Chapter 2: Corridor Tension and Temptation

For harmattan 2018, I change work and dey find house wey go near my new office for Ibadan.

The air for Ibadan that time dey dry, everywhere dey white as if person spray powder. Dust dey cover cars, you go dey feel harmattan breeze bite your skin, especially for early morning when you dey waka go office. I dey tire for hold-up, so I gats find house near my new place of work for Ring Road.

After I sign rent with caretaker, na so I carry my load enter this three-bedroom flat wey dem dey share.

Na my uncle come help me negotiate the rent, him sabi all the caretaker wahala for this area. As dem dey offload my mattress from keke, neighbours dey peek from window, dey calculate who be the new person for compound. My mother sef call me that evening, dey pray say make my house bring me blessing.

When I first reach, na only one other babe dey live there. She dey stay for the room wey near my own—about 25 years, and she dey always come house late. I no even sabi her name or wetin she dey do. We no dey talk like that.

For compound wey tenants dey keep face, e no too strange. I dey hear am dey slam her door late at night, sometimes she go come back with small nylon bag, smell of perfume go fill corridor. If I try greet am for morning, she go answer with just 'morning' and waka pass.

About two weeks later, another babe move in. She collect the small room wey dey inside, the one wey face north.

I hear when caretaker dey discuss with the new babe. Her mother sef follow come, dey help arrange foam and curtain. The way dem dey talk Yoruba, I sabi say na Lagos people dem be. Na so dem settle her inside, and house come get new energy.

Both of my roommates na young women, and e make the parlour dey lively small.

Sometimes, I go hear them dey laugh for parlour at night—especially on Fridays when stress don hold everybody. The other babe like gist well, dey watch Africa Magic, sometimes go loud the TV reach my room.

The babe wey move in after me na Morayo. If you see am, she slim, tall reach my chin, like all those models for TV. Her skin light, body set well.

As she dey waka pass, she dey greet everybody with respect. If you hear her 'Good morning', you go know say she get home training. Her skin dey glow, hair always dey inside scarf when she no plait am. Her voice dey soft but clear like bell.

Morayo dey always cook her own food. Whether na lunch or evening meal, I go always see am for kitchen. Sometimes, even for weekdays afternoon when I come house to rest, she go dey there dey cook lunch.

That kitchen dey always smell like ogi and fried plantain when she dey. Sometimes, I go smell beans porridge or egusi soup, e go make belle dey rumble. E go be like say stew dey burn, you go hear her dey hum Asa song quietly. She dey arrange her things well, no dey use another person plate or spoon.

E be like say she no get work.

At times, I go dey wonder why she no dey rush like other people. Person wey get work for Ibadan no dey house for afternoon. I reason say maybe she dey try online business or she dey prepare for exam. Na Naija wahala.

Anytime I see Morayo dey cook, na one pink sports shorts she dey always wear. The shorts short well well—just manage cover her lap—plus e loose, so her fine legs dey show more.

You know as Ibadan heat dey, person no fit wear jean up and down inside kitchen. Her shorts dey show her fair skin, and sometimes, she go pair am with one white vest. Her legs dey neat, ankle smooth, no single scratch—e clear say she dey care for herself.

Sometimes, I go just stand look am from back: 20-year-old babe, dey wear cool, open cloth, her young body dey show well.

If na area boys see this kind babe, dem go dey make noise. But as I be correct guy, I dey respect myself. Even though eye dey go where dem no suppose go sometimes, na just normal temptation.

We go greet when we jam, small small we come dey know each other.

Her 'how far' dey always come with smile, teeth white, e dey shine like morning sun. Sometimes we go talk about NEPA wahala or how rain soak her clothes for line. Na so gist start.

Later, I hear say Morayo get boyfriend—na dispatch rider. I see the guy only two times; e no dey live here.

The first time I jam the guy, him wear jacket, full beard, and him bike dey park for outside. The second time, I see am dey help Morayo carry small bag of rice upstairs. Dem dey always dey talk softly, no dey disturb compound with noise.

One Friday afternoon, I take half day off to rest. After chop, I go my room go sleep small.

That day, NEPA light dey. Fan dey blow, my phone dey play soft song. The whole street dey quiet, only sound from hawker wey dey shout 'Ice cream, cold pure water!' outside.

The whole house quiet. I no see Morayo for kitchen or parlour, everywhere just still. E be like say nobody dey house.

Even the other babe travel go her uncle place for Akobo. Everywhere dry, na only faint scent of perfume still dey for parlour. Na so I reason say make I rest, nobody go disturb me.

By late June, heat no get part two. I pull my shirt, wear loose shorts, dey prepare go baff.

My body dey sweat anyhow. I carry blue rubber slippers, one wrapper tie for waist, ready to go face the heat for bathroom. I carry sponge and small black soap join.

As I commot from my room, chest open, I wan close door go bathroom.

I glance left and right, wan make sure say nobody dey. Na that time my stomach rumble, I dey hope say I go baff quick before light go.

Na im I see something for corner of my eye.

For the dim corridor, shadow move. My heart skip one beat. I pause, dey look well.

Na Morayo, she wrap towel for body, dey waka come my side.

Her towel na bright pink, almost reach her knee, hair dey packed up. She dey hold small white bucket, sponge dey inside. As she near, I fit smell her powder. The corridor light shine small for her face, e make her skin fine pass as usual.