Success is Not In My Vagina

I watched him keenly as he continued staring.

He looked at me lecherously and I swallowed.

His lust was almost tangible I feared what might happen if I stayed a little longer.

He had asked that everyone else be sent out and so we were seated alone in the VVIP section of the lounge we had gone to for drinks and an important discussion about my future as he had put it.

Then he said the words. The ones I had come so used to hearing and knew he would say sooner or later.

‘Let me take care of you’, he said. I cringed.

He paused a little as if expecting a response from me and continued.

“You are a very beautiful young woman, very ripe – in my head I imagine me on a tree, ripe and ready to fall. You are intelligent and have a great future ahead of you, all I am asking is that you let me be the one to help you achieve your dreams”

He paused again and as I inhaled, he continued.

“You know one thing I like about you ehn is that you are stubborn. Chai! How many girls do you think will stress me like this”? Ehn, that’s why I want you. You are a very decent girl” He pronounced girl as GYEL.

I exhaled as I thought to myself. ‘If I say yes, would I still be the decent GYEL girl you want at all cost’?

To think that I thought he would say something new or at least discuss my future.

He paused again but when I said nothing he smiled and just when I thought he would stop, he went on.

“I know you will say nothing, it’s your way but just know that you have potentials and I can help. Just say yes and leave it all to me”.

I watched him keenly as he continued speaking but as he spoke my mind drifted.

He isn’t your typical Nigerian ‘big man’.

You know the one portrayed in Nollywood movies. 

The middle aged, bald headed, potbellied and oftentimes overdressed – because he has to wear all his money at once with hopes that it compensates for his lack of formal education evident in his poor grammar.

He isn’t that kind.

He is middle aged but fit – the kind of fitness that comes from healthy eating and a strict exercise regimen, very well dressed and an air of confidence that comes from being the predator and never the prey.

He spoke well too but had slight affectations which showed in his pronunciation of words like girl as GYEL and beautiful as BEAURIFUL.

He was attractive too and seemed like he could make a success of any venture he put his heart to – his business and career success spoke volumes, the only challenge though is that like most men of his ilk that I have encountered he was wrong. He was wrong in his assumption that the key to unlocking MY potentials, the key to MY success is in my Vagina.

The key to my success or any young girl for that matter is not in the Vagina and sleeping with a man who is successful wouldn’t automatically make me a success because as they say ‘success or at least good and sustainable success is not sexually transmitted’.

I was jolted back to reality when he touched my hand. He made to take my hands in his and I flinched, snatching my hands from his.

He looked at me askance, “do I irritate you”?

I shook my head.

He made to take my hands again and I shifted, raising my hands as if to pull my hair backwards but there was no hair to pull as my hair was packed in an updo.

As if to show that he wasn’t bothered by my actions, he continued.

Did you hear what I just said’? I shook my head in the negative again.

“You see, you are not even listening. You don’t even want to give me a chance”. He sounded slightly irritated.

‘I am listening now’, I responded.

“I said I want to give you a flat in one of my estates. I will buy you a car and also help you get a job with the state’s civil service even though you are not an indigene”.

I looked at him again as it was obvious he would never understand.

I was a Corps member and would be passing out in a few weeks but my idea of success isn’t a flat or a car paid for by a man who has a daughter my age or a job with the state’s civil service.

Won’t you say anything”? He asked.

“I need to go home. I have clearance at the NYSC secretariat in the morning and also have to be at work. I really thought we were really going to talk about my future. Would you drop me off now”?

Before he could respond, I stood up and made to leave.

He dashed after me with apologies, asking what he said or did wrong as he didn’t want to lose me.

I said nothing but thought to myself as I stormed off. ‘Lose me? Did you ever have me’?

He caught up with me as I walked out of the VVIP section through the dimly lit VIP section to the regular section and then outside the lounge.

“I will drop you off” he said and added “but if you don’t want to go home, I can get you a suite at my hotel, you know”

I looked at him again and thought to tell him that he had it wrong. I was not interested in what he had to offer and I didn’t think I needed to sleep with him to ‘make it’ in life but I kept shut and said ‘thank you but I need to go home’.

“Chai! I love you the more” he said but all I could see was my bed and the pack of Fox Chunkies Cookies waiting for me at home. I exhaled.