A Broke Woman’s POV. (A short Story)

Why is the world evil to good women??

That has been the “theme of my life” in the last 27 years.

My mother, a good woman, suffered so much until she became blind. Then she transferred the baton of affliction to me and I continued the race.

All my life, I’ve always worked hard, gone to church, and lived a moral life but it had only earned me suffering, hardship, and misery.

I had a dream though. The same dream my mother had before she got blind and couldn’t dream anymore. I had a dream, that one day, a good man would find me. And just like in the movies, he would be filthy rich. He would fall in love with me, marry me, and change my life forever.

So every day I woke up, I had a smile on my face and hope in my heart.

So last week Wednesday, as I got to the restaurant just beside my office to buy lunch, I saw a man, whose presence gave me a feeling that my dreams were about to become reality.

He was standing at the food counter, his shoes looks well polished and his strip shirt looked like it had just lost its tag. His wristwatch looked pretty expensive. I tried so hard not to study him but I couldn’t miss the car keys dangling from his trousers pocket. He smelt filthy rich.

Just as I tried to steal a look at his face, our eyes locked and he smiled at me. He had the most gorgeous set of white teeth I had ever seen. I smiled back.

“Oh hello”, he said. His voice. Omg. He sounded like Joel Osteen. He was still smiling at me.

“Hello”, I said. In the most foreign accent, I could come up with.

“Madam Wetin you want to buy”?, one of the restaurant waiters said to me. I hesitated for a bit before replying.

I was too ashamed to let this gorgeous man who had just said hello to me, know that I was about to buy “half a plate of jollof rice without protein because I was Poor”.

It was bad enough that I was wearing my most faded gown and carrying my natural hair packed in a bun. I had no makeup on and my lips were so parched. I was carrying a purse that used to be brown but was now black because it was worn out and tired of existing.

“Just take his order first”, I told the waiter.

“Oh, he has already taken my order. I’m just waiting for my food now”. The gorgeous man replied.

Oh!! I said in disappointment. I wasn’t ready to dismay my God today after he had presented me with this golden opportunity.

So I quickly told the waiter. “Please give me jollof rice and turkey. Could you please add a little portion of salad?”. I almost couldn’t recognize my voice.

I tried to smile but It was so difficult while thinking of the fact that “I had just spent money worth a week’s lunch in one day”. What even pushed me to this restaurant today, I queried myself. I usually only came here to buy food for my pregnant boss. Today, I only decided to have a taste of enjoyment because everyone at the office kept talking of the tasty jollof rice here and I was the only one who hadn’t had a taste. I decided to splurge on it just for today because I deserved it.

“Do you work around here?” Mr gorgeous asked. My name is Jide by the way. He smiled again. I work in Pro-to-tech just down the street. He stretched his right hand to shake me. There was no ring on his finger I noticed.

I shook his hand briefly and retrieved it hurriedly, so he couldn’t see my non-pedicured fingernails. “My name is Sophia. Yeah, I work around.” I say. I hoped he wasn’t expecting him to say where exactly. I searched his expression. It was had to read.

“Oh really?? That’s nice. I haven’t seen you here though. Do you buy food from here often ??”. He asked

“Yeah. But I usually send our cleaner.” I lied. I hope he never finds out I doubled as both a cleaner and receptionist at work.

He was chanting about his job to me, but I was barely paying attention even though I was looking at him and nodding my head.

I was lost in thoughts and fascination that this man, who may own a car and hopefully a mansion was talking to me. He was the most beautiful man I had ever set my eyes on. His lips looked so soft and the beards around his jaw looked trimmed and perfect. I fearfully imagined his hands around my waist.

“I would love to see you another time”, he said. Let me have your number.

“Of course.” I beamed with joy in my heart as I typed my number on his “iPhone with 3 cameras.” I wasn’t good with iPhones so I didn’t know what version it was.

His order came to the counter just as he collected my number. Then he walked to the cashier to pay.

There was something about his smile, or maybe it was the good woman in me, something that made me say “Oh don’t worry Jide, I’ll sort the bill”.

‘Jide??? I’ll sort the bill’. I mimicked myself in my head. You don’t even know this man for Christ’s sake, I tell myself. I hope he says No. Please say Nooooooooooooo because you have pride. Say nooooooooo. I scream in my thoughts.

He chuckled in surprise and disbelief. I felt a pang of anger in me. Why does he look shocked? Do I look so underprivileged and broke that I could not afford to pay for a man’s meal?? I know my perfume reeked of poverty but could it be that bad??? Would he judge me by my physical appearance? I looked good on some days, I try to assure myself.

“Are you sure?” he asked. With a look of genuine concern on his face. “You don’t have to, you know?”

“Of course, I’m sure. It’s fine”. I said. But deep down I wished he would refuse and instead offer to pay for mine. Wasn’t that how rich men row??

“Awwwwnnnn. That’s so sweet. A woman has never offered to pay for anything for me. I’m so surprised. I owe you One. You are such a nice person”, he said.

“It’s nothing for real”, I said. Gosh, I’m such a pathetic liar.

“Alright, sophy. I’ll text you okay?” He said with a smile on his face, again. I interpreted his expression to be a delight, for finding me. The woman of his dreams. A good woman. The only woman that has ever sorted his bill. The first and last of my kind. My heart leaped with pride.

I smiled back at him as he left the restaurant. I noticed the car keys in his pocket again and wondered what kind of car he drove.

As I walked to the cashier to pay for my food, I imagined if he was the manager or CEO of the company he said he worked at. It was the most pretty building on my office street. I had always envied the ladies I saw around that building. They all looked sleek and bougie. The proper baddies.

I imagined if I even had a chance with Mr gorgeous if he had those doll-looking babes around him. Maybe they were all bad women and he’s looking for a good woman like myself. I consoled myself with that thought as I swiped my card and paid N15,400 for the stupid jollof rice and turkey I had just bought for myself and a stranger. I tried to remember how many plates of food he had ordered but i was paying him too much attention to notice.

My heart was so heavy. I thought Love didn’t cost a dime!! Why did I have to spend so much money just to impress a man?

You are a foolish woman, I muttered to myself as I left the restaurant.