UI DIARY (Episode 4)

Episode 4

Stopping for a moment to catch my breath, I leaned against the Mango tree under the faculty Quadrangle. I rummaged through my bag for my phone to check the time. Sitting on a raised pavement, I removed my heels and stretched my sore feet. It was still 9:45 in the evening. How did time go by so quickly? Unlocking my phone, I read through my messages. “Hey Babe, E be like say we get CEF 301 test tomorrow o”. My brain fled to infinity and beyond. Test? Tomorrow? Aye mi Lord knows I’ve not opened a page of the course material. Going through my documents, I found the course material and decided to pull an all nighter in the Central Library.

Walking barefooted, I sashayed my way out of Faculty of Arts. Passing through the archway to the Library, I knew I struck an odd sight. Wig in one hand, shoes in other hand with a face full of makeup walking barefooted. I kept my head down as the stares intensified. Walking into the 24 hours reading room, the room went quiet immediately. A proverbial hole opened in the room waiting for me to crawl in. I rubbed my arms nervously as I scanned for an empty seat to settle in. A guy sitting at the farthest side to the bank of French doors took pity on me and beckoned on me to come sit down. Consciously maneuvering my way around the room, I mumbled a few “sorry, excuse me” as I squeezed myself through the desks and chairs.

Arriving at my destination, I thanked him profusely and donned my wig. Rubbing my arms, I realized the night had taken a chilly turn. It was then reality began to dawn on me. I couldn’t survive the “littlest” bit of cold. I was a February Child. I rested my head on the table and the night took a worse turn. My tummy began to rumble loudly. I remembered I took four wraps of Fufu at my Aunty’s place before coming down. The guy kept glancing my way as if to ask what was wrong with me. I strained a smile and decided to sleep till 12 in the midnight.

I didn’t know how it happened. One moment I was in the Library, the next I was in my room in Agbowo. I was clutching my stomach in pain and kept rolling around in my bed. I had a feeling some excess gas was playing catch me in my stomach. I decided to let one out. The fart was so loud and sickening. It stank like the open canal I usually pass by when coming home. Rotten and horrible. Thank God I was the only one in the room. I felt another one coming and raised my butt to let it out. It was so loud I jerked awake.

Startling awake, I realized two things, I wasn’t in my room and I had become the center of attention in the room. Everyone at my table was covering their nose from the foul smell in the air. The guy beside me was nowhere to be found. The room was eerily quiet you could here a fly sneeze. The entire room was staring a hole into my body. Some were whispering at the other side of the room pointing at me. Some had this “I can’t believe you did that” look while others were laughing so hard you could see their innards. I righted my wig and unbuckled my shoes. I produced a pen and a jotter out of my bag to start reading. Looking round the table, I made eye contact with a guy who wouldn’t stop staring at me. Smiling sheepishly to myself, I winked at him. This life na pure cruise, Just flow with the current.

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