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Atoke’s Monday Morning Banter: When “Sorry” Is Just Not Enough

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I had the most amazing weekend. My friend, Nengi is around from Abuja on training and the girl just simply makes me HAPPY! On Friday, as we planned the weekend, I knew nothing could keep me down. I went to Lekki to hang with my friends from my former office, then Saturday evening, Uche had drinks for her birthday. (Happy birthday to the best boss on earth!

My plan for Sunday was “See Wolverine with Nengz and Remz; come home, read a novel, watch TV till sleep comes.” I couldn’t have asked for a more blissful weekend. Or so I thought, until I got a call from a family friend saying he wants to go pick up my older cousin from the airport and that he needed to use my car. “Why? What’s wrong with his own car?”. He responded that my cousin’s car was at the mechanic’s shop and he really had to go pick my cousin. I said I had plans to go see a movie and I wasn’t releasing my car. He pleaded and pleaded. He asked me to use another car in the house. I said “No!” I am not releasing my car. Eventually, against my better judgement, I agreed. After all, the airport is 10 minutes away. What’s the worse that can happen?

Ladies and gentlemen! 90 minutes later, Teju was not back with my car. I called repeatedly and his phone was switched off. 2 hours after he left, he called me. This is how the conversation went.

“Teju, where are you and where is my car?”
“ah! Aunty, when I picked Doctor, he said there was an emergency and that he had to quickly get to Ogbomosho. So we’re on our way to Ogbomosho now”

Wait. Pause. Head ringing. Pause. Silence.

“You’re where?” Then I asked another retarded question “Where is my car?”
“Ehn, Aunty, I’m with your car. It’s your car that we’re taking to Ogbomosho”

At this point, blood had drained from my head because I became dizzy.
“YOU DID WHAT? WHO TOLD YOU IT WAS OKAY TO TRAVEL WITH MY CAR? DID YOU NOT THINK TO ASK ME? ARE YOU OKAY? WHERE IS DOCTOR? NEITHER OF YOU THOUGHT TO ASK ME?”

By this time, I was fuming. Actually, seething in rage. You know the sort of anger that completely consumes you and you can do absolutely nothing about. So let’s assume Teju didn’t think it right to call me or tell me that he had suo motu decided to take my car on a 4-hour inter-state trip, where was my over 50 year old cousin? Did he not think to ask me for my consent? Wait, Atoke, don’t presume. Ask to speak to him. So I said to Teju, “Please give the phone to Doctor”. Then it gets worse. Doctor says “Oh he said you have an alternative car to use and since he said he called you and you didn’t pick. I said we should go”

Father God, grant your daughter wisdom. Help her remember that Yoruba people never say the older one is wrong. God give me wisdom to say nothing. Help me, Lord.

So I said “Doctor, I want my car back. I want my car in the parking lot of the house right now. How do you even know that my car is in a state fit for travel?”
Then he says with a laugh (yes, he laughed while I was boiling. He laughed) – “How can your car come back when we’re almost at Ibadan. He will bring your car back tomorrow. O ni binu ni. (you can’t be angry)”

I was so livid. I went to bed so angry last night. I called the oldest person in the family, my Dad’s older sister and she kept begging me not to be annoyed. “It has happened. Just don’t be angry”.

It’s quite reminiscent of how the danfo drivers start prostrating and begging when they’ve broken your tail lights; or people who are serial debtors and they keep apologizing as if “Sorry” will make it all better.

Sometimes, “Sorry” is just not enough and it’s even more frustrating when there’s nothing you can do about it but just let it go.

That’s all for now from this end. I’m gonna try to find something to make me happy this morning because honestly I feel like spewing some choice words at Doctor and Teju this morning. Oh, by the way, when they brought the car back this morning the Power Steering belt of the car was shot! It doesn’t get more frustrating than that. I honestly need an outlet for all this anger this morning. What do you do when someone upsets you so much and “sorry” is not just enough? How do I deal with this current situation?

Before I leave you, I’d like to crave your indulgence a bit. One of our BN readers is working on her dissertation and she needs your help with data. Please fill out her questionnaire {HERE} and you’d be making a fellow BN fan very happy.

Have a fantastic week ahead! Stay away from people who will make you angry *note to self*

Peace, love & cupcakes!
Toodles!

Photo Credit: hellobeautiful.com

You probably wanna read a fancy bio? But first things first! Atoke published a book titled, +234 - An Awkward Guide to Being Nigerian. It's available on Amazon. ;)  Also available at Roving Heights bookstore. Okay, let's go on to the bio: With a Masters degree in Creative Writing from Swansea University, Atoke hopes to be known as more than just a retired foodie and a FitFam adherent. She can be reached for speechwriting, copywriting, letter writing, script writing, ghost writing  and book reviews by email – [email protected]. She tweets with the handle @atoke_ | Check out her Instagram page @atoke_ and visit her website atoke.com for more information.

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