TOPIA I was sweating again. I closed my eyes and
tried to calm my thudding heart. I saw her
there, in my mind. The Brazilian hair she
always had on reached down to her graceful
shoulder. I remembered every detail, how
her beautiful eyes crinkled when she smiled,
the way the left side of her lips curled more
than her right when she laughed. The looks
on her face when we made love; her soft
and sensitive neck and all of that. I could
still see the few freckles that lay dotted
across the bridge of her nose. All of that
was still mine, but I knew it wouldn’t last.
Holding on to her image for two weeks had
been a miracle. I just had one last promise
to keep.
I was jostled by the nervous girl sitting next
to me. She was littered with tattoo
proclaiming her to be a courageous rebel;
her jitters spoke of the same fear I felt.
They had packed us in like sardines on little
plastic chairs that looked like they belonged
in some elementary school classroom. Most
of us would leave disappointed and I prayed
I was one them. I had only promised to
show up I hadn’t promised to succeed. No. I
didn’t. Most of the contestants were
younger than I. I closed my eyes again, to
shut out their youthful anxiety.
I took a few deep breaths, and brought the
image of Dolapo back into my mind. It was
still so easy to see her. I knew my memory,
such a weak tool, would begin to fail. I had
pictures, but they weren’t the flowing 3-D I
could call up in my psyche. Still so beautiful
and perfect was the picture framed in my
feeble mind. I heard the door open and
hoped it wasn’t for me. “Omawumi
Megbele?” I opened my eyes as the smartly-
dressed woman wearing a headset called
out the name. A young lady of about 19
three rows away jumped up excitedly. I was
just as excited for her.
I had been here for over half a day and
knew the auditions had to be coming to a
close. It was a long shot to be chosen and I
had never been lucky at things like this. I
had my bad luck going in my favour because
I c couldn’t make it to the hot seat with
Frank Edoho having tried several times to
take a shot at WWTBAM. I closed my eyes
again and spent more time with the memory
of Dolapo, my wife.
“Timi Dakolo?” The lady had returned, and
blessedly called out a name which was not
mine. I didn’t open my eyes this time as
Timi gave a quick cheer, and I heard him
head quickly to the door. I wished it would
end. I was hoping he was the last, but no
one dismissed us. I tried to breathe slowly.
My pulse was still racing and I needed it to
slow down. One way or another, this little bit
of personal hell would be over soon.
It was getting too late for it to continue
much longer. “Last one,” the woman called,
when she returned fifteen minutes later. I
could feel the emotions shift as one in the
room. The silence was deafening. I closed
my eyes again and saw Dolapo’s smile. Her
face shifted slowly to a look I knew all too
well. The mischievous one, the expression
that lovingly told me I had no choice in the
matter.
My heart plummeted to my stomach and I
knew the next words before they were
spoken. “David Akeju?” The groans were
loud as hopes were dashed, mine included.
My hands were shaking as I opened my
eyes, armed only with a promise. I stood
slowly, trying to stall as fear mixed with my
sorrow. “You’re lucky, oooo!” the tattoo girl
said as I stood. I looked at her, sweat
forming on my brow. I was about to say
something; maybe offer her my place. The
promise kept me from that escape. I just
shook my head and headed toward the door
I wished was miles away.
The woman with the headset led me down
the hall. She was babbling quickly, in an
indifferent manner, about what I was to
expect. I stopped listening after she told me
I was to stand on a small red ‘O’ on the
stage. I was met, just off the stage, by a
young man who fitted me with a wireless
mic. He warned me not to touch my chest
while I was out there. A lady in a white T-
shirt came up and wiped my brow and
quickly put some kind of powder on my
face. He warned me the lights would be
bright, and I should just look at the judges. I
closed my eyes again and saw Dolapo
smiling. It didn’t slow my heart, but I didn’t
feel so alone or so I thought.

A Story By Uncutz Email:
uncutz@yahoo.com