The Trials of Fatimah- the struggles of an orobo Part 2

“Madam, you are not drinking that thing in this room o!’

“what the hell Fati, what kind of poison did you buy?

“Because of you now, my boyfriend would not come into the room. I am so embarrassed’

I looked up at my roommates glaring at me, Bose, Stella and Ngozi. I was shocked that Stella was a part of this. Did everyone forget that she brought the darn thing. Why was I getting all the heat? Oh yeah… Stella had poured it on my rug but I am the bad guy because I have refused to get rid of it. Rugs are expensive naa. I had scrubbed the spot on the rugs for hours and hours…..well for over ten minutes….. and still the smell has not gone off. Even when I had spread the rug outside, our neighbours had complained. My roommates had threatened to burn the rug, but that would be over my dead obese body before I let them burn my property. I don’t care how badly it smells.

June 25 2005

I Burned the rug and got carpets instead. I could not stand the smell any longer.

June 27 2005

It is noon on a Monday morning and I am having brunch at one of the school diners. The whole place is buzzing with boys and girls eating, laughing and gisting. I am sitting on my own eating my double portion Plate of Rice, Plantain and Chicken, (It’s amazing how I always recall what I had eaten in the past with so accuracy. Story of my Life) 
You know the wonderful thing about being a Jambite (freshman). All the attention. You are new. you are exciting and all the boys are trying to get in your pants. At least for most girls. For me, it was “try not to get noticed and picked on” mode. My room mates and females course mates were all swept up in the rush, being invited for lunch and dinner at the various diners on campus, going for shows and generally having guys visit them. I spent most of my time reading (no, not school books. Novels. I may be fat but I was not a nerd….what a stupid consolation); and blaming all my woes on Agbani Darego.

Yes Her! Before she won, it was ok to be fat. Men liked women with a little flesh on them. A woman with flesh was considered sexy. Not that I knew any that was considered sexy but I have read Elechi Amadi’s novel the Concubine and at one point, skinny women were usually taunted. (granted it was the married skinny women as it was a sign that their husbands were not taking care of them, but all that is semantics. It still meant skinny women were looked down upon. (sigh) I should have been born in that era) Now Agbani came and Ruined it all!!! Causing all the good-looking guys to desire skinny stick-life figures instead of fuller women like myself. Yeah, I know I sound bitter, but unless you are a freshman with no boy looking at your direction, you would not understand how I feel,

“Hello’

A voice stirred me from my daydream. I looked up to see this lanky bespectacled boy. He was wearing a very ugly ugly (twice for emphasis) check shirt on shoes, but he had some nice shoes. He smiled and I noticed he had very nice set of the teeth. Aside from his ugly shirt and glasses, he was actually a good-looking boy. Why on earth was he talking to me?

“May I join you?” I nod

“I am Tade, 200 level Computer Science. You?
“Fatimah. 100 level International Relations (In retrospect, if the movie ‘Jenifa’ had come up in this time, I would probably chosen a name like ‘Savannah’ as my school name. Unfortunately, the movie was not out and I am stuck introducing myself as Fatimah)
“Ahaa! I knew you are a fresher. How are you enjoying school so far?’
“Its alrite”
“Good. Good” He leaned forward smiling. I was a little taken about by the attention, but I am a girl. I was enjoying myself’
“You are very pretty, Fatimah’
“No, I am not” Darn it. Me and my big mouth. A boy calls me pretty and I go ahead and deny it. Genius me, but thankfully he goes on
“Nah you are pretty. In a chubby way. And I like Chubby. Want to have lunch here tomorrow, same time?

At this point, I was speechless. He called me chubby. Not fat, not orobo, but chubby. I think I am in love. I nod my acceptance and he smiled again, shook my hand and left.

I have a date. Me! Fatimah Yusuf has a date. I am finally part of the rush. Woohooo!!!! I need another plate of rice. I cannot contain my excitement! Tomorrow is so far away.