CORPERS’ LODGE: HOW I MARRIED DEBBIE (1)

Wow! Finally, Debbie is mine. I feel like I have won a trophy.

This is not the kind of feeling you have when you win an FA Cup. It’s the kind of joy that follows lifting a Champions League trophy. But in this case, I lifted more than a trophy.

By the time I’m done with my story, you will understand the way I feel.

I met Debbie at the NYSC camp.  We were queuing to go into the Orientation camp. The place was jam packed, so my eyes kept scanning from one corner of the camp to another.

When we were finally in, I saw Debbie again. This time, she was close to the registration point. My eyes were fixated on her. I watched how she carried herself, how she smiled, moved around and related with other corps members. Her bright white teeth complemented her dark skin. Her lips were somewhere between pink and red. Her backside was well rounded and tightly firm on her dress. Her well–lined cornrows accentuated her face. I loved every bit of what I was looking at.

May I also mentioned that, throughout the time I was staring at Debbie, I was equally straining my eyes to read the title of the book she was clutching. All I could see was “The…”, every other thing was faint from where I stood.

Before long, Debbie was done with her registration. I silently prayed she stayed around until I was done with mine. But by the time I was done with my registration, she had disappeared into the crowd or her hostel, I wasn’t quite sure.

I was disappointed that I didn’t get closer to her, let alone getting to know her name and possibly initiate some little talks.

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I was barely done with the bathroom, when the bugle sounded. The soldiers came around to drive us from the hostels. It was time for our first ever morning parade. The parade was followed by a short speech by the camp commandant and some NYSC officials.

I quickly ran into the hostel and jumped into a pair of white shorts I had arranged the previous night before I hit the sheets. I was still struggling with my vest when some soldiers came around.

“Hey, Otondo, If I catch you there, eh.”

At the assembly ground, the commandant went on and on with both camp rules and some subtle threats. He tried to put as much fear as he could in us. Some of us believed everything he said since it was our first time of getting that close to soldiers.

On my way back to the hostel after the parade ended, I saw Debbie walking with a guy. By the way she moved, it was obvious she wasn’t comfortable with the way the guy was holding her hands and sometimes leaning on her. I decided not to approach her when the guy left in order not to jeopardize my chances. I could tell from where I stood that she was already irritated to some extent.

The following morning, we were divided into platoons. I was in platoon eight. I did not know Debbie was equally in platoon eight until later that evening when we reassembled for a briefing.

Being in the same platoon afforded me the opportunity to closely monitor Debbie. I said “closely monitor” in the sense that I was always interested in everything she did.  Before I could make any significant move, Martins had taken over. He was seen almost everywhere Debbie went. I regretted not going after Debbie the moment I saw her at the gate. She had everything I wanted in a woman plus more.

Few days into our Orientation programme, Debbie was appointed the President of the UNICEF backed HIV Awareness CD group. I was also a member. I told myself that an opportunity to at least introduce myself to her had just arrived and on a platter too.

We were always driven to a center outside the camp for our training. The mandate of our group was to replicate whatever we were taught in our primary places of assignment.

On the first day of the training, I walked straight to Debbie during the break period. I introduced myself to her and told her I have seen her a couple of times. That I decided to get closer and to hear how she sounded. Debbie smiled and introduced herself.

We chatted for a few minutes before the break was called off by the no-nonsense State coordinator. He hurried everybody back to the hall.

After the day’s training, I met Debbie on her way out of the hall. We smiled at each other. My admiration for her was becoming obvious. However, I noticed she smiled just the same way she smiled at me to every other guy. “She’s warm and confident,” I told myself.

As the leader of the group, everybody flocked around her, it made it difficult for me to engage her in a one and one conversation for a long time. She was always busy at the training ground. Back at orientation camp, the other guy would not give her any breathing space.

At a point, I decided to perish the idea of asking Debbie out. I withdrew from her for a while.

When our three weeks orientation exercise ended, I was posted to a government college in the State Capital. I was so elated because I was going to do my primary assignment in the state capital.

Debbie was also posted to the state capital but to the NYSC secretariat. She was seconded to the office of the State coordinator of the HIV Awareness Program.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found out we were accommodated in the same Corpers’ lodge.

“Wow! Heaven must be involved in all these coincidences,” I told myself.

The moment she sighted me at the lodge, she ran to me and we embraced warmly. Yes, warmly.

Debbie couldn’t hide it. She was excited to see me in the same lodge as herself.  I told myself I was not going to ‘dull’ anymore.

Later that evening, we decided to work downtown to familiarize ourselves with our new environment.

I told Debbie how much I admired her. How I couldn’t come closer because of the other guy who was always with her.  I said everything I had observed to her. She laughed throughout our conversation.

When I was done talking, she said, “Don’t worry, we are already friends. This period is for self-discovery, so I will advise you don’t over attach your emotion to anybody.”

I wasn’t disappointed by that submission, at least I have made my feelings known to her.

But after that day, Debbie carried on as if I didn’t say anything to her the previous day.

***The story continues***