Divine diary EP 4 The two friends laughed heartily. They talked about so many things - about the way they used to play with mud by the stream, building a so-called bird’s house with wet sand along with all those boys who had now become grown-ups. Temi told Yetunde about one of their friends who happened to be the first girl amongst their peers who developed big breasts. She used to mock her mates, especially Yetunde and Temi as Olosan wewe (unripe-breast) Now Yetunde and Temilade were proud of their once little breasts that had finally become full and ripe. The girl was now under medical check-up for swollen breast and cardiac problem due to unnatural breasts. She had confessed how she had gone to put guluso (ground beetle) on her nipples so as to become busty to attract bigger boys at early teenage. “Na the current news for town be that o,” Temi concluded, laughing triumphantly. “I don’t know why she was so in haste to become a big girl,” Yetunde broke into a mocking laugher, “Does she think that becoming a ‘big girl’ is all about carrying big breast around?” “Don’t mind her,” remarked Temi, “my Mum once told me that fake big girls and boys only care much more about their appearance rather than their brain. She said being ‘great’ is being ‘big’. During her youthful age around 50’s, she said big boys and girls of their time were recognized for their intelligence. She made mention of some great men we have in our country. People like Chinua Ache… Ache…something sha. I can’t remember that surname.” “It must be Achebe - the author of Things fall apart.” “Yes, Achebe.” Temi affirmed and continued, “Wole Soyinka, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe among others. She said they must be big boys of their youth, and I agreed with her. I have once told you that Mum used to stay in Ibadan. She had moved down to Abeokuta after meeting Dad. Mum attended the same university as Professor Wole Soyinka in Ibadan …“ “Really?” “Yes,” Temi continued, “I never knew until the day she told me. Mr. Soyinka started schooling abroad after the scholarship he won in 1952. To cut the long story short; ever Since Mum told me about the secret of being a big boy or girl; I have always wanted to be a big girl with big brain by all means.” “And me too! I will try my best to become a renowned broadcaster.” Temi said that her own dream too was to work on radio or television station so as to be famous. They soon arrived at the stream. The whole place was as busy as ever; aged women and maidens abounded, washing clothes in basins by the stream. The water was only meant for household utensils and laundries. The sharp smell of stream-side plants hung heavily in the atmosphere. There were many children splashing water at each other within the stream, and some of them were busy pouncing like frogs over the low grasses, hunting for grasshoppers and toads. Drinkable water was to be fetched at the only public tap in the neighbourhood. There would be endless queue on every Eve of festive days. Yetunde and Temi had already fetched drinkable water early in the morning. Some of the boys had already fetched their water, heading back home when Yetunde and Temi were about to fetch theirs. Yetunde was gripped by an impulse to tell Temi about her heart-throb among the boys, but she couldn’t. If she told Temi right there, Yetunde thought, she might also want to develop interest in him. She knew Temi always envied all her desires. Such was the dream of future career and dat of avid storybook reader she had shared with her. “See,” Temi whispered and tapped Yetunde who was filling her basin with water, “one of those boys keeps staring at me.” “What is he like?” Yetunde asked without lifting her head to see whosoever the person was. “He’s wearing a blue armless shirt and yellow shorts. He has an afro-haircut … fairly brown in complexion…” Yetunde’s heart failed a beat. It was that same boy! She guessed Temi was also interested in him. Odawise, how could she have noticed only the boy when it was certain that all of them were looking towards their direction? Temi wouldn’t have noticed only him if she was not really interested in him. Yetunde knew the kind of friend she had – a friend since tender age, in the same neighbourhood and now same high school. “Maybe he likes you,” Yetunde said, swallowing her fear, and resumed a standing position after filling her basin. “Do you like him?” Temi smiled warmly in reply. That smile spoke louder to Yetunde than the word, “why not?” That was her normal reaction if she was interested in something or somebody, but Yetunde wanted her to utter it this time. She wished Temi would mean NO with that warm smile for the first time. “You haven’t said anything.” Yetunde said blankly. “Why must you know if I like him? Yes I do … if that is what you want to hear,” she said, fondling with the edge of her blouse while staring seductively back at the boy from afar. Jide and the boy in question with some other lads started murmuring something to one anoda. --
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:35:01 +0000
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