5 Episodes with the caged dove

Episode One
I just had a flashback back and smiled, thinking about how I met a cutie lady. It all started on December 20, 2015 when I visited my two cousin; Shittu and Ridwan in Nasarawa to spend the mid-semester break. Brother Shittu is married to Mummy Musley while Ridwan is as young as I am.

My brother happened to live in a face-me-I-see compound. I arrived his place very early because I left lokoja around 8' o clock. I was welcomed like a prince in his fathers kingdom and was outside chatting with my cousin when I saw a cute damsel pass us by. She was dark skinned, tall and slim. She was putting on a blue bathroom slippers, a pink T-shirt with a wrapper wrapped around her waist in the old women style.

'Uhm... Uhm... Who is that cherry berry?' I asked pointing at her as she takes the turn to her family's room.

'She lives in this compound, her name is Dorathy' replied Ridwan.

'Why did you ask?' He queried.

'I think she is cute' I answered smiling.

'Guy no even go there, the father harsh gon'

'So? Em dey chop bottle ne? Abi na em go marry her?' I asked.

'Dora... Dora... Dora... That nice, I think staying over here will be fun' I said snapping a selfie of myself to admire my handsome face.

'You don dey form fine boy abi? All the girls wey you get for school never do you koh? My hand no dey oooo,' Ridwan warned.

'Ok ooooo.... I beg make I go take my bath, it been a stressful journey' I said and stood up, wiped my trouser to get rid of the dust on it and went inside.

I came out in 3 minutes time with just a white towel wrapped around my waist to my kneels, I filled the bathing bucket with water from the drum at the front of my brothers room. I then carried the water on one hand and the sponge case on the other and left for the bathroom.

The compound was filled with children playing with some of them shouting: 'good Afternoon uncle.' I answered and kept a straight face forming cool when I notice a young lady washing cloths in the front of her house, that was Dorathy, my Dora.

'Good Afternoon,' she said still busy washing. 'Goddam...., her voice could melt the heart of a warrior,' I thought to myself.

'Afternoon,' I said and left her presence immediately as the mother was there with her. I went to the bathroom and after taking my bath, I went back into the room.

I came out dressed on a check white and black shirt with a black trouser and an adidas palm slippers and sat close to Mummy Musley chatting when again, Dora passed again.

This time, not dressed in the granny manner, she was putting on a white long sleeve and short gray skirt exposing her charming long legs. Her hair was packed in a gray beret with her lips shining, inviting who cares for a kiss.

I was lost in thought with my gaze on her as she passed by until Mummy Musley tapped me on the back. The same thing happened as she passed back to their room and Mummy Musley told me not to even nurse any feeling that it wouldn't even work, she said she is always indoor.

I now see her as a caged dove, so lovely to play with but away from my reach because of the wire gauge of the cage.

Episode Two
The next morning, I was dressed in a faded brown trouser and pink T-shirt standing outside with Ridwan. Musley and Isaac, the two stubborn children of the compound pushed my white canvas I washed and placed on the bench. I became furious, looking at the shoe on the ground dotted with sand.

I was standing still as if the whole world had gone against me, this was the shoe I was to wear to the carol party at 'Nyanya Neighbourhood' and it was getting late already.

As if that was not enough, they added salt to the already severe injury by picking one of the shoe each and attempted to run to the compound with it when I pursued them and brought them back. I beat the hell out of them waiting for any form of action from their parents, the normal face-me-I-see-you compound behaviour of parents.

I had no problem with Musley since she is my brother's daughter but the person I had a problem with now is Isaac, I didn't even know who his parents were. Isaac ran into their room crying and in a minute later, Dora my caged dove came out furious asking who the person that beat him was.

Isaac pointed at me and she came asking why I had to hit her brother.

'Babe calm down, yes I did beat him but did you ask him what he did?' I said.

''I don't want to know what he did, you beat a small boy that way and you expect me to ask what he did?'

'Ok, I see you are hear to beat me up, go on,' I said with my hand wide open.

'Hmm... Am not hear for that,' she said

'Then why were you shouting as if you wanted to bring down this building'

'Hmm... What did he do,' she asked.

'Look,' I said pointing at the boot on the ground.

'You mean because of just this? Hah? God, that was too extreme I must say,' she said and left with her brother. I later picked my shoe and cleaned it, there was no time for washing again and left for the party.

Later in the evening, I came back and saw a familiar blue slippers at the door.

'Ah.... Why did she leave the slippers outside? Oh, to signal her parents she is here' I spoke within me.

I entered and saw her sitting on the three seater sofa with one leg on the sofa and the other on the rug carpet. My brother was sitting with her on the same sofa discussion about the jamb use of English text; 'the last days at Forcados high school.' Immediately I entered, I threw a general greeting to the air for those that care for one. Everyone in the room answered except Dora.

'What is this girl feeling like? I beg o, suit yourself,' I said within me. She left the room after she observed my coming drew my brother's attention from hers.

It was in the evening that day around 9 o'clock that everything took a different direction.

Episode Three
It was around 9 o'clock and for that day, I decided to sleep in another place. I wore my pyjamas... Did I say pyjamas? Oh yes but not the one you know, it just a white gown. I was about living to the place I was to sleep when fortunately for us, she was sent out and was walking back fast from the shop to avoid missing the movie she was seeing.

Coincidentally, I was adjusting my headphone so I wasn't looking at my front. As I reached the gate, we ran into each other with Dora right in my front without even a breathing space. My hands had mysteriously hanged beside her breast, we both froze for a few seconds.

'Ah... Sorry,' I broke the silent and moved back.

'You again?' She asked.

'It wasn't intentional, am sorry'

'Suit yourself'

'You don't even know me and you are been hostile to me, am sorry our first meeting turned out to be bad, my name is Abdulwali'

'Hmm... Ok, Dora is my name, can I go now?' She said, she seems in a hurry.

'Not yet, I have a package for you,' I started.

'If there is one thing I observed about you, it is the lack of freedom you face, so intense that no one is close to you to wish a happy birthday,' I added. in the previous day, I overheard the mum telling a neighbour that her daughter will be plus one today.

'Who told you today is my birthday,' she asked.

'Never mind, am I right or wrong?'

'You are but......'

'On Dora's birthday, she is meant to smile and shine her teeth, but due to the cage she found herself, she felt tamed and unhappy,' I said.

'I know I don't have gift to offer, sweet words to make you smile and power to free you from this cage but I have my own smile to offer, my own freedom to come to you and still have the voice to wish you a happy birthday,' I said with my left hand on her shoulder.

'Oh my God...,' she said with her two palms close to her mouth forming a U shape. She added;

'Thank you, no one really had wished me a happy birthday, your words sound sweet and appealing to the ears. God, you've got the right word for my condition, am really in a cage,' she said sounding happy.

'You may be in a cage but one thing is sure; you are just too cute, I couldn't help but to notice you,' I said and held her hand. Her hand was shaking and I could feel the rate of her breathing increased.

'That a nice lips you've got here,' I added looking straight into her eyes. Her phone rang, it was her mum asking her what was keeping her at the shop. She told the mum she was already on her way.

'I must be on my way now,' she said releasing her hand from mind.

'Ok... Your number,' I said handing over my phone to her. She collected it and entered the number.

I flashed it to make sure it was correct.

'I will give you a call,' I said as she rush into the compound, she heard her mothers voice.

I left the compound a happy man listening to my favourite track by Tekno mile 'Duro.'