Rendezvous with an African

"How soon can you join us?", asked the Managing Director of the company.
"When do you want me to join?", I questioned.
"How about next week?", he asked.
"Absolutely fine. No problem at all.", I said.
"Ok then, see you in Chennai next week.", he said and hung up.

Having left one of the most reputed software companies "royally", I was happy I found another job after a two-month long wait. I was reluctant to depend on anybody for money, even parents, but during this period I had forced myself to stay with an aunt at Mumbai, hoping to settle in Pune. Chennai wasn't even the last city on my list, as I had a strong aversion for the place. But now, here I was packing to leave for the city I dreaded the most.

"Have you joined a call-center?", my aunt enquired, unaware.
"No its a software company.", I replied.
"What about your accomodation?", she asked , sounding a little worried.
"Its taken care of.", I replied.
My last few days in Mumbai simply flew by and one morning I found myself on a flight to Chennai. I noticed I was on one of the worst airlines, it felt like as though I was in a 3-seater bus with good-looking girls attending, if it was a guy in my place, he would've found it interesting for obvious reasons. I wondered what more was in store for me. There weren't many people on the flight and I was glad the way it was, alas my happiness was short-lived. It so happened that a 40-something African appeared from somewhere.

"Hi , can I sit here?", he asked and smiled.
I nodded. He sat down and made himself comfortable. It was obvious he wanted to strike a conversation.
"So you going to Chennai for what?", he asked in his African accent.
"For work. Which country are you from?", I inquired.
"I'm from Nigeria. Goin to Chennai to sell software.", he replied.
I just smiled and took out a magazine to read.
"You are beautiful." , he said smiling.
"Thanks.", I retorted.

Now I knew why he wanted to sit next to me, a vague idea of what would follow disgusted me, so I decided to avoid him and tried to bury myself in the magazine. He sat quiet for a while. Now that I pretended to be busy, I was hoping he would get up and leave, but no, he wasn't. I took a secret look at him from the corner of my eye, he was smiling to himself, that sickened me even more and I quiclky looked back into the magazine.

"What are you reading?", he butted in.
"Zodiac signs.", I said,
"Ohhh, which one's your's?", he asked with a smile on his face.
"This one. Cancer.", I pointed out.
"Yeah? Mine's this one." , he said pointing to Sagittarius.
"Oh boy, how in the hell does all this matter to me?! Why can't he just shut up and get lost??", I thought.

Just then an airhostess asked us whether we'd like to have some sandwiches. He didn't want them. I asked her for two. At least he wouldn't expect me to talk while I ate. Before I could even reach my purse for cash, he pulled out a few 100 Naira's and a few 100 Rupee notes. Flinging them at the air hostess, he looked at me. "Wait, I pay for you. No problem.", he said with his annoying smile.
"No way!", I said and gave the airhostess, my money.
I ate the sandwiches as slowly as I could, to add to it, the bread was harder than my head! My plight!
I struggled with the sandwiches, when suddenly the African spoke again.
"I want to marry you", he said.

I spat the food involuntarily and looked at him aghast. I had known that this man wanted to flirt but I was not prepared for this. What is it with some men? I really don't get it, this 40-something African had decided within 30 minutes that he wanted to marry 22 year old me. I was too shocked to say anything.

"I am looking for an Indian girl. I have been looking for someone like you.", he said.
I couldn't believe I was in such a pathetic scene. I looked at him with my eyes stuck in the "shocked" state.
He continued, "See, if we both marry, our kids will get three nationalities by birth, First - Nigerian, Second -Indian, Third - The place we live. You decide that place." This was too much for me to take. I hadn't and couldn't imagine myself getting married to a 40-something African.
"I am not interested. Sorry.", I managed to say.
"But why?", he questioned looking at me like a puppy dog deprived of food.
"Because I'm engaged.", I lied, there was no other way to get rid of him.
He looked very disappointed. His enthusiastic voice was reduced to a mumble,"Oh, I see. Can we be friends at least?" He was in no mood to give up, was he?
Thankfully, the flight had landed.

He again spoke, "Can you give me your email?"
"I don't have one yet. You give me yours i'll email you.", I lied again.
He took out his business card flipped it and wrote down a number on it which looked like an Indian phone number.
"This is my card, it has my number in Nigeria and this one is my friend's number in Chennai. He's an actor.", he said trying to linger on.
"Yeah ok.", I said, trying to get up.
"Don't you have a phone?", he inquired.
"No I don't have one.", I lied again.
"But I saw you put a mobile phone in your bag.", he said.
He had noticed that too, I had put my phone into my bag at the Mumbai airport. He had been watching me all the while. It scared me.
"Oh yes, thats my old phone which i'll be changing soon, so there's no point giving you that number. I'll call you on your friend's number", I lied and fake-smiled.
"Ok then, don't forget to call me.", he said sounding desperate.


A few hours later I was reclining in my room, that had been arranged for by the company that had just recruited me. It felt like heaven. I pondered over the flight travel, it was good riddance, or maybe that was the best I could do. I was now an independent girl in an unfamiliar city, with a lot of new hopes and dreams of shaping a great career. The thought of it brought me immense joy and I drifted off to sleep.


P. S.
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This post is just the beginning of a story that I am yet to write, my portrayal of Chennai is just an opinion and is not intended to degrade the place or hurt anybody's sentiments.