As I rush enter di meeting dat last week Tuesday for our garage wey dey near Ikeja under bridge, di first person wey talk na Akpan. E ask me weda I see one fine sisi wey don dey wait for me since 6 o'clock am in di morning.

I do like say I no hear wetin dat Calabar man talk. I no say Akpan own no pass woman. Show am stick wey dem use woman clothe cover, Akpan go begin chase am.

And I sure say, if na true say Akpan meet dat sisi since 6 O’clock am in di morning for garage, I fit swear anyting say Akpan go don chase dat sisi tire. But wetin concern me?

Di ting wey I do be say, I sit down, keep the union file for table, wipe my face with handkerchief, carry up my face to look all our union member dem for di meeting, and say, “I dey very sorry to come late for di meeting.”

Jimoh our union chairman surprise me wen e say, “Dat’s ok, Oga MAT. We understand Lagos roads. After all, all of us here na taxi driver we be. It’s better late than never.”

Eh? Jimoh? I been tink say na im go be di first person to complain say I come late for di meeting. I surprise gan!

Jimoh say make Emeka pray as Christian. After dat, e say make Idowu, our union treasurer, pray as Muslim.

Jimoh come declare di meeting open. But di meeting no too long sha. Na only 2 hours di meeting last, e no come be like our union meeting wey be say 5 hours sef na small ting. Jimoh say as e be Tuesday – new week and new month – make everybody go dey do im work.

As I comot for di meeting waka dey go to put di union file inside my guonguoro, dat sisi appear again. Tori Olorun!

I ask di sisi say, so you still dey wait for me up till dis time?

Di sisi say make I no vex, e say e really wan see me.

I tell am say shebi me an im meet for Isale Eko dat time before Coro lockdown. I tell am say dat day I say make e give me im phone number, e refuse. I say make I give am my own number, e no gree take. Dat day I say make e tell me im name, e tell me say e no get name. But I been tell am my own name and wia our garage dey, wey make am fit find me come after 11 months.

Na so di sisi come beg me well well. E say na becos of one yeye man wey promise am dat time say e wan marry am, na im make e behave like dat. E say but di bobo use am finish, chop all im shop money finish and still run lef am go meet anoder market woman, wey no be young sisi like am, for dat same Balogun Market for Isale Eko.

Di sisi say im don ready now to give me everyting wey I wan. E say na im make e come wait for me very early. E say na im make e don dey flash me since, and e tink say I go call am back as e no get credit for im phone.

So na dis sisi don dey call me since dat time, on dat very first day of December, wey I don dey happy say na special call for special number?

And e come be say na flash! So if I been say make I call am back as I dey match trottle dey come for road, if anyting happen, na so man pikin for jus kpeme for notig? Olorun Oba o!

I come tell am say since im bobo don use am finish, chop im market money finish, now e find me come, no wahala.

But I tell am say make e remember say year don finish, make e try wait till next year, say make me sef start my own duty for im body.

Di sisi come ask me wetin I go give am dis Xmas, say no need to wait till next year. E say make we start now.

I come talk am for my mind say, shey na by force? You dey find man wey you go sweep im pocket for dis odun.

I come tell am say make e no worry, say I go call am tomorrow tell am everyting.

Di sisi come smile. E nearly kneel down to tank me. Den e come tell me make I give am money for transport back to Isale Eko.

I tell am say I no carry money come garage dat early morning, and my ATM dey for house. I say make e use im money, say I go pay am back wen e come next time. But later, make e text im bank account detail send to my phone.

Na so I take free mysef for dat Isale Eko sisi hand o.

I don block im yeye line dat day gan.

Make we jam again on Friday.

Tank you

Tank you very much

And tank you very, very much indeed.