₦airaland Forum

THE END

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I brought his food and retreated to the back of the counter, where I observed his visibly shaky hands. He couldn't mold the garri and his face seem contorted with pain. I became worried. What could a young man like him possibly be going through?

I instinctively came out from hiding in case he needed help.
"Is there a pharmacy around here?"
"What?"
"Chemist. Is there a chemist shop around?" he asked?
"Yes." I answered, more concerned than worried.
"Please could you rush and get me a pack of oral drip? It should be N50. Buy with your money; I'll balance you."

I nodded and ran off. He was clearly in need of strength. As I ran to the chemist's, I prayed he won't die in our shop, or anywhere. Not at this age.

"Could you please pour it into a glass of water for me?"
"Sure." I nodded and fetched a glass cup. I mixed the powdery stuff in water and set it before him. He poured the whole thing down at once. I hung about, in case he needed anything else. All the while, I prayed in my mind for his survival.


I left to observe him from the counter, behind the plates. He tried to push a small, unmoulded morsel into his mouth. He swallowed hard, a bit too hard for the little morsel I saw him put into his mouth. I prayed a bit harder.

He suddenly bent over, holding his stomach. I became scared and went over to Nneoma's shop to tell her about the strange customer.

Ten minutes later he walked out of the shop. He saw me and pointed inside the shop, obviously indicating he's left my money there. He waved down an okada climbed it painfully. My eyes followed him on the motorcycle until it disappeared from view.

Nneoma tapped my hand, a mischievous grin on her face. "Nkechi...are you in love?"
"What? Are you crazy?"

She laughed mischievously. I was angry and left for my shop. The customer barely touched his food. He kept the money for the oral drip too. I cleared the table. Behind the counter, I ate the two pieces of meat he hadn't touched.

I thought of him throughout the day, wondering what has become of him.

Two nights later, I dreamt of him. He was smiling at me from afar. He looked more handsome and healthier. I smiled back shyly. He asked me to come. I refused. When he insisted, I agreed and was moving close to him when my Aunty woke me up.

stuff46:
Second follower

Thanks

zyzxx:
First follower

Thanks, buddy. Off to work on the story...

How he trudged into our shop that beautiful Tuesday morning, truncating my morning gossip and rudely awakening me to the day's work. I was at Nneoma's shop -- gossiping about who's writing UTME for the umpteenth time, how Chidi asked me for a sex-chat on 2go and why Adanna shouldn't be dating the dirty boy down the street -- when he walked heavily to our shop.

I saw him approach the shop but continued with my gist. We rarely have customers that early, before 9: am, so I concluded he may be looking for directions, which my Aunty in the shop would gladly help with. That wasn't the case.

"Nkechi! Nkechinyere!" my aunty voice.
"Nne let's talk later," I said hastily and rushed over to the shop. My aunty was coming out of the shop. "See what he needs, " she pointed at the man sitting outside and went to the backyard.

He was a young, handsome man. He looked to be battling with something, maybe a strange sickness. He had a distant look on his face, like he wasn't really there with me.

"Do you have rice?" The words tumbled out from his mouth.

"No. Only soup. Ogbono and egusi, " I added with a little note of distaste, hoping he would like neither and choose to leave.
"Egusi," he said. By this time I noticed his hands were shaking a bit.

"Garri or akpu?"

"Garri." He trembled some more now. "May I stay inside?"

I nodded a yes and went about bringing his food as he trembled into the shop. My initial desire to go back to Nneoma's shop was completely replaced by a sudden need to help this sick, handsome man.

This story is not wholly fictional. Some of the events actually happened, days ago...

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Thanks, Evangelio.

Nice. Keep it up... "Youngest nairalander".