At the sound of the cockcrow early that morning, Victory turned sideways sluggishly and gently lay his palm on the floor in search of his handset. It was a custom to him to wake up in this manner. He would search for his phone, check the time and see if it's proper for him to wake up at that hour of the day.
His bed was laid on the floor which make it easy for him to always keep his phone on the floor by the bed side. He would stretched his hand, searching around as if searching for a lost entity before laying his hand on the phone to check the time.
He picked up his phone with his eyes still shot, wondering why he had made this search a daily rooting when he had never change the spot where he normally keep the phone. Like a chameleon, he gently opened his eyes to see what the time have to say. He closed his eyes suddenly and reopen almost immediately. He blinked his eyes furiously almost uncontrollably and looked at the time with more attention.
Is the time playing some tricks on him? Is his eyes deceiving him? It's already to seven. What an hectic night. How would he... Of all people, how would he sleep for that long? He dropped the phone and sluggishly turned around. "What a joke" he said covering his body back with the duvet.
He jumped up hastily in a flash as a lightening strike in his membrane, reminding him of some important stuff. Isn't today the meeting? He couldn't wait for a second under that comfortable duvet any longer. He jumped up and rushed to the bathroom.
Was it an habit that one talk in the bathroom when he is late for an occasion? Or maybe he was the one who made it an habit. He would talk and hiss to almost satisfaction before leaving the bathroom within the longless period.
"When one have many things on his head, he talk up and down like a mad man. In fact, the difference between a well behaved man and a mad man is very slim. Isn't true that one could eat from anywhere if one is hungry? Or talk to oneself if one is sad? Who knows what goes on in a mad man's brain? Psychologist... Psychiatrist... Either of the two should be able to give an accurate answer." He said, still rubbing the sponge covered with soap over his body. He stopped abruptly and pure water over his head. "Wow, what a relief. Well, they might not be able to give an accurate answer as well. After all, we are all human."
He rushed out of the bathroom and went straight to his cupboard. "Well, this isn't the right place to go, i need to clean my body first. Cleaning before wearing. Oh, that sounds familiar. Where have i heard that before?". His phone rang. No, don't tell me you're calling for the meeting, I'm not that late." He went to the phone.
"Who on earth owns this number? I hope it's not those Hausa people calling again, I've received enough of their calls this week." He picked up the call. "Hello who... Doctor!" His voice changed and his manner became formal immediately. "Sir! Yes sir. I'm already on my way. I will be there soon. Bye sir." He dropped the phone. What a morning call. How could he call this early? I should be sleeping if not for..." His phone rang. He picked the phone without checking the caller.
"Yes sir! I will be there soon."
"You will be here soon? Why don't you come to work yesterday?" Asked Mathew.
It was then it occurred to him that it was his boss who was calling. He relaxed himself as though it was not an issue talking to his boss. He shook his head gently, swiftly taking the phone away from his ear and retuning it. How should he explain what had happened? Was he not supposed to be at work? And what about the day before? Was he not supposed to be at work?
"Boss, I'm sorry".
"Boss?" Mathew thought. He rarely call him that. They were like friends, so they preferred being informal than formal. He won't make that mistake of calling him boss unless he wanted to tease him or for whining. "Are you whining me?" Mathew asked. "This is not a time for joke. We have a lot of work we needed to deliver before the week ends and you know i can't do this alone. If you were here yesterday, we would have been able to do something".
"I'm sorry boss. Yesterday was a bit hectic for me. I came back from class late and tired. And today, I'm already on my way to school. I have meetings to attend. Plus..."
"You won't come to work today?" Saying angrily.
Victory understand the tune, so he kept quiet. Mathew dropped the call angrily.
"It wasn't like that, how i wish I could help".
"And who are you talking to?"
That frightened him. The voice was already in the room without his knowledge. It was James. He had been knocking the door since, but Victory was on call and he was largely unaware. He turned around to see who it was.
"You shocked me".
"I did right? I guess I did. And why were you talking to yourself when you supposed to be in the meeting?"
"I'm tired. I don't know what to do. My executive needs me, my boss needs me and my lecturer needs me. I don't know what to do."
"Let's go to the meeting first, we will think of what to do on our way".
***
Back in Mathew shop. Fuming Mathew was beneath his sewing machine fighting hard with a shirt's collar. Everything seemed not to be in order for him. Why now? He was alone. His eyebrows raised in despair as he turned his head towards the door that led to the hallway over his shoulder, expecting to see nothing in particular. He returned his head swiftly in despair or disappointment. He couldn't tell if he was actually expecting Victory to come or any other person to be his comforter. It wouldn't have been this hard on him if Benjamin, the other boy was in the shop. But he was not. He had took excuse from Mathew two days before, and he would be back in fortnight.
The work was tiresome, he was bored. No one to talk to or to help him. He does everything by himself. He switched from one machine to the other, putting things in other. It wouldn't have been this hard if at least Benjamin was here. He wiped his nose with the back of his left palm and bow over his sewing machine without actually sewing. "How i wish Victory is here? This boys are devil." He thought.
At this point, a voice was heard from the door, it was a female voice. He turned back with a darkened eyes to see the owner of the voice . No life, he was already feeling dejected. Immediately his turning make a complete ninety degree, a young lady come to view; it was his new co-tenant, the young girl. His face changed immediately and life was restored.
"Angel, good morning."
"Good morning sir. Please can you lend me your fetching bucket? The tap stop running in my room, so i want to use the well."
"Oh, okay. Take the key, check my room. Please lock the door when you return the fetching bucket."
She collected the key and left. Mathew stared at her as she disappeared behind the door. He returned his attention to his sewing machine reluctantly. It's been two weeks since he last saw the lady. That was a day after she came with her mother to wash her room.
"What a beautiful lady she's. Victory is not here to have this wonderful view early this morning. What a lost of opportunity".
For a while, he had put the machine off. He turned it on and returned to his sewing. He was determined at this point to do whatever he could without thinking about those who were not there. His phone rang. He picked it up. It was his Course representative. He was told a lecturer in his department had rescheduled his class to that morning, and he had promised to hold his first test that morning. He dropped the phone with life running away from him like a sick man. He sat there for a long while contemplating on the best action to take.
The young lady came back to returned his key. He was happy to see the lady once more. A glance at her rescued him from the pit of dejection and redeem his lost appetite. He gave a warm smile at the lady, trying to brighten up himself, but the lady pay no attention to his futile gesture.
