, I left without saying a word. I didn't even notice other students standing outside that have either received the same treatment or just hung around knowing what would have happened to them if they dared to enter the class. They couldn't control their laughter. Even Pascal my good Friend was laughing, I couldn't help but laugh along. Mr. Ofulue, a middle aged man taught us Constitutional Law. He is a very slim and short man. He doesn’t lecture with a microphone and those at the back seats hear him.

the remaining part is coming up

After his class I walked in, along with the others, I headed to my favourite spot in class to sit. ‘I was here’ a voice said. As I looked over my shoulders, I froze, it was Mirabel. I stammered, ‘Sorry, I, how are you? Can I get...?’ She took me out of my discombobulating, ‘Oh, its OK I'll just sit over there, its ok’ she smiled. Then she got into a conversation with Clinton.

Clinton is a self-proclaimed ladies man. I get jealous most times when he gets a girl I’m interested in, I don’t blame him though because, I never show the interest. He hasn't gotten Mirabel. I’m not yet jealous. Clinton was six point four feet tall, my dream height. He has broad shoulders, a nice fashion sense; I can count the number of girls that are crushing on him or the ones that wish he at least compliments them, and the jilted ones too. While me, Five point five tall and fat. I keep an Afro, trying to follow the trend I can’t keep up with. Mohawk is the reigning hairstyle. I’d look like a fat Red Indian chief if I wore a Mohawk.

Still holding the chair, Mirabel walked away and with Clinton, laughing and to a joke I know isn't funny. Lost in my gaze, someone tapped me. I looked back and Pascal said laughingly ‘what were you trying to do?’ ‘Shurrup’ I shot back, I sat down and asked the girl who was seated beside me for her constitutional Law note. We waited for about an hour for the next lecturer to come but he didn't. Our Course Rep announced that our lecturer was attending a faculty meeting. The atmosphere of the class changed immediately. Almost everybody was happy about it apart from the front seaters, they began to grumble. As for me I was ambivalent. I didn’t care about the class; what I cared about was how I was how I was going to get a date for the dinner coming up on Sunday . Different girls crossed my mind, I don’t even have a good rapport with any girl in the class but I still went along with my five thousand naira bet with Bello.

It all happened like this; we were sitting in front of the class last week Tuesday afternoon. Guys only, having a guys only conversation. Then Bello with his irritating ego started to brag about how he could get any girl of his choice, he went on and on. He irritates me more than a mad man bathing in the middle of a street. He is very slim and short; he looks like someone that is barely fifteen but he is almost twenty years old. He loves to show off. He keeps an afro he brags he hasn't cut in years; but who cares! He wears an ugly goggle. In fact he looks like the Fresh character in subway surf but the word ‘fresh’ and word ‘Bello’ are not meant to be in the same sentence.

I could not explain what got into Pascal’s Head, he shouted, ‘liar!’ Everybody laughed, mainly at the tone Pascal used. Pascal is a blunt boy. Bello felt so embarrassed and in retaliation, he dared Pascal to get a date for the dinner. Everybody became cold and all eyes were on Pascal, as if waiting for him to prove he isn't Gay. As a good friend I decided to support my friend. After all, what are friends for?

Then he included me. ‘Have you ever spoken to a girl before?’ He snorted, staring straight into my eyes, waiting for me to blink. Everybody chuckled. It was more than chuckling to me. ‘Yes now, when he wants to borrow note now’. Clinton added, that wasn't funny, no one laughed. ‘In short I bet 5k these guys can't take any girl to dinner’ he barked. Everybody started laughing. My stomach twitched, my eyes were watery. I looked straight into Bello's eyes. He was boiling with anger. He's this kind of guy with serious insecurity issues; he is always ready to fight when someone picks on him. He'll fight with everything he has. Before I could say anything someone added. ‘They are already a couple sef’’. That comment got to Pascal’s marrow and he angrily said we were in.

As I was about to walk out of the class, I stopped and surveyed the class if there was any girl to talk to. My eyes caught Mirabel. This time she was with her friends; Dara and Ann, I felt Clinton was bugging them. The three girls sat on chairs while Clinton sat on a table in front of them. He seemed to be showing them something on his phone that was funny, I could tell because they were all giggling and passing it around. I began to think of the strategy I would device to woo Mirabel. Lost in my thoughts Pascal tapped me from behind, and I regained consciousness. I had given them a long stare to the extent that Clinton had pointed at me. They all burst into laughter when Pascal revived me. I felt so embarrassed, not knowing what to do or say, I sheepishly walked out of the room with an awkward smile on my face.

As Pascal and I were heading for the hostel, he started a conversation.
‘Why were you looking at them like that?’
I tried to defend myself but... ‘I wasn't starring at Mirabel!’ oops!
‘Who asked if you were...oh so you eh ehm like Mirabel?’ He was now grinning at me.
I became all nervous and defensive. ‘I never said I liked Mirabel o, before you start carrying rumors and…’ he patted my shoulder and whispered to my right ear, ‘bros take am easy, she’s way out of your league’

When Precious came back from his class, I didn't even pay attention to what he was saying. A visiting lecturer had taught them today, he kept on emphasising how wealthy the lawyer was, that his chamber was where he wanted to work after graduation. My own graduation is still far and besides, who cares about his post-graduation plans, there is still Law School where some people flunk the exams like its ICAN exam. I pretended as if I’d dosed off, I guessed he got the message and went to do something else.
I didn't even know when sleep came; I woke up suddenly after Precious as usual, pulled my legs. I had forgotten it was a Wednesday, and there is a midweek church service every Wednesday evening by 6:45Pm in Babcock University. I came out of my room with sleep laden all over me. Our hall administrator we call ‘Pablo’ was reiterating how late the students in the hostel at this particular time were. I hurried out, in order not to miss my Worship Attendance Card.

I got to Church just in time but I was denied my Worship Attendance Card because I wasn't with my Bible. As I began to look for someone's Bible to borrow as usual, the Chaplain came out and urged the student-chaplains to stop sharing the cards. As I entered the Church, I saw a free chair and hurriedly sat on it before it was taken. I crossed my legs and used my palm to wipe sweat off my forehead. Still trying to get myself together, I still felt sleepy. The person seated beside me said, ‘sorry, someone is here’ as I turned to look, it was Mirabel. Is this a déjà vu? I had a flush, I became jittery, to disguise my confusion, I smiled. She smiled too. I knew for sure, she wouldn't have forgotten the morning chair incident or most likely the long stare incident. She looked over her shoulders then said ‘don't worry, Clinton already has a seat’ Oh, so the seat was for Clinton how predictable. I looked towards that direction and saw Clinton seated laughing away with a girl. As I turned to Mirabel with the hope of starting a conversation, she was already plugged, scrolling through her phone, nodding to a beat. I felt awkward and started playing with my toes, wrapping the left ones with the right. What was I going to say? What are you listening to? That’s too mainstream a question.

The Chaplin mounted stage. ‘Praise the lord’ he stressed his ‘o’ in the pronunciation of ‘Lord’. Only the front seaters replied. He didn't seem to bother, he went on. I listened carefully, anticipating a grammatical blunder. ‘Let us all endeavour to bring our Bible and hymnal to church always’. He went on, no blunder. I was disappointed. The service went on so fast because I was deep in my thoughts.

As we began to file out, I trailed Mirabel. As we got outside, she stood near the Justice Deborah Hall (the female Hall) and was on the phone. I summoned all courage I could muster, my ego, Pascal's ego and Five Thousand Naira was on the line, and of course, my goal. I walked up to her; she was still on the line. I brought out my own phone and behaved as if I was chatting with someone. I'd smile and laugh as if the person was hilarious; I was scrolling through my apps, over and over again and also watching her. She is tall and I have a thing for tall girls, she’s almost six feet. Genuine Light skin, her knuckles and knees don’t have a shade of a darker complexion. These days some girls that were dark skinned in primary school are all of a sudden light skinned in the University. Her face is pimples free, her nose is pointed. She didn’t shave all her eyelashes to replace them with lines. She has natural pink lips; her beauty is breath taking. Bello and Clinton weren’t on talking terms almost throughout last semester because of her; he felt Clinton was obstructing, even though she has made it clear to the whole class that they were just good friends. Bello also fought a final year student because of her, he got whooped though.

I examined the environment; it’s was few minutes to eight. As usual, nocturnal lovers in pairs were at the gazebo in the centre of the campus dorcasing. Some were strolling to or from the ATM then to the grocery, where the guy will as usual do the spending. Some people with Cafeteria packs were heading to their halls, some already in classes reading or dorcasing. S.O.Ps were at their duty posts, their eyes on students. It’s an Iperu campus’ typical night life.

‘Dayo what's up?’This one came as a shocker, she greeted.
I reciprocated, ‘how are you?’ My hands were shaking.
She paused then ‘I'm good’
Then there was an awkward silence. I had to keep the conversation going. She wanted to continue with her phone but I intercepted.
‘How was class today?’ I could feel the speed of my heart beat double. That's usual. Keep it down, play it cool.
‘It was alright, except for...’ She chuckled, before she could complete her sentence,
‘I know, I was thinking about something...’ she hasn’t forgotten those incidents.
‘And that was?’ She was smiling this time. I felt that was it, I've established the connection.
‘Hostel stuff’
"What kind of hostel stuff?" She seems interested.
What can I say now, ‘The usual hostel stuff’ I chuckled, ‘but never mind’
Her reply was ‘OK’ then she seemed to continue with her phone. Jeez am I blowing it. She was wearing a danshiki with batik prints. ‘Nice gown’ I grinned.
She looked up, ‘thanks’ then she started to walk away. No she can't, I have to do something. Then she turned back, ‘have you seen Clinton?’ It felt like a blow, that was it. It's time to say anything that comes to my mind, ‘Are you two like dating?’ My hands were in my pockets, pinching my laps.
She raised an eye brow, "seriously Dayo"
‘Uh hm, just asking, you know you two hang out a lot and he's cool’ I swallowed, what was I saying, he's a horrible person. She stood up and started to walk towards the faculty building. Damn, she can't leave now, follow! I said to myself. I hurried to her side; we weren't going to talk about Clinton. I peeped at her phone; her wallpaper was Sade Adu's soldier of Love Album cover. I had to take this shot, "You listen to jazz?"
She seemed surprised, ‘Yeah—yes’ dragging the yes. ‘How do you know?’
‘Your wallpaper is the Soldier of Love Album cover, and I like Jazz music too’ ‘I like Wynton Marsalis’ wow! We share something in common, unbelievable.
She grinned ‘have you heard Indelible and Nocturnal, I like that track’ I nodded. ‘Seriously, you listen to jazz too? You’re either weird or eccentric’
Yes that was the connection, ‘we are both weirdoes’
She laughed at my dry comment. Then the conversation became fluent. We talked about jazz music, who introduced her to jazz? She said it was her dad and he is British, I always had the suspicion that she was a mulatto, she had the looks, but she doesn't have a British accent. Sade Adu is her favourite artist and she also likes Anita Baker. Her dad still uses a Vinyl player; he’s a Louis Armstrong fan. What an atypical family, she had been to a mezzo forte concert. I don't know does guys but I played along. She could play the saxophone. As for me I just liked the word ‘jazz’ it sounds good to me, so one day I just started googling contemporary jazz artists and legends and then I got hooked. We strolled round the small Campus; laughing, talking, wanting to know who knew more about jazz. We ended up at Lady Justitia's feet, where we sang along Sade's Soldiers of love. Some people were looking at us, probably wondering what a dude like me was doing with Maribel, one of Iperu’s top ten. It felt really good. We exchanged songs, phone numbers and B.B. Pins.
S.O.Ps started telling people to return to their halls, it was already 9:45PM, so fast? My main agenda wasn't going to slip away. As I was walking her to her hall I dropped the bomb;
‘Dinner is this Sunday’ I felt uneasy.
‘I know’ she was scrolling down her playlist, she hasn’t gotten the message.
‘We can perform a duet, lol like introduce Babcock to Jazz’
‘Funny boy, do I look like Jessy J’ she giggled.
Come on hit the nail. "Can em? Can you be my date?" I wanted to fall but I gathered momentum, ‘A Jazz, we'll be a Jazz couple, jamming the YellowJackets’
She opened her mouth and then she smiled. Was that her yes?
She exhaled; ‘Seriously Dayo?’ my heart was in my mouth.
‘Is that your way of asking me out?’
Come on She wasn't going to swallow me anyway, ‘Maybe’ I replied, smiling sheepishly.
‘It will be fun’ I added, my voice cracked this time, sweat was building up on my forehead, I began to squirm.
She folded her hands, ‘it’s just LAWSAN dinner, just to hang out’ she paced a bit, she put her hands in her pockets. ‘I don't think I need a date’
That was it. I felt something leave my body, the squirming continued.
‘I'll just hang out with Anna and Dara, but hey we could take a couple of pics though" she laughed and then held my hands and faced me, ‘yes and I'll let them know I’m not the only one that listens to jazz in Babcock, abi Dayo?" She was grinning at me, maybe to make it sink happily,
"Yeah" I swallowed, but damn it didn't, she just blew me off.

As I entered the hall, I noticed some People were gathered at the notice board, some of them were laughing at some people who looked like victims to me, what's happening? The hall admin had just posted the list of people with low merit points as they do in Babcock. The next thing could be suspension for disorderly conduct if one's case is taken up, but there can be redemption through community service. I saw Precious, he said our names were listed. I hurried to see it for myself, and our redemption was through Washing Gamaliel's toilets! We missed two days of room check, which was our offence. I felt as if I was sentenced to death. I could do anything but not the toilets. I began to feel dizzy, and then a sharp pain was surged through my forehead. People were pointing at me but my view became blurry, Precious' lips were moving but I couldn't hear a thing. My legs couldn't carry my body anymore, my eyes were heavy and they closed.

I found myself on a bed in the Clinic’s ward, there was a drip stand beside me, and a plaster was on hand. The drip was empty, that means I’d taken a whole drip but I couldn’t recollect. There was a big card beside me that boldly read: Get Well Soon. Mirabel was written at the bottom part of the card.
‘So you’re alive’ Precious walked in.
‘How did I get here?’
‘What? You don’t know you are lucky to be alive’ he was dressed in his white and black. I looked out the window, it was sunny. It’s Thursday already, that means… ‘Ha ha, you fainted when you saw your name on the board, Pablo had to remove it’ now I recollect, ‘seriously he removed it’ my heart sang.
‘You like awof, it’s still there. I washed today, I hope they’ll release you today so that you can do tomorrow’s own’ my heart sank.
‘We had to carry you here yesterday, you were heavy. The gist has even spread to JDH; it’s on Linda Ikeji sef’
‘What?’
‘The picture of us carrying you is even there, God you need to see my muscles’ I hissed.
He brought out his phone to show me the picture. ‘You’re lucky we didn’t it is because of toilet that you fainted’ I scrolled through the blog post, I wasn’t making it up.
‘So Pascal can fight?’
What is he saying now, ‘I don’t get’ he pointed to a bed. ‘See Bello there’ I saw someone with a shaven head and a big band aid was holding it together. I sat up to get a better view, it was indeed Bello. Half of his body was on the bed, a hand and a leg dangled from the side of the bed. He lay like a sedated monkey. I felt sorry for him.
‘What Happened?’
‘The gist was that Pascal owes Bello 5k. Pascal was cooking Indomie so Bello came and dragged his shirt and the Indomie poured away’
‘Quickest fight I’ve seen so far’
‘Pascal just shoved him under the microwave table and he broke his head.’
‘That’s how he landed here, but he said he fell.’
I was happy he didn’t report Pascal, ‘that means he didn’t wanted to implicate Pascal’
Precious shook his head, ‘no, he didn’t want the clinic people or S.O.Ps to know he was beaten’ I laughed.
Precious smiled mischievously and lowered his voice, ‘How come you didn’t tell me you’re running Mirabel’s P’
‘Dude I’m not’
‘Oh so how did this card get here? Girls don’t enter boys’ ward you know.’ We both looked at the card and smiled.
‘Guy no girl as ever done this for me, I never knew she can be this caring, and for you ’
‘She came here this morning to ask of you, and now she’s around. She said I should check if you’re awake .Omo you don hit jackpot.’ He grinned at me.
Let me go and tell her you are awake, loverboy’ his grinning became annoying.
‘Don’t worry I’m coming out.’ He laughed.
‘So Mirabel don energise you, hm that’s what I call woman power’
As I was about to walk out of the ward, he said ‘you wanted to go out looking like this’
I forgot that it was another day, and I haven’t brushed had my bath. I looked at Bello like a child expecting something his mother. ‘I brought you brush and your soap case’

As I opened the door of the ward, I noticed Clinton and Mirabel among the students at the reception waiting to see the Doctor. Mirabel was in a conversation with the nurse on duty.
‘Sorry man, how are you now?’
‘I better thanks’ that was Clinton. Then other students poured in their sympathy. They all knew what happened to me, no thanks to social media.
Then Mirabel walked towards me, she gave me a side hug and said ‘how are you feeling?’
‘I better, thanks’
‘Thanks for the card and for showing concern’
‘Don’t mention it’
I sat down, then I stood up, ‘I’m hungry I need to buy something’
Then she said, ‘I don’t mind helping you’
Seriously, thanks ‘I want to stroll, being lying for hours you know’
‘OK, let me follow you’
As we were going out, I looked back at Clinton; he winked at me and also gave a thumbs-up. I shook my head and smiled.
‘What’s it?’
‘No, nothing its Clinton’
We headed for the grocery store.
‘Oh, that your roommate, he’s nice but he talks too much’
‘You mean Precious’
‘Yes, that’s his name, I told him to help deliver the card and from there we went on for hours’
‘Really’
‘Yes o, I nearly told him to leave me alone. And I noticed Clinton was jealous’
‘Hm, ha ha’
‘He felt so excited talking to…’ she gesticulated, ‘Mirabel’
‘Ha han, don’t fall my roommate’s hand now’
She smiled, ‘I saw the picture where he was carrying you. Aww and he’s such a nice guy.’
I smiled, ‘yes, my best roommate so far’
There was a silence, then said. ‘I’m reconsidering your last night request’ she grinned.
I folded my hands, ‘why the sudden change of heart’
‘I hm, I just felt like, aren’t you happy about it?’
I smiled, then ‘I hope you don’t think I fainted because you said no’
‘See you, I told you your roommate can talk, I know it’s because of toilet you fainted, lazy boy’
I bit my lips. ‘Then why?’
She began to squirm.
‘Is that your way of asking me out?’
She smiled shyly. Then we said in unison, ‘maybe’
We laughed, and then there was a silence.
‘What you did last night, you were bold’
I raised an eyebrow, shy me?
Wow, just like that? I just wanted a date to shock Bello and collect his money; I wanted to move on to the next girl on the list today after last night’s result, nothing special. Now she is interested in me.
‘What are you wearing for the Dinner?’ I asked.
‘A red gown, I’ve ordered it already’
‘Nice, then I’ll wear a red tie on my black suit’
‘Wear red cufflinks too’
‘Two or three piece suit’ she asked.
‘Hm not yet decided on that one’
‘A three piece suit is finer’
‘Thanks’
‘I’m performing Jessy J’s Tequila Moon’ she said.
‘Wow’
‘Yeah, I brought my Sax’ she smiled.
‘I’ll come to the front to video you during the performance during the performance to video you’ ‘it will be lovely’
‘Yes’
‘Yes’
We entered the grocery. ♦


THE END



Clavis
SOP : security Operatives
Dorcasing: having an intimate conversation
LAWSAN: law students' association
Lady Justitia: the female statue with the blindfolded face, weighing scale and sword.

pls viewers i'll like a comment or constructive criticism pls viewers i'll like a comment or constructive criticism