Tuesday, May 06, 2008

CHANCE ENCOUNTERS OF THE LARGE KIND

A Day in 'Gidi

I was driving to the Starcomms phone company's Surulere offices yesterday when a large female sailed by as a passenger on a motor bike. I gave her a fleeting look and then looked again because she was waving furiously, at me. So I waved back, not sure where I knew her from. I forgot about her and drove on for another minute before I got to my destination and there she was again, the bike somehow having gotten behind me. She flagged her 'pilot' to stop as I sought parking space. As I parked, I noticed (with some alarm) that she was trying to open my locked front door (passenger-side). I told her as I got out of the car, 'I'm going to the Starcomms Office.'

This squat female with be-jewelled fingers (at least 8 rings on those fingers) greeted me fervently, asked how I'd been (all in Yoruba). I scanned my memory, but couldn't place her. She said she wanted to give me her phone number (Her pilot still sat patiently on his aeroplane across the road). I searched for a pen, now uneasy around this woman, unwilling to even show my phone but falling into that politeness-trap that doesn't allow us be outrightly rude even when it would save our lives. The fates were against me, I usually have 10 or so pens on or around my person at any given time, but none were at hand. I gave her my phone and she typed in her digits and then said her name, 'Alhaja Yinka'.

'Call me, brother' she said, as she turned to go and somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought, 'she's probably a distant relative who's met me a few times and since I am notorious for spurning family ties, it was a good thing I had behaved myself.'

She took a step, two steps and turned back. 'Egbon mi, e ma fun mi l'owo moto'. (Older brother, you'll give me transport fare). The Con. I smiled to myself. She was good. This was a blitzkrieg. Shock and Awe. She was really good. I know all the cons, but a female on a bike was a new one to me. I mentally acknowledged her brilliance and offered her N200 (applauding a brilliant performance) but she wasn't having it. 'No', she screeched in Yoruba. She wanted more and I felt I detected menace in her voice. Calmly, in my buba and sokoto, (traditional top and trousers) I told her I had to pay some money to Starcomms. Without warning her hand delved into the loose pockets of my buba by my side, saying, 'it's here, it's here'. It was done half-jokingly but with real intent. I felt the strength of her fingers as I forced her fingers out of the empty pocket and again her hand flashed towards the breast pocket, where indeed the money was. By this time, even though she was laughing, I knew war had been declared on me. I grabbed her fingers and held them as hard as they held the money. I saw her calculate. An old trick is for a female to proclaim loudly that she had not been paid for 'services rendered'. Public shame has made many an innocent man pay for these phantom services. But she saw something in my eyes that made her pause and then let go, settling for the N200. I can be very ungentlemanly when it comes to anyone attempting to take undue advantage of me as those who have ...ehr... 'disturbed' me, can testify. I mentally prepared myself.

She turned away as if nothing had happened and crossed the road saying over her shoulders, 'broda, please call me'.

A barber just a few metres away sat in shock.

This reminded me of a galleria incident last year so I delved into the files.

Posted July 4 2007

I had that kind of day today, so I thought I'd go unwind at the Silverbird galleria. I like to watch movies by myself, sometimes. When the movie finally started, I looked for a place where I could absorb the plot and lines of "Premonition" with Sandra Bullock. You know how it is with drama on the screen, one has to concentrate.

So the movie started with about 20 people scattered around the hall. After a short while, this guy came in with a girl and for some reason, chose to sit next to me, his girl, beside him. It didn't take long before his phone rang and he began a lengthy conversation on it. When he finished, he commenced another lengthy dialogue with the girl by his side.

When I couldn't take anymore, I clambered over a row of seats with my bottle of water, so as to get away from him and sat at the end of the row just in front. Then I felt popcorn thrown at me. I looked and there were two girls to my left side, looking at me. One had thrown the popcorn and she signalled me over. The seats between me and them were empty and even though I tried, I couldn't make out the face of the thrower. I felt it might be my friend, Deola, who's a maniac about movies. So I moved closer. Complete strangers. They stared back at me. The thrower asked me to stay where I was, right beside her, and I did. I felt she was some movie buff commiserating over the talkative I had fled from so I turned back to the screen.

Then I felt her hand on my arm. A caress. She did it again... and again. Asked me questions about the movie while pressed against my arm. When I sat forward in my chair, leaning away from her, she asked belligerently, "what's the matter with you?" I explained diffidently that "I had stuff I was thinking about". After that, there were no more caresses. I felt fleeing to another row of seats might cause other people in the hall to wonder about me. Then she looked at Sandra Bullock's eyes and said to the screen in a loud voice, "She(Bullock) knows this woman is "skrulling" her husband", cackled and repeated the line again for everone to hear. Then she asked me softly, "does she know that woman is skrulling her husband?" After trying to decipher for a few seconds, it struck me that she meant "screwing".

And then came the climax of the film and as people in the audience gasped repeatedly, she began to shriek in ibo (I could tell she was yoruba, so her expletives were ghastly in rendition). This time, I found the courage to flee towards Frank, the anchor of the Nigerian version of "Who wants to be a millionaire" who had come in sometime after the movie started. I spent the last few minutes with Frank and his friend, while my caressing friend sneaked glances at me, then I walked out with Frank. Frank, like his programme, had thrown me a "life-line". I didn't see her again.

You might meet the girl of your dreams in a dark hall at the theatre but I can bet she won't start carressing your arm 3 minutes after meeting her. I don't do tramps and I reckon I'm beyond sex for sex' sake now, or even worse, paying for it.

Maybe she's found someone else to skrull.

23 comments:

lemonade factory said...

lol,lagos na wah,see obtaining,papi wats up

In My Own Words said...

Hmmm...professional con-females in Lag (can't call them ladies). Imagine the nerve! Actually putting her hands in your pockets! She probably didn't have enough money to pay her 'pilot'. But I just wonder what u would have done if she had started screaming for 'payment for services rendered'? Do tell.

flygirlbidiish said...

these days' scams are gettin some good game-tight plans lol!....thank gracious the lady {who could hav been clad heavily with some witchcraft powers n stuff...ok i'm def the naija girl... which hadn't for some reason worked on u} did no harm.....really the story is like some 5min movie or something
btw i'm really lmao at the galleria story....i say..the girl simply liked who she saw :-)!omg!
i'm guessin u won't be smiling or wavin at any random peoples for a while lol!! wishing u a nice week ahead

Unbiased said...

heya lasp!! Pele!!
With fame comes all sorts of weirdos.

bumight said...

i see our female cons are "upping" their game, lol! and maybe the girl at the galleria was just being a little too Proactive... then maybe u're some hot sturvs...or maybe i should just shut up now...

Black Man Comes said...

I have not finished reading. I only got to egbon mi and here I am laughin like a jackal. i can tell this is going to be interesting.

Jinta said...

i remember that post - it elicited my 1st comment ever on blogville: skrull you!

dScR?Be said...

LMAOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry u had 2 go thru all that... its quite hilarious, the way u tell of it all..

I trust u r doing well

laspapi said...

ah dey, sola. How are you?

@ in my own words- I fear I might shock you, dear.

@ flygirl- thanx, flygirl. You're original naija o! All that ...ehr...'alternative medicine' can't work on me. I'm Peter Pan, not from this planet. Wishing you a great week too.

@ unbiased- thank you. Was glad I made it thro that one.

@ bumight- maybe not, bumight. lol.

@ bmc- I actually felt like I was on a movie set for a few brief minutes

@ jinta- ah, jintu, I remember

@ 1st Pet- I'm doing well, Scribe. The girl gave me 'first attack'

Toksboy said...

Laspapi- there is a recurring theme through both these posts. Unknown females approach or waves at you and you respond!! Aba kilode. With the kind of thunder face you should have shown that woman she would never have tried that rubbish. If she was a long lost or forgotten relative then let her stay that way. Lucky escape for you oh. What if juju,robber or hired assasin?? But make sure say no be third time unlucky.

QMoney said...

ROTFLMFAO.............goodness me,dis is d funniest post av read in a while!!
Lord of Mercy,so there are people like those two babes in dis country??God save us!!Thank God for God!!i swear,now i av seen dis ur post,if a babe tries sumtin similar with me ehn.............GONGO ASO!!LOL

Black Man Comes said...

You know kinda reminds me of my robbery story as you already know she might start ish about u not paying for service. Sort of my feeling when people gathered together. Life: A dream where humans have similar experiences with the different story plots.

Sherri said...

why the heck did u stop?
that sounded real scary!

Anonymous said...

LOL! You've gotta love Lagos...

twentyseven twentyfive said...

Remember teh Skrulling story....and I am still laughing my head off.
Cant believe the nerve of some people!!!

Little Miss Media said...

the last line was funnay

Blogger-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said...

Laspapi Sir,
you might need to fire your 'chi' and engage the services of a new one...

Uzo said...

Holy Moly....The strangest things happen to you....Iron Man is out at the galleria this week...So lets compare notes next week?

The Activist said...

Is this for real? And you sure parted with that N200? Lagos for real…

I just realised that I have never left a comment on your blog and I usually come here. I even added you to my blogroll. Wetin dey do me sef? Anyway, this is a comment abi?

ibiluv said...

broda call me.....skrullll....dem are crazy....i have always said it..if i was male and ANY female tries that "you no pay me stunt".....i will BEAT the living daylights outta her...i just hate pple who let their fones ring in a cinema hall..much less carry on a conversation.....

Thirty + said...

Lmao - That is why Gidi is fun, see craze behaviour.

If I get this stright the bike lady earned N200 for a 5-10mins job, that is like N1,200 per hour.

Not bad at all.

laspapi said...

@ toks boy- I'll be ready, it's not a frequent occurence. But don't forget the kind of work I do. I meet people who've been to my shows repeatedly and just want a nod of recognition. Its after I say hello in return that they tell me they were at this or that show. Who will come back when you walk past like the King of Persia?

@ qmoney- be very afraid o. There are many of them. Glad I could give you advance warning.

@ bmc- I agree with you in the totality. It does remind me of that post of yours. Truth is stranger than fiction.

@ la sherri amor- I parked to enter the 'Starcomms' office, babe. I didn't know she was in full pursuit.

@ rj- everything goes here. What can one say?

@ 27 25- Had no idea you were around here last July, that's really good to hear. These people do have nerve.

@ ink- thanx, ink

@ blogger general- no thanks. I like my chi just the way it/he/she is

@ uzo- meant to call you. Seen 'Untraceable'? Disturbing movie. Iron Man? Looking forward to it, talk soon.

@ standtall- thanx for stopping by, standtall. And yeah, it was for real. Glad I'm on your roll.

@ ibiluv- you're never conventional, luv. Yeah, I hate the telephone, running conversations thing too

@ 30+ see this naijamerican! You calculated her earnings...Not bad, true, even if it's a high risk job.

Babawilly said...

Are Laspapi, women are 'tracking you o'. It is all good. A sure sign of health wealth and success.
Long may the tracking continue. Well , till you get an anti-tracking devise otherwise called a wife. Even that one has limitations, as terrorists 'full ground remain'