One Last Pop Episode 1

It all happened at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Nigeria. The play was getting boring to Josh as he was having the urge to smoke but was already out of packs.

All that was left with him was the tract given to him by his friend’s friend, Simi

who followed them to watch the Live African stage play, “Things fall Apart” originally written by World renowned writer, Late Chinua Achebe.

He went to the back of stadium to cool out as he had done the past 17 times without been caught.

“It’s just a paper, her God won’t mind”, he encouraged himself.

After the play was over, he walked his friends to their estate and then went home to prepare for Monday’s work as it was already getting late.

Josh laid down but could not sleep!

He thought it was just a fluke and would sleep off in no time…

He kept rolling from one side of the bed to the other yet sleep seemed to be a stranger that night and he was awake till 6am! 

He got to work so heavy that morning but couldn’t tell his friend what had happened.

Everything was going fine until he dozed off on his table cuddling his system as pillow!

His friend, Mide did all he could to wake him up but all was otiose.

It was like Josh ‘The Coal Bender’, as they used to call him, for his PhD in smoking and having his way with ladies since their university days has just been burnt!

Josh did not wake up until exactly 6pm, his closing hours!

He was metagrabolised to see his state, system wrecked, gawking eyes from different angles and a query letter on his desk.

He wasn’t fired yet, since his dad’s friend is the manager but he had some explaining to do.

Mide closed the door beckoning on his friend to explain to him what went wrong after they parted ways at the estate gate yesterday evening.

Josh had no answer other than sleepless night and migraine as a cover up.

He went home believing the chapter was over, only for the sleepless night to repeat itself. He was awake till 6am as the alarm resounded in his room.

He was scared of the same episode repeating itself at the office as he still had one query to answer and couldn’t afford another, neither could he call in sick since he had a query to respond to, no excuse came to mind so he went to the office an hour early.

Right there in his office preparing to respond to the query, he slept off…again!

Cuddling the new system that was just installed by the IT department.

Quickly, he was carried from the office to the clinic by his friend and few staff, who met him sprawled on the floor already.

At exactly 6pm, he woke up on the hospital bed full of despair.

This time, it was just his friend with a worried expression and a sack letter issued after he was brought to the clinic.

He had to explain himself to his friend, Mide who obviously did not believe his story, walked out angrily thinking he was cooking up stories as usual and this time got burnt.

Josh left the hospital confused but made up his mind to meet his next door neighbor, Lucy (married with two kids) who prays all night.

Lucy, as everyone called her in the compound has been married for 5years to her always traveling husband as his business required. Her children were in boarding school, so practically she stayed alone and a prayer woman she is, as her voice echoes through the flat every night.

He never had a conversation with her apart from casual greetings when their paths crossed in the morning while he leaves for work.

Josh was trying to man up as he left the hospital but deep within he was confused and cheerless.

“Is Jesus punishing me for using his tract for just one last pop? Is it because I said “her God won’t mind”? What’s her name by the way, that Mide’s friend? Or this is just me having hard time living because I didn’t accept my parents decision to marry or manage the family business? Perhaps, this is a spell from one of the ladies I’ve slept with and ditched? How will I begin to call them now and apologize to the right one who will forgive me soon enough? I’ve even lost count”, he said to himself as he walked to his car.

Josh was sure his family were already aware of all what was going on yet not surprised they didn’t call him. Since he graduated, he has been living alone and had never listened or accepted their offer once. Josh had great potentials and wanted to succeed on his own terms but his wantonness has left him empty without a coin of direction and estranged from his family. Mide has been the only friend who stood by him through the years, they were living together until he vouched for him at his Father’s friend company who wouldn’t want to help since Josh and his Father were not on good terms. And now he has blown up the only opportunity he had due to this unknown cause of sleeplessness which Mide felt it’s all a makeup story.

On getting home, he made up his mind to go see Lucy and ask for help even if he has to pray to her God to be free.