Not To Trust Again ~ Creative Nonfiction
September 24th came to mind each time I tried to depend on any of my friends for assistance. Two days earlier, we had traveled from Lagos to Benin where the wedding between our friend, Osas, and his long-time girlfriend, Habeebah will take place. The lady had arranged with a private car rental vendor for the bridal vehicle while Osas stocked Ayo's Evil Spirit Honda car.
Our earlier sojourn to Benin was to get familiar with the environment and also to have fun. The first place of call was G.R.A where there were fun places to hang out. It was fun all through. As young men, who were not yet married, we gazed at beautiful Benin girls as they wagged their waists walking up and down the streets and premises of the lounge we lodged at.
Benin is a cool place. Many spots around town exist where you can get local food. I did try out eating local rice wrapped in leaves with hand-grind stew sauce. Believe me, the experience was worth it.
A day before the wedding, precisely on the traditional engagement day, Habeebah received a text that the car that would convey her to the court on the wedding day was no longer available. The reason why the company called to cancel was not stated. Hence, we needed to sort out that immediately.
Oga, why did you cancel my booking?
The man whom Habeebah was speaking to on the other end of the phone seemed not to have anything to say. She had just breezed out from the traditional engagement venue to put a call across to the company.
See, just do something. If the first car I booked will not be available, source for a replacement, please.
She begged. Habeebah sounded frustrated as she hung the call. Her skin turned pink, making it look like she was angry as she returned to the venue where the traditional rites were being performed.
An hour later, the traditional engagement was completed and we returned to our hotel room, then to the bar where we discussed the engagement and the dynamic culture of the people. Then, I remembered the case that Habeebah was handling and decided to share. No one seemed to be able to help out after all the calls that were made.
Let's not bother too much bro. Ayo's car can serve two purposes.
Kelvin, one of our friends suggested.
Do you think Habeebah will understand? You know how ladies carry these wedding things on their heads? For them, it is a once-in-a-lifetime venture.
Matade, another friend, opined. In the long run, we are Osas, the groom, to put a call across to his wife-to-be and update her on what was discussed. Right there in our presence, he made the call.
Hey babe! What's up with the car arrangement?
Osas asked.
I have been making several calls to people that I can reach but nine of them a yet to be ready to release their cars.
Habeebah said. Then a short silence ensued before Osas spoke.
Alright. Let's not beat a dead horse. We would use Ayo's car. It would pick me first and the guys to the registry and then you.
That's the only available option and Habeebah accepted.
The next morning, the groom and all of us who went with him woke up very early despite having slept late in the night. We all prepared and by 8:00 am, we moved to the registry in two batches, then Ayo drove to bring the bride and her train as the wedding was to begin in an hour.
Everything went on smoothly. The officials at the registry attended to us as the first. After an hour, we were done. Other couples have come to tie the knot too. Once, we had enough time to relax before the reception.
When we reached the reception hall, it was filled to the brim and there was an overflow. It looked like people were set to party. There was enough to eat and drink. The disc jockey lit up the whole place with good music as old and young people danced.
In the middle of the celebration, we just found out that Ayo was not around. As the best man, I went out to see where he could be. To my amazement, I met Matade and Kelvin with hands folded around their chests.
What's happening? Why aren't you inside the hall?
The duo looked at each other as if they were keeping something from me. Kelvin was courageous enough to speak. And he said:
Ola drove off to Lagos, angrily.
A sudden cold traveled through my spine when I heard that. There would be no car to take the couple to their hotel room from the reception ground.
This was so humiliating. At that point, I started to ask questions.
Why is he angry? Is driving away the solution?
No one could answer me. I could not tell Osas what had transpired. It was one of the guests that we confided in that helped us out of the embarrassment. My friend wouldn't have forgiven himself for having trusted his friend, Ola, with such an ugly behaviour. Though we sorted it out after the wedding with Ola, I learned never to trust my friends or rely on them to help me out. If they do, all well and good but if otherwise, I would just move on.
But why will Ola left like that? And who even got him angry in the first place. Well, Thank God that you finally got another car that serve the the embarrassment. It is never good to put our trust in someone they can disappoint us anytime.
That scene was a food for thought, one that would linger for a long time.
That was too bad of Ola, that's why it's difficult to trust these days. They will just backstab you.
It was that bad. The funny thing was that he got angry because he felt that he should be the one getting married and not Osas.
Haha human being ehn
The car company is responsible for so much stress at such an important moment. It is also hard to understand how a friend who is enjoying the party can disappear without explanation. Fortunately the friends managed to solve the problem. Thanks for sharing this story, @mrenglish .
Many thanks, @theinkwell. Friendship with people who cannot stand by you when you need them the most is not what friendship is all about.
It's really hard to trust these days. Sometimes, even the closest person to you can betray you.
This betrayal posed by Ola was off the hook.
Wedding comes with different levels of stress and challenges. I wonder why Ola would leave while the party was on without an explanation. Did you guys ever find out what happened?
We did fund out but it was a rude shock to us all. He apologized though, the deed is already done and wee have known him to be such a person. One not to be trusted.
We only have ourselves to trust but none else.
Anyways, it's so good that things were sorted out as at when due
The worst is if there had been trust, one singular misdeed may have broken it and trust may never exist again, between friends.
There is always a level of anxiety accompanying wedding. Ola didn't obviously lived to expectations.