(Clara and Patrick are seated at a “Table for two” setting at a bar, Patrick has a bottle of Heineken beer in front of him while Clara sips with a straw from a bottle of Amstel Malta)

Clara: patrick, why do you like beer?

Patrick: You! Why do you like Malt drink?

(Clara laughs)

Clara: hmm, typical of a Nigerian to reply to a question with another question! Well I love malt drinks because it does not contain alcohol.

Patrick: That is not true, you do not know why you love malt drink, you should have taken water instead, What is the end product of starch in the body? Is it not sugar? As in glycogen?

Clara: yes I think so!

Patrick: Good! Both malt and beer gets converted to sugar in our bodies after all, so while you take in your sugar in a sweet liquid state, I take mine in a fermented way!

(Clara laughed out loud)
Clara: Pato! Pato! You are too smooth to be trapped! You have an answer to every question! But frankly, let’s be serious here, why do you like alcohol

Patrick: beer drinking helps me to relax, it releases work tension and helps me to sleep well.

Clara: What about when you get drunk?

Patrick: when I am drunk, I go to my house and sleep, I do not always get drunk though because I know my limit, but if I stretch my limit, I go home and sleep or I go clubbing and dance it off!

Clara: you go clubbing too? (Clare asks disapprovingly)

Patrick: Of course! I am a bachelor and I live alone, I go to club most Friday nights till Saturday morning.

Clara: But do you know it is not good in the sight of God to drink alcohol?

Patrick: oh no! Not again! Can’t someone enjoy his drink in peace? You are beginning to irritate me Clara! Who told you God disapprove drinking? There is a difference between drinking and drunkenness, even though one leads to the other, they are not the same.
Clara: drunkards will go to hell, you know!

Patrick: so I am now likened to a drunkard because I am drinking a bottle of beer?

Clara: that is not what I mean, but from one bottle, you will keep drinking till you get drunk.

Patrick: Clara! Can you do me a favour? Please?

Clara: And what would that be?

Patrick: Allow me to drink and enjoy my beer else I will pour it away and leave this table, this is not the best place and time to tell me this, I started drinking since my days in the University and no one has ever called me a drunkard, this is my first date with you and you are already irritating me with your attitude, are we in a Church? We are in a beer parlor for Pete’s sake! Is this how you nag?

Clara: are you angry?

Patrick: No o! I am laughing!

Clara: I am sorry Pato, please try and forgive me, do you know I have not actually gone out on a date with a man that drinks alcohol before? Let alone entering a beer parlor (She looks around the Bar gesticulating)

Patrick: Well, on my part, I have never gone out with a Church Girl on a date before! We are worlds apart.

Clara: Okay let’s meet on common ground

Patrick: There is no common ground between you and I Clara! Truth be spoken, you have always known and called me a bad Guy, a womanizer and everything but good

Clara: Do you want to know the truth Patrick?

Patrick: What truth?

Clara: how I feel about you.

Patrick: spill it out then.

Clara: I am attracted to you, only that I wish that you are born again, you are cute and intelligent and I love your sense and style of dressing, but my problem is that you are too worldly and you are not even ashamed to admit it.
(Patrick laughed out loud)

Patrick: My dear, let me tell you my own truth, I like you because you are a good girl, churchy, wife material kind of girl, but you are not sexually attracted to me, I see your type as house wife making babies and tending the home, however, sometimes when I look at your shape from behind, I have the urge of wanting to discover what is beneath those clothes of yours.

Clara: Ha! Pato! You are too corrupt and vulgar.

Patrick: There you go again! Okay why did you not resist me when I kissed you at the office the other day?

Clara: To tell the truth, I cannot explain what came over me, I was confused and shocked because my body yielded to you so fast before my spirit could react to what was happening.

(Patrick laughed, spilling his beer over the table)
Patrick: so the flesh was willing and spirit was weak abi?

Clara: It is not funny Pat! So what next now? You invited me out tonight and I am glad you did

Patrick: What next, other than we complete what we have started! After here we go to my house and consummate the relationship, from there we move on and see where it leads us.

Clara: No! Patrick you know I am not a slut! I am a Christian!

Patrick: Did I call you a Slut? Look Clara, quit pretending and let us quench this fire burning inside us, I can see it inside your eyes, let me quench this fire with water from my waist, (sneering) or are you a virgin?

Clara: Kai! Kai! Kai! (Shaking her head disapprovingly) Pat you are so rotten! Why do you speak so vulgar?

Patrick: My dear come off it! Are you a baby? Look, I am not your pastor or brother in the lord, I am a free bird, a bad guy as you would call it.

Clara: Patrick I like you because I know there is a good spirit in you, only that the evil Spirit in you is over bearing.

Patrick: Which means I would need deliverance abi? (He picks up his glass and empties his beer, then beckons at the Bar man and orders for another round of drinks)

Clara: Are you going to drink another bottle of beer?

Patrick: Just one more for the road, one for the road! On a good day I can down eight bottles of beer but for sake today I will take only two if you go home with me, but if you leave me then I will have to go clubbing, and you know anything can happen at the club.

Clara: Such as what?

Patrick: I will drink more beer and eventually come home with a girl. (Laughs carelessly)

Clara: Patrick, you hurt me with such words

Patrick: I am sorry, but it is the truth, that has been my life style. Ehen! You said I need deliverance abi?

Clara: Did I say so? No nah! But come to think of it, it won’t be a bad idea if you give it a trial o!

Patrick: who would deliver me then? You or your pastor?

Clara: I can discuss with my pastor to organize a prayer session for you.

Patrick: How long have you been born again Clara?

Clara: for about sixteen years now, since I was sixteen years old then and I just got admission into the university then. I got converted in the first semester, but I came from a religious back ground also.

Clara: Good! Now listen to me, I do not have and have never had any physical manifestation of evil Spirit troubling me, I am just an average sinner, what I should need is salvation and not deliverance! I am a demon myself so another demon cannot possess me else.

Clara: (Laughs) you are a demon? I beg o!

Patrick: So when did you graduate from the University?

Clara: Twelve years ago!

Patrick: Ha! As young as you are? Wahala dey o!

Clara: What wahala?

Patrick: You graduated twelve years ago and with your entire “holier than thou” attitude you have not married, either from the Church or outside of it! Are all your pastors or Church brothers blind?

Clara: Are you mocking me Pato? God’s time is the best Pato!

Patrick: okay o! Keep fooling yourself and be living in the fool’s paradise! You know the problem with you Churchy people? You pretend a lot! You refuse to remove the speck in your eyes while running about to remove that of others! I am sure you must have attended series of deliverance programs all in the name of looking for a husband; you must have denied yourself of food in the name of paying and fasting just to get your Mr. right, all this you did to no avail but look at yourself now, you are in a beer parlor flirting with me, a confirmed sinner, Mr. Casanova, a proper bad guy! What would you say to your God now? Has he failed you? What will your pastor say if he walks in here now and sees you sitting with a beer drinker in a beer parlor of all places!

Clara: pat, I am not flirting with you! I told you what I like in you.

Patrick: What you said you like in me are not good attributes that makes a good husband, you said I am cute and I dress well, that’s all! I have heard that from a thousand women!

Clara: Pat, what is your point please?

Patrick: You are getting frustrated! You feel you have waited too long without getting the kind of Man you want so you decided to settle for whatever comes handy, I am your last card! I begii! Please drink your malt o! What would you like to eat? Suya, Nkwobi or isi-ewu?

Clara: Nothing! I am okay with the malt


Patrick: Pretender! I know you love isi-ewu so much! You have mentioned it severally in the office and when I called you out this evening, you said you had not eaten.

Clara: ( covers her face with her hands) okay I want Isi-ewu.

Patrick: (calls out loud) Barman! (Bar man rushes towards them) get us two plates of Isi-ewu and make sure all the spare parts are intact! The tongue, ears and the eyes, even the brain, I want to see it, you hear me?

Bar Man: Loud and clear sir! (He dashes off)

Clara: Patrick! You are too free and open minded, you will be a good Christian!

Patrick: I am safer and better than most of you folks that parade yourselves as born again Christians because I know my problem and I am not ashamed to admit it. I drink and I womanize, that’s all, okay I tell a little lie here and there, everyone does that, even the pastors. But one thing I hate most in my life is pretense and white lies, it puts me off! Two things that has kept me this far in life is my balls and my word! I do not flinch! If I tell you this is white, then you can take it to the bank as white.

Clara: Pat, I do not want you to think that I am cheap or something, I am also not taking you as my last option, no! I like you and I think I can learn a lot about the real world from you, you can also learn about the ideal world from me. But you cannot be taken as option B by any woman because you have got all the physical attributes any woman desires in a man.

Patrick: You are going to disturb my life Clara! I am not ready to be entangled in a serious relationship now because I know that you are not the “One night stand” kind of woman! I just want to be free!

Clara: Free till when pat? Pat you are almost forty!

Patrick: Life begins at forty!

Clara: Pat. All your friends are married and making babies, I do not know any of your friends who are not married. Look at Charles that just joined the company two years ago, a boy you trained, he is now a married man.

Patrick: I know one!

Clara: Who?

Patrick: you do not know him! He is a Catholic priest!

Clara: Can’t you be serious for once Pat? Catholic priests do not marry!

Patrick: Okay it’s you! You are not married and you are my friend!

Clara: I am not your Friend, I am your colleague, and we met at work.

Patrick: to me you are more than a friend

Clara: What am I?

Patrick: Let me whisper it into your ears (Patrick gets up and walks toward Clara, he made to whisper into her ears but his mouth found its way to her mouth. The bar man brings the Plate of Isi-ewu and stands by, waiting to set the table)

Lights fade

Following sharp sharp!

Onosi! You are the first to comment on this thread. I owe u 1k recharge card. Send me ur Gsm number.

This pato guy sef,nawa him o.Thanks 4 the update and keep up the good work

DOMAWOLEYE:
Onosi! You are the first to comment on this thread. I owe u 1k recharge card. Send me ur Gsm number.

hahaha! 1k 2 much oh!

Hmm clara has alot of wrk 2 do, may God help her sha

Somebody kept his promise......I'm here again
Thanks all the same

Wow! Dis story is damn interesting! #following# please keep it coming.

#following#

Oga Dom, so this story has started....
anyways.. i like Patrick's sincerity, with those kinda guys, u know where u stand

ACT TWO SCENES 1:

(Office setting: Everyone is busty with their eyes fixed on Computers and fingers tapping away of key boards. Enters Mr. Ayo, the boss, he walks briskly into his office, then he came back out and beckons at Yusuf, Yusuf stands up and follows him while others continues being busy)

Mr. Ayo: Sit down please, Yusuf how is it going?

Yusuf: Oga no wahala sir!

Mr. Ayo: I can see all of you are very busy this morning.

Yusuf: it is end of month so we are tidying up loose ends so as to present the various sectional monthly reports.

Mr. Ayo: Oh I see! I see! Well, em, there is a vacant seat at Macaulay branch. HQ said I need to send one of you there to fill the gap!

Yusuf: Is it promotion or lateral?

Mr. Ayo: It is lateral!

Yusuf: And what will happen to the gap that will be created here?

Mr. Ayo: HQ will send a rooky to be trained and retained by us here.

Yusuf: well, I think the grade of the Job title will determine which of us you will send there

Mr. Ayo: You and Patrick are most suitable for the seat because it a senior supervisor’s position. Now, whom amongst you shall I send to Macaulay? Call me Patrick please! (Yusuf exits and returns with Patrick) Pato how far?

Patrick: Oga, fine sir, no wahala sir!

Mr. Ayo: how was your night? Did you sleep alone? (Yusuf and Patrick burst out laughing) well, there is a vacant seat at Macaulay and I have been instructed to send either of you there permanently,( Patrick whistles aloud while Yusuf started to laugh) what is the matter Patrick?

Patrick: Ha! Nothing o! Nothing sir!

Yusuf: Oga something dey o! Patrick tell Oga nah! He may even offer to assist you better!

Patrick: (Shaking his head) no! Nothing!

Mr. Ayo: Patrick! Tell me what I need to know! Yusuf what is this about?

Yusuf: Sir, I think this is a wrong timing for Pato to leave the island for now! Pat and Clara are nursing a relationship!

Mr. Ayo: (Jumps off his seat) what? Which Clara? Ye mogbe! I am doomed! Patrick! You want to scatter Clara’s life? Can’t you see this lady is a good Christian? Haba! Patrick this is most unfair nah!

Yusuf: Oga, at least maybe she will help Pat to change for the better sir!

Patrick: Old Boy wetin you mean by change for the better? Na so I bad reach?

Mr. Ayo: Old boy! You bad pass! In fact you are the baddest! No! No! No! Not Clara! The girl is too decent for you, you will break her heart and that will affect everybody here! You are going to Macaulay straight away! You will resume by Monday! You two can go! Bye bye! (He waves them out of his office)

(outside Mr. Ayo’s office)

Patrick: Yusuf na wah for you o! you yab I beg! Why did you do that nah?

Yusuf: My Brother, I no mean am like that, I being they try solicit make you remain here nah, how will I know that Oga sef dey fear your swag?

Patrick: Which yeye swag be that?

Yusuf: Guy,don’t worry, it is for your own good, office romance is not too good, but you guys can operate from outside the office now, that is if you really want something out of the relationship.

Patrick: Old Boy this is so unexpected o, how do I…( Mr. Ayo emerges from his office and they rush to their seats. Mr. Ayo walks to the center of the office and coughs to gain their attention)

Mr. Ayo: Mr. Patrick Kalu will be reporting at Macaulay Branch on Monday on a permanent deployment (The scream escapes Clara’s mouth before she realized it) what? Why are you screaming Clara?

Clara: Nothing Sir! I am so sorry sir! I didn’t know when it escaped my mouth! I am sorry (Other staff covers their mouth to suppress laughter)

Mr. Ayo: Clara! I am sending Patrick to Macaulay so that I won’t be there when he breaks your heart
(Clara was shocked, she opens her mouth to speak but no sound came out) yes! I know! And I am surprised and disappointed in you! You are too good for this Guy! Please make sure he does not sleep with you until he is ready to settle down with you o! I love you so much that I do not want Patrick to add your name to the list of women he has conquered. Do you understand me? Or has he slept with you already? Because I won’t be surprised if he has!

Clara: yes sir! Sorry, No sir! Thank you sir!

Patrick: Oga! With due respect sir! I will surprise all of you here! What’s the big deal in settling down sef? After all, all of you here are married and you are not dead yet. I promise you. You all will be at my wedding this year!

Mr. Ayo: To whom?

Patrick: To Clara of course!

Mr. Ayo: Oh! So you want to marry her just to prove a point abi? (Looking at Clara) my dear, do you hear what Mr. Casanova is saying? He wants to experiment with you! He wants to marry you simply because the rest of us are married and we are not dead! He wants to marry you in other to prove us wrong! Is that supposed to be a reason for marriage? What happens to love? What happens to respect?

What happens to truth? Pure affection! (He turns to face Patrick) do you think marriage is a contract you can hurriedly seal while standing there? Do you think it is like going to the Boutique to buy a designers jeans because every Tom, Dick and harry is buying it? Fa fa faa, fao! Not my Clara!

Patrick: (Hysteric) Oga what do you people want from me nah? What do you want me to do? I said I will marry Clara and you started comparing her to Jeans in the Boutique!

Mr. Ayo: Is that how you propose to a woman? With all your education and exposure, you stand before us and challenge us that you will marry Clara! You did not even show any respect to her! Who the hell do you think you are? Whatever makes you think that she will agree to marry you if you propose to her now? Because you are a fine boy, abi? The thing is that none of you here knows this girls back ground, if not you will not take her for granted!

Charles: Pato, you need to take things easy, it’s a gradual process, you see, you have to first (Patrick cuts him short)

Patrick: Shut up your mouth! Oga dey talk, you sef dey talk? Chai! I don die! I don die! Look at you that just wedded barely four months ago coming to advise me! You that could not control your Wife, was it not Oga here that advised and counselled you. Your wife simply pulled some stunts on you the other day and you came to work sick and whimpering! (Charles cuts in)

Charles: but I have experience, even though it was tough initially but I overcame (Patrick cuts in)

Patrick: Overcame what? See overcomer! Which experience did you say you have? Four months experience? (Charles opens his mouth to speak) shut up! Shut up Mr. Four month’s experience! When I started dealing with women, you were still in primary school, so keep your four months marriage experience to yourself! Woman never show you pepper before, that’s why you dey talk anyhow!

Mr. Ayo: Patrick cool down! I will ask everyone here one question! What is the best way to overcome your fears?

Chorus: You face the fear! Tackle it!

Mr. Ayo: That’s the Spirit, whatever situation you are scared of will always be larger than you until you tackle it and you will see yourselves overcoming and taming the situation. So Mr. Patrick Kalu, tackle your fears! (He walks out of the office; Clara picks her bag and begins to walk out of the office)

Patrick: Baby where to?

Clara: (faces him squarely) to hide my face from the shame and humiliation you just brought upon me! How could you Patrick? Do I look so desperate that you could boldly stand up there and boast that you will marry me anytime and anyhow at the snap of your fingers? (She runs out crying)

Patrick: (Confused) Shuo! Make una see me see trouble o! When did I say such a thing? Can you guys see what Oga has caused now?

Charles: Bros follow her quickly and apologies sharp! Sharp! Instead of standing there and asking us yeye questions!

Patrick: (Looks at Charles with scorn) na true o! (He runs out after her, but stops mid-way to stare at Charles, he gives him a thumps up) Four months experience! (All laughs)

Charles: Bros! I dey fear for this kind relationship o! The two of them no fit each other at all!

Yusuf: why do you say so?

Charles: Patrick is a confirmed bad guy and Clara is a saint, it’s like “beauty and the beast”

Yusuf: And what happened at the end of beauty and the beast? Love was established abi?

Charles: I don’t know o, I have not seen the movie, I only hear people using the phrase “Beauty and the Beast” when comparing good with bad.

Yusuf: This Patrick you see is a very nice person; he has a very good heart and will not hurt anyone on purpose. The problem is that he has been free for too long, he is the last born pf his parent and he has numerous nieces and nephews that his parent do not bother him for grand Children. They still see him as the little last born of yesterday! He has rich elder ones that saw him through school like their own Children, so no one bugs him for anything.

Charles: no wonder!

Yusuf: He is afraid of commitment, which is his problem because he has never been committed to anyone, so he does not need a woman of his kind as a wife but someone like Clara. A cool headed and disciplined lady like Clara , Patrick knows what he needs in a woman but he has not found any of his numerous women marriage worthy, marriage is like magnetic force, Like terms repels while unlike terms attracts. Clara needs to help him change gradually.

Charles: men! It won’t be easy for her o! But I wish them the best (Patrick pops his head through the door)

Patrick: Guys! We are going on lunch break, please we will be back in an hour, and charley, thanks for the advice, it worked! Chai! Four months experience! (All laughs as he closed the door)

Light Fades

I just hope patrick will realise what is needed of him early.Lovely updates,thanks

Four months experience, laugh won kill me. Boss weldone!!

Pato n charles no go kill person wit laff.
I jst lyk d way dey use to act in dt office more of a family

peeled

peeled

gr8 update

@ last,God uses Samuel to change pato life for good.Thanks for the update

truth is bitter we know, buh it has to be told, thanks DOMAWOLEYE, u are great

Patrick........it's time for a sober reflection.......change for your own good.........
You're doing a nice job writer

Samuel thank 4 telling Patrick d truth, d Boss, more more ink 2 ur pen!!

onosj:
Samuel thank 4 telling Patrick d truth, d Boss, more more ink 2 ur pen!!

Onosi, u no wan chop my recharge card abi? my number dey below, or on my profile.

Act III SCENES II


(Clara’s apartment: she goes to and fro, cleaning the apartment as well as cooking in the Kitchen, she has a broom and a waste packer handy. She wears a short pant and a polo shirt that stops above the navel. There is a knock at the door)

Clara: Yes! Who’s it (She goes for the door and opens, Patrick steps inside) you are welcome Pat, sorry am like this, I am cleaning up and cooking,(Patrick looks her up and down and grins from ear to ear) what are you staring at? And take out that boyish grin from your face!

Patrick: Jeez! I have not seen such pair of legs in my entire life! How come you don’t flaunt this? (Points at Clara’s legs) look at your tummy too! Flat like Lizards!

Clara: (laughing) Please stop it! You have come again o! Please make yourself comfortable while I see to what I am cooking.

Patrick: Can I come along?

Clara: (Stares at his suspiciously) Patrick! Make yourself comfortable, go and sit down there (Points at a Chair)

Patrick: Please nah! I can help out in the Kitchen o! I am a very good cook!

Clara: You? What can you do in the kitchen? (She turns and heads for the kitchen while Patrick tags along, she pushes him back gently to the sitting room) sit down there, I will be back! (She rushes to the Kitchen, she returns with a bottle of Maltina and a glass Cup) hope you do not mind maltina?

Patrick: I mind! I have taken some beer already!

Clara: Hmm, shayo master! I trust you! So how many bottles did you drink?

Patrick: Just one!

Clara: ( Laughing) Pato, Pato! You cannot drink only one bottle nah! A whole you? Well sha, what brings you to my humble abode today? You sounded worried on the phone.

Patrick: I had an altercation with my friends while drinking so I left the table angrily, I could not go home because I needed someone to talk to, so I called you.

Clara: so what caused the problem between you and your friends? (She opens the Maltina, poured some into the glass cup, she takes a sip and put the glass to Patrick’s mouth) oya drink small nah, there is love in sharing, and today is your first day in my house so don not refuse me!

Patrick: Refuse you? How can I? You have not offered yourself to me nah! So how can I refuse you? Try me and see if I will refuse you!

Clara: Don’t be naughty! I mean do not refuse the drink I am offering you!

Patrick: Oh that? Okay let me take a sip (he collects the glass and gulps all of its content) I have not tasted malt drink in over twenty years! Clara can you imagine my friends call me akpa behind my back?

Clara: Akpa? What does it mean?

Patrick: it is a slang used for someone that spends stupidly, a foolish rich person! You know the saying : A fool and his money are soon parted? That is an akpa for you!

Clara: Wao! That’s harsh o! Which of your friends called you that?

Patrick: Actually I did not hear anyone call me that to my face, but Samuel, a colleague at Macaulay told me some bitter truth today, he is the one that told me that everyone in our clique thinks I am irresponsible, in fact I felt so ashamed and angry!

Clara: Excuse me please (She stands up and dashes to the Kitchen)

(Patrick stands up and walks about the sitting room, admiring the furniture and electronics, he saw a photo frame of a military man in uniform hanging on the wall, he was staring at it when Clara re enters)

Patrick: Who is this man in Army uniform?

Clara: Oh! That’s my dad!

Patrick: Your dad? An Army Officer? How? What rank is that on his shoulder?

Clara: he is a major general! He is the Commandant at the Command and staff College jaji, kaduna!

Patrick: My Gawd! Jeez! Clara! Your father is a major general in the Army and we do not know? Your father is a major general and you are so simple and unassuming?

Clara: Oga knows nah!

Patrick: So Oga knows? No wonder he is so protective of you!

Clara: is he?

Patrick: is it not obvious? Can’t you see how he sent me off to Macaulay because of you?

Clara: come to think of it, I think the Macaulay move is a nice one; office affair is not too good.

Patrick: Yeah, yeah, but Clara, how come you are so humble? If my Father were to be just a colonel, kai! Kai! Kai! The world will know!

Clara: What of if I tell you that my dad owns seventy percent of our company?

Patrick: (Stunned, he stands rooted to the spot with mouth agape) It’s a lie! Tell me you are joking!

Clara: what is the name of the Managing director?

Patrick: the M.D? Mr. Njoku Kalu?

Clara: what is my surname?

Patrick: yee! Clara Kalu, Kalu! Don’t tell me! The M.D is your elder brother?(Clara nods her head .He collects the Maltina bottle and empties the content into the glass, then he drops it on the table) baby, I need a glass of beer! Or a stick of …of (Clara cuts in)

Clara: A stick of cigarette?

Patrick: No o! I don’t smoke o! I mean I don’t smoke again!

Clara: when did you stop? Today?

Patrick: Clara! Who are you? You make me feel nervous and humbled, when I am with you , I try to be civil, you have this effect on me that I do not understand! Now you are worsening my situation by this revelation of your family status! Your father is an Army general! He owns Capital communications! The M.D is your elder brother! Then why are you just a senior supervisor?

Clara: the M.D started as a supervisor! He rose through the ranks have you forgotten?

Patrick: Oh yes o! It is true. But Clara (She excuses herself and dashes off, Patrick went to face the Picture and saluted) shun sir! So you are my Oga at the top? What will you do to me if I break your daughter’s heart? Hmm, I can imagine what you will do, but how come your Children are so humble? I duff my heart for you! (Clara comes back and hears Patrick talking)

Clara: Who are you speaking with Pat?

Patrick: (taken aback) I am talking to your Dad! What will he do to me if I break your heart?

Clara: Will you break my heart? I do not think so!

Patrick: But that is your fear nah! Isn’t it? The fear that I may use and dump you!

Clara: No Pat! That is not my fear; in fact I have no fear of you at all. Let me tell you a little about myself. I grew up not wanting anything, I grew up in comfort and affluence, my parent has money and power but they never trained us to act it, they were disciplinarians! I could have married long before now because I have had several acquaintances, but most of them know my parent and as such I do not like them because they were not real.
They were all after my family’s wealth, so I frustrated them with excuses till they left. I am not in a hurry to get married, I will settle down when I meet the kind of person I want. I like you because you did not like me! At least you made me know that I am not your kind of Woman, you made me to know that you are a Casanova, a very worldly person, you were plain! No pretenses! You are from a well to do family and you do not lack and that is why you seem not to have cares in the world except to satisfy your habits, you love to be free like the birds. My last relationship was with a pastor at the Church I worshiped before moving to this part of Lagos. Even as a Pastor, he wanted sex from me, I declined, he asked if I was a virgin and I told him I am not so he was angry that if I was not a virgin, then why should I deny him of sex? I told him he was a Pastor and I do not want to lead him astray. He promised he would marry me but he needed to sleep with me first! I did not oblige so he left me and started frolicking with a fellow Sister in the Church who was close to me, I was shocked the day the lady told me that she knew I was not a virgin, she told me there was no big deal in sleeping with a man that would marry me if I am sure I love him and he loves me too, I told her I do not love him.
My mother came to visit me once and we went to church together, during testimony time my mother went and testified of God’s goodness to our family and mentioned my father’s new appointment thereby saying some things that revealed my family status. The pastor came to my house that evening and started singing a different tune, he preached against sex before marriage and said several things before he knelt down and proposed to marry me!

Patrick: he must be a Cow!

Clara: well, that is a purported man of God for you; I simply walked out on him after telling him what the other Sister told me. So Pato! I do not like fake people, the devil you know is better that the angel you do not know.

Patrick: Clara! You are the one I have been waiting for all my life! It is not that I do not want to settle down too but all the babes I have been dating worship me! They will lick my shoes if I ask them to! Any lady I start a relationship quickly wants to rush me into marriage once they know of my family back ground!
I hate women telling me to come and see their parent, simply because they feel I am from a wealthy home. See your parent for what? Are you the one to initiate the move or me? That is what I tell them before I run away! Then they begin to tell the world that Patrick has broken their hearts. The thing is that they love the way I spend money on them, I spend carelessly because as old as I am, my mother pays me salary twice what the company pay me monthly, I ran away from managing her company because all the Daughters of her friends want to marry me, I slept with all of them then one day I packed my things and left the house when I got this job with Capital communications. I wanted to start afresh but I could not because these ladies easily finds me out by my spending habit.

hmnmn...Patrick, Patrick, P.a.t.i.r.i.i.i.c.k.i, how many times did i call u?

do you know how many of these ladies have lied to me about being pregnant for me? Only to tell me that they have miscarriages after some months simply because I was not talking marriage! Even a call girl I picked from the club on a certain day came back to me after three weeks that she had missed her period! Imagine o! A call girl that I paid for her service and we parted ways also wants to be my wife! How can I sleep with a call girl without using a condom? I told her it was not possible because I used a Condom, Condom surround me everywhere, in my car, in my house , even in my wallet, she thought I was dead drunk and would not remember if I used it or not, not me! I have never been so drunk that I will lose my sanity!

Clara: Patosky! Patosky! I like you! I am not afraid of your exploits, in fact it amuses me as to how you could be so vain and adventurous yet so truthful and honest and I know you are smart too. You are such a naughty bad boy!

Patrick: Clara, that is in the past now! Please (he takes Clara’s hand and went on his knees) please save me, save me from myself! I beg you in the name of all that you hold sacred! Help me to reshape my life, it is not going to be easy sha but I am ready to do anything you want, please come into my life and save my soul, I have had enough of fun for a life time, I will try and drop all those bad habits, please try and manage me till I turn a better man please Clara.

Clara: Please stand up pat! I will try my best, but you have to be serious about it, I do not want it to seem as if I am choking you

Patrick: Please Clara! Choke me!

Clara: Choking you will mean entering your space, scolding you when you err, it may even lead me to disrespect you!

Patrick: Clara! Please enter my space! Enter me anyhow and anywhere! It is for my own good! But please come and save me from myself, you are the only one who can do it

Clara: okay pat, let us give it a trial and see how it goes!

Patrick: so is that a yes?

Clara: what do you mean? Yes to what?

Patrick: Marry me Clara! (He goes down on his knee again) please marry me! I am sorry I do not have a ring to propose with but I can always get one later, I may not be saying this in the right environment, I mean a place with flowers, wine and candle light, but this moment can never be more right for me because right now I feel so convinced that you are the woman for me, Clara please do not say no! Marry me and let us shape our lives together! I beg you! Please forgive my imperfections! Erase any negative impression you have of me, from this moment onwards, no more women! Look! Look! ( He brings out his two Phones, uncouples it and removes the Sim Cards, he breaks the Sim Card into several pieces and hands over the pieces to Clara) bye bye! to old contacts, old things are passed away, Clara, take my Phone and replace it with new Sim Cards, Clara I love you! I love you! Jesus! I have never done this in my life, I have never said that to any woman in my life! Clara please marry me (He stands up and hugs Clara crying) Clara you have turned me into a little boy! I cannot control myself any longer, this is not me o! Clara what have you done to me?

Clara: (Pulls him closer) I will marry you! I will be there for you; together we shall make it work!

Patrick: (Screams for joy, and gives her a long kiss) yeah! I am married! I am married to the best woman in the world! Lord I thank you! Thank you lord! (He lifts Clara up and spins her round till they both fell on the couch) I get to call my family now! Where is my phone? I need to tell them to expect us this weekend! Sweet heart how is your weekend like? Can we go to my parent’s house next weekend? Please!

Clara: (Laughing) You have destroyed your Sim card nah! Pato take it easy nah! Yes we can go see your parent next week end.

Patrick: (Jubilant) Thank you my Baby! Oh my God! I can’t imagine the reaction from my Mother when I eventually bring a girl home; she got tired of expecting me to do that so many years ago! My dear, this calls for a celebration! Let’s go out, let’s go somewhere nice and cozy and celebrate today,

Clara: hmm, that can wait till tomorrow, for now I just finished cooking and I have a lot to do in the house.

Patrick: we! Clara we have a lot to do in this house (He jumps about excitedly, pulls off his shirt and drops on the Couch while Clara stares at him) oya! Oya! Give me the broom! You can go and be tidying up the Kitchen! (He begins to sweep the room dancing and humming Sunny Neji’s Oruka, Clara runs into the Kitchen laughing)

Lights fade.

I love dis piece, ur story line always beat my imagination, @times i wch I cld write too but I was not gifted wit dat, more idea to ur brain. Sky is ur starting point. God bless u

patoski, patoski, i hope for ur sake, u really want to be a changed man

Wow,pato pato I just hope he has change 4 real.Welldone sir

In Patrick voice" shun sir u really made my day!!!