The Good Life excerpt 2

Uba was of medium height and of similar build complemented by regular exercise, outdoors and indoors. Thirty-seven years of age, he looked much younger which was one of his best assets right from time. He was a clearing and forwarding agent with Vintage International, a reputable company in such matters. His monthly salary wasn’t that great but he lived very well, well beyond his salary should make him because of the sharp practices he, and virtually all the C&F boys, engaged in.

And it was also the only reason he was able to give Dupe the sort of lifestyle she demanded from him and was actually her due.

His apartment was furnished tastefully in a Spartan pattern with not-too-expensive and not-too-cheap furniture and had relics of his life – photos and plaques – on the walls.

He chose the white towel monogrammed with his initials from the heat rack and picked his way gingerly into the bathroom to wash his body. He was out of the tub a quarter of an hour later, and glancing into the mirror again, he saw his eyes were now okay, normal.

Standing in front of his crowded wardrobe (the result of a practical clothing allowance from Vintage International and his own deals), he selected a black pinstripe jacket, a Marks & Spencer white shirt, a pair of grey slacks and black Loake shoes for the day. He added a dark shade of sunglasses to his outfit and didn’t forget to clip his ID card with the port permit on it to his blazer’s inner breast pocket.

He was handsome dressed the way he was, he knew. It brought a lot of women’s work his way and the aura of confidence he exuded also helped a lot.

His Baume & Mercier stainless steel wristwatch showed him the time was 7.14am. Just enough time left for him to get to the office before eight o’clock. It also meant he would have to eat out as usual almost every working day as there was always no time to prepare his own breakfast and get to the office on time.

*****

The morning sun sailed out fully as he stepped out of the danfo which had just ground to a stop at Apapa Wharf Bus Stop.

He had joined the commercial passenger medium bus after taking a speedboat across the black muddy waters of Ajegunle to Waterside. The danfo had sped down Marine Road, making several stops, bypassed Liverpool Road turning, and entered Creek Road which led straight to Apapa Wharf.

He brushed his clothes to both clean them of any dirt and smoothen them. He could see a lot of people and cars entering the port. As was the custom every Monday morning, being the first day of the working week and the day to really get the work week going in the right manner, all ten gates of the wharf were in full use.

Note: The Good Life is one of the books written by Oseyiza Oogbodo, curator of this blog. Below is an excerpt of it. It’s available as an eBook, along with other Oogbodo books, at: https://www.amazon.com/author/oseyizaoogbodo