She was still grinning as she asked the question which made us the more furious. I was wondering that what on earth is this girl driving at. It still had not registered in my mind what our NYSC days had to do with this bitch sitting in front of us. But to see the drama out would be the best. So I replied her sarcastically,
''We served in Imo State. Orsu LGA, precisely and we taught in a school. So what has that got to do with madam?''
She took it in her stride. Got down from the table and paced the little space between Rotimi's table and mine. Then she looked around the room to see what the expression was like on the face of the other teachers in the room. They were all astonished as to what was going down at that angle of the room. After satisfactorily scanning their faces, she returned to her seat on my table. I looked at Rotimi and met that same deadly look still resident on his face. I know what would be going on in his mind would be 'This girl sabi act play o.' The statement we had used time and again for people who behaved in such manner.
She smiled at us again, then said assuredly, ''I knew it! I can't be wrong. Now, I will finish the rest and take that puzzled look out of your faces. You were batch A corpers. Yes or No?''
Rotimi was really puzzled, he replied, ''Yes, what again?''
She continued after a nod, ''You both served in 2009. And you lived in the lodge provided for you by St. Paul's School, your PPA?''
This girl really dug deep o. She was hitting us close to the belt. Where is she heading to?
''Yes!'' Came the response from me. It was more of a peplexed shout than a response.
''Now, when yoy reported to the school, the Principal gave you the subjects, Economics and Accounting.'' She pressed on.
''Yes. Who told you all this?'' That was Rotimi's agitated voice. She was begining to get on his bad nerves. Anything could happen.
She ignored his question and faced him squarely, as one would do to a stubborn child.
''The Principal told you of a female batch C corper who in her almost one year of service did not report to school other than to collect clearance letter. Can you remember?'' She spat at Rotimi who was seriously on edge.
I had to wade in for if Rotimi should have talked, he would have squarely punched her in the face. That was Rotimi. When angry, don't let him talk.
''So Shola, it seems you know so much about our service year. So, how do you come into the picture?'' I asked, praying she would face me. Though I was also boiling inside, I had an unruffled exterior which made me deadlier than my best friend.
It worked. She shifted her gaze towards me and her next words fixed the jigsaw puzzle we had been tortously exposed to for the past thirty minutes.
''I was the batch C corper the Principal was talking about.'' She said with a pout on he lips.
Rotimi looked from me to her then back to me. All was now clear.
Shola was a batch C corper who was posted to St. Paul's Secondary School. She had told the Principal that she would teach Mathematics and was given the senior classes to teach. She was also given a room in the lodge. But, she disappeared after the regisration only to appear every month end with one excuse or the other to collect the clearance letter and then to disappear again. How she knew us was still a mystery because when we got to the school and the principal told us, we had to assure him that we were there to stay. Our room was opposite hers and I could then remember to have only seen her the day she came to pack her things. But that day, I did not greet her nor did she greet me because I only saw her faintly fro our room where I was sleeping. Rotimi had gone to play ball that day.
''You wonder how I knew you. I had friends who told me about you, then the principal too told me when I went to him for my final clearance. I knew you well Ade, you were at home when I came to pack my things. I had met Rotimi on the field when I was chatting with a colleague that day. Rotimi just looked at me and asked if I was a new corper and I had smiled and walked away. I never spent more that a month in total there. I only came for clearance and you guys were around when I came but you didn't notice me. So, do you now remember me?'' She said standing up again.
''I remembered your face now when you reminded me of the football field. I thought so too when we just came here, but I dismissed it. So what has all this got to do with your visit to us again.'' Rotimi asked again, bringing to the fore the reason for this sudden familiarity.
''Yes, Shola. You are our senior colleague at work and in service who absconded from it and got paid. We know you now. But what effect has that got on the price of Garri?'' I pressed sarcastically.
She smiled, sat down again, looked at me then at Rotimi. Then she said,
''I knew you too have heard about my deeds. I have come to tell you things you don't know about me and why I did those things I did.''
This girl is an enigma...
© Yettocome™ 2013
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