“Amala and ewedu with gbegiri and assorted” I requested for what seemed like the umpteenth time. But the woman steadily ignored me for the tall, heavily built young men. They definitely were in 500 level. For a split second, I thought I was invisible.

I had stood there for what felt like 30 minutes, although I had spent barely 4 minutes. “You don’t have a chance with any of them. You are old”: I wanted to yell at the woman selling and walk away, but my ticket, hunger, and home training kept me standing with anger puffing out of my nostrils.

“The patient dog gets the fattest bone after all,” I thought, trying to calm me. My thoughts drifted to the Chairman, which made my legs weak.

Chairman is the most sought-after person in CU from 7 pm. He’s your drinks and water plug without him; your night could be dry, literally.

“Chairman two bottle water!”

“Two Mama Coke and one Sprite! “

“Chairman one pulpy!”

“Two ice tea and one dubic malt”

The shouts went on and on till 8:55 pm up until when the great door shuts at 9 pm.

Finally, she answered me. I smiled and walked towards Chairman’s place with my dinner in hand and joy complete. However, the thought of the tall sweaty bodies from thirsty basketball players and bass voices my bird-like voice would have to compete with for Chairman’s attention diluted my happiness.

Joella writes