OUR E-FRIENDSHIP

I logged into my Facebook account and saw “one new friend request”. I checked up the guy’s profile, his name was Smith George and from the profile I realized he was doing his BSc in London and his family was based in Germany, bla bla bla.

Well, I accepted ;-) The guy was very cute from his albums.

We began to chat, our e-friendship grew by the day. It was from there I got to know he was born in Germany, raised in Nigeria and went back to Germany when he was 10years old. He told me about his family, that his father worked in Nigeria and that he retired before leaving for Germany, his mum owned a clothing line called Farshun in Germany, he was the last born in the family of five, the third boy and from all he said, they were well-to do. I told him about myself too….but since we never met, I was careful not to let out too much information. I never asked him for his cell number but he got mine. He used a Blackberry and said I could text him anytime of the day and he would receive it.

Two months after, he told me he had just finished his BSc in Imperial College, London and was coming to spend 6 months in Nigeria before going back to Germany. I was super excited. He finally got to Nigeria
and said he was staying in Lagos but that he wouldn’t mind coming to Calabar to see me, and maybe get to taste my cooking because I told him I was a great cook. and I even shared pictures of different dishes made by me.

One Wednesday afternoon I got a call. I asked who was speaking and the caller said “baby, I am in your town. It’s me, Smith”. I was excited though but I tried not to show so much excitement, I just replied, “Wow! I am stoked, so when do we meet?”

“Um…I don’t really know where I am now, because I am not settled, but I will call you later”.

 

“Okay”

I immediately called Dara over to the house to help me pick a dress. Dara has been my friend like forever and she was a big fashionista unlike me, so I knew she would have a perfect dress for a first date.

Dara came over with a dress for me, when I asked why, she replied, “Babe, we are talking about a Jand Bobo here, you want to show up with these your out-of-fashion dresses, like you don’t know how to be a hot chic?” I saw reasons with her, though.

After getting everything ready for my date…I began to wait for his call. Finally, at about 5pm I got a facebook message, it was a house address, then Smith added, “….sweetheart, you know the insecurity in the country these days, I don’t really want to sit out, plus I don’t really have much money in Naira, I am yet to change my money from Pounds. Seen the address? Please come over, don’t worry, you are safe. It is my Uncle’s house, my uncle and his wife also want to meet you. Dinner by 7pm…can’t wait. Love you. xoxo”

I immediately showed the text to Dara and asked her to locate the place. Dara asked, “locate where? To go and do what? You dey craze? Person wey you never see before? I no blame you”.

“Dara, why should I not go? I mean I have known him for some months now”.

“Kimberly, what is wrong with you? What if this guy is fake?”

“Well, we are not so sure. Why don’t you come with me then?”

“Me? Follow you to where? Please I love my life”.

I sat on the bed Dara was lying on, confused.

Dara said, “see oh! You don’t really know this guy, you are meeting him for the first time. Just invite him to someplace public, even if he doesn’t have money to pay for dinner, I will lend you money so you can pay. Don’t take this kind of risk”.

I immediately called Smith and told him I didn’t want us to dine in his uncle’s place and he said, “Come on, baby, what’s wrong? Shouldn’t we meet?”

Somehow I don’t know, I just said, “You know we are meeting for the first time, so let’s meet in public, your uncle’s house may not be safe”….oh, dear I blew it. From the look on Dara’s face….I deserved a hot slap. Smith was quiet for sometime and then said, “So you don’t trust me, I thought you loved me” and hung up.

Dara was angry and got up from the bed, carried her bag and said, “Go wherever you want, I just hope this guy is not using charms, I know you better than this”. She walked out of the door.

I was so sad and more confused than ever.

 

I called Smith to apologize, but he wasn’t picking his calls. For the six months we got talking, this was the first time I ever felt he was so angry with me.

I got on Facebook to send him an apology, I noticed he had just deleted me from his friends list. What??? In just about a space of one hour. I guessed he was really angry, I still sent him an inbox message saying I was really sorry. He replied, “Kim, since you don’t want us to meet. I just booked my flight for Friday morning…I will be leaving. I never thought you would hurt me. My uncle and his wife really wanted to see you…you just disappointed me. I thought I saw a girlfriend and someday, my wife, in you. Anyway, thanks for everything, have a goodnight”.

I felt my eyes getting a bit cloudy, I didn’t want it to end like this, I felt I had messed things up…I sent him loads of text message conveying my apology. I then called him around 10pm, he answered and said, “hi, what is it?”