THE DEARY DARK AFTERNOON

"THE DEARY DARK AFTERNOON"
A STRANGER WITH A FAMILIAR FACE... AND A BODY FROM WHICH MY MIND WAS ABSOLUTELY SEPARATED

I remembered scruples, intense morals back at home, recalled with a pain of almost nostalgic regret that this was undoubtedly the most wonderful but bitter experience. My entire childhood life; as a girl I was as innocent as a lark, like everyone intended me to be and I was too naive to even understand a hurdle existed in my secret place. Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. That's not what I am here to talk about.

I no longer knew myself, no longer knew if I was still in the present world or that I had crossed over to the world beyond. It was as though, finally, my life had been turned upside down with my sight lost for several minutes. Sermons heard in my twenty six years of life was proved worthless, as I asked God if He had abandoned me and there was no light to show me the way out of this formless blackness in which I found myself. This experience I'm about to share with you happened to me. It's a thing about being too much of an homely girl who never got out to any where except from school-to-tutorials-to-church services. Though there were frequent trips to theaters-amusement parks-family friends birthday parties - with someone watching my back and my every move. Away from my family, I went to another big city which was where I had been born to make a new life. And this isolated life style as you may call it has become part and parcel of me. Quite a few friends, no clubbing, no parties, except on few occasions when I was forced down to some wedding ceremonies with my few friends threatening to desert me if I don't come along. It's always book-book-book!

On Saint Valentine's Day, I left my little apartment to join a boyfriend of mine, a social worker, who had an offer from a group from United States to bring homeless children from his organization to watch movies at the city Centre Mall, and recieve lots of gifts.
"Aunt Dammy, Aunt Dammy!" 
The kids adored me because of my absolute concern with their problems. The reason I was invited to come along in the first place. The high, harsh sun nailed the afternoon, to the city. Still, that didn't deter the flurry of activities that was usually attached to Saint Valentine's Day. We arrived the venue; as we entered eye catching, beautiful things came to view and then I came face to face with my first terror. I looked around the building it was circled with an Escalator which I called moving stairs in my crazy mind. I've never come face to face with it though I had seen it in movies and had read about it in novels. How was I supposed to climb through successfully? My heart began to thump loudly. Arms clasped across my belly, and gaze focused upon the steps I watched nervously, gesturing around me at hordes of chattering Pedestrians streaming in and out of the Mall. No one would have believed that a gorgeously dressed and beautiful lady like me couldn't climb the steps and that was why I remained in a spot. A pair of shoulder length earrings and ankle strap heels that lifted my ankles up to my throat.
"Did I say heels?"
Precisely, the problem I had. I could just imagine myself tripping over in those heels the moment I set my feet on the escalator and tumbling over. I noted some pedestrians amused expression as they passed by and took a second look at me. I swear they must thought me a village lass, just beautifully dressed up. My tension increased when I discovered that the people I came with had left me. Gosh, how was I supposed to make it back home if I miss them? I had no penny on me. Now I had to make a decision or else I would be stranded! It is not right to think that I had lived a good girl all these years only to be this highly, humiliated! Not knowing what to do instantly,  I walked the gigantic Mall in case I could spot a staircase, unfortunately, there was none to my dismay. This confusion was unlike anything I had ever experienced I mustered my courage eventually, and mounted the escalator and the first foray sent me stumbling profusely. And if it wasn't for the pedestrian directly behind my back, who held me, I would have rolled over and landed back on the floor. With so much eyes on me, incessantly, I breathed a sigh of apprehension as the escalator lifted me to the  theater floor. I had mounted, but how on earth was I to get down? But of course, I staggered while stepping off the escalator. With face glistening from perspiration, I scanned the theater hall. My boyfriend, who led us here was waiting for me with my own pop-corn and the other goodies he got for me. Just as I was about relaying my encounter to him, he disappeared into the theater after handling me my stuff, like some flashes of lightning that crossed my vision briefly.

The theater turned out to be my second terror. I had entered the theater blindly, and now I couldn't make out anything. I turned in panic, hands outstretched forward before me into the darkness like a blind man who has lost his walking stick. Walking unsteadily on my legs like the child who was about to learn to take his first step in life, I looked for something to hold on to. But there was nothing. No light showed any where. It was as though I had crossed to the world beyond. No voices, yet people were in the hall, no footsteps, nothing stirred. I wanted to run back outside, but there was no open door.  Every where was eerily dark. I shed hot tears profusely for I was greatly terrified. What kind of experience was this? I was supposed to be in a theater  where every other people would be but it happened I was lost in the dark of a theater! A sudden grip on my wrist made every frightened part of my body scream out loud, and I wanted to break into a frantic run but the grip on me was firm.
"Dammy, what is the matter with you?"
Quietly, asked the voice with awe. I recognized it at once. It was my friend's voice. I looked up wildly  anxious, searching for his face, and gradually, there was light. I could see his face clearly. He led me to the roll where they were all seated. God! This shame would never wear off!

While they all enjoyed the movies, my mind was on how to go through the escalator the second time. Hours gone by and everything was over. The moment I appeared, a Security Guard came beside me, after a quick curtsy to me, he took hold of my hand and gently showed me how to ply the escalator without any fuss. So, they all had been watching!? What a note of embarrassment. Sure as hell, they had me in their surveillance cameras to have been waiting for me to emerge from the theater. I left the Mall in low spirit swearing on a stack of bibles never to make such an outing again. Is that really the solution people? Your feed back count.

Quite funny encounter, right?

DARA



     

ENDURE SOME MORE

Josh was already getting stuck with funny ideas. He was so fed up with seeing himself the same in the stagnant spot so he wanted a dramatic change. A dramatic change? Isn't there price for that? Nevertheless, he found himself springing into a course of action which proved highly unsuccessful still. He was looking at his problems and seeing no way around it.

You must be wondering what I'm rambling on about this Friday morning. Well, I was trying to tell you a story about unfortunate young man, but couldn't get that out quite. But am going to you leave you something for the weekend.

 "There is no way round your problems but I tell you there is  a way through it"

 You have climbed mountains and there should be turning point. But from being near the end of your misfortune, you have just only begun. There is more to the challenges you have been rising to, or it leads inescapably on to yet another, bigger one that slowly drains your energy and kills your dream.
 
Well, my dear brother and sister I say endure some more. I feel God is doing you a favor. Because when you get lot of your grief over and done with early on in life, there will less to grieve about the hard way later on in life.

My departing words this morning, be inspired by how far you have come and you can start looking forward to where you have to go next. The rewarding part of a journey is head.

Light can shine even in the darkest corridors sometimes...

DARA 

A STEP FORWARD

No matter how sumptuous the meal you are served, you won't enjoy it if you have just one minute to devour it, because there is battle for you to fight. I hope you are not thinking I meant food in the real sense, are you? No. Meal here, is just the metaphor in comparison to the short story I'm about to share with you.

The meeting required they meet at his office, which was fine by her. The office was located, in one of the prestigious area in the city. She was a graduate fresh from the University with first class. But no luck where ever she turned for employment. The so called middle aged C.E.Os and MDs all wanted a piece of her even though she's got all it takes potentially, to get a job. Her boyfriend of two years recently parted ways with her. They didn't quite fit in many ways. The truth, her past had seemed not move on. Fact, she never loved him from the word go. Now that the loneliness she felt wasn't from outside alone, but from within, which is the worst anyone could feel, she desperately needed a job.

Alas, when she walked into the office clad in a tight-fitted gorgeous green shirt and black pants that flattered her long heels and  square toed heels that added a few inches to her tall and striking  figure, Ridge, (the man) was compelled to stare at her. Leslie, was quite a "beauty" but great, great beauty, Ridge was. He was tall and huge. His boyish  looks had a touch of class, and his oval face was complemented by his pointed nose. However, he struggled to dissolve his rather rude stare into the look of professional curiosity. Somewhat to Leslie relief, Ridge spoke not in the tongue of men who encouraged the trade of flesh for position. He talked nicely. He was a well groomed middle aged man with excellent abilities.
"At the moment, we are not employing people. I only asked you to bring your CV for keeps in case anything comes up," he said.
So that was it. She left but they remained in contacted and began building up friendship. Every morning, it was Ridges's text messages that woke Leslie up from bed like the early morning birds.

More amazing pieces, it was her 30th birthday and Ridge was prepared to make it a memorable day for her. (January 18th), eventually she went to meet him at his house where he hosted her. It was a Cinderella treat, she was treated quite fine and thus their love began. The great beauty she thought she knew was actually an extraordinary beauty, but mashed with a severe character flaw. Ridge's bed was shared with different of types of ladies daily.How he did it, she couldn't understand. Each time she caught him, tears would appear in his eye. Those blood shot eyes, their tears, what do they represent?
" Is it that he loves me but can't help himself or that he is just a crafty old player and that is the pattern he has mastered over the years to get the unfortunate women to trust and believe him to still hang on in the relationship?"
 Leslie usually asked herself. But that remained a mystery she could never elucidate. With a melancholic bundle of jealousy and rage, she became a pernicious nagging young woman who wept constantly, talked and talked and pleaded for a change. Rather, he got worse.

Hmm. We can't always have solutions to everything, that's just the fact about life. However, don't put up with something that causes you great discomfort. You are entitled to enjoyment and happiness. Don't be afraid of a change. When there is nothing more to do, open the CHAPTER to "GOODBYE"  or move on within. That's the best thing to do.

DARA
 

MUSTN'T BE JILTED, NOT AGAIN!

We fall in love like fools and we are treated like we are fools, and then get dumped being fools….

We all know that jumping fences and ditches and hedges and stiles and walls is the thrilling part of hunting! But a different ball game when it comes to love. With excited hounds from Hell in pursuit of blameless souls, the henna in the vineyards is blighted before it blooms!

Feeling alone than at any time since her parents passed on, sitting by herself at the train station watching people clambering the mid-afternoon train – suitcase in hand, she was moving on but it wasn’t true. She lifted her head and the sunlight gleamed in the flood of tears down her face. Her grief was strong. With voice cracked and clogged with weeping, she questioned it all.

“Why did he leave me? Oh God!

God, God, he mustn’t! No!”

Vanessa won’t believe he’s gone!

“He loves me,” she often convinced herself.

“He is my friend, my heart of heart. Bessie loves me. He wouldn’t leave me now just when I need him most. Not over a text message!”

Now she didn’t have to explain why she moved on; she just did. It would have been so humiliating to tell her friends the truth. That Bessie had fallen out of love with her. She couldn’t admit what happened to anyone, not even to herself how much it hurt and how much she blamed herself. She felt used and worthless. She could hardly, not harbor thoughts of revenge for Bessie, who was so obviously happy with his new found girlfriend.

Everything had hurt Vanessa. With technology improved beyond imagination, computers with voice enhancement with cams and people being enabled to talk and see anybody anywhere in the world, Bessie and Vanessa met online and dated over the link for some time.

The first time they met in person, Bessie concocted a story around a long standing marriage which has finally ran aground with hot tears stinging behind his eyes.

“God! He is married … I can’t pull out. Not now. Too late!”

She looked up at him and the tears in his dark eyes made her heart turned over.

Vanessa responded with the utmost sympathy and they struck balance at once. She was going to minister to his wounds hoping to be strong in his arms in return, until Mr. Right comes along. Their bodies resonated. They kissed passionately as he slowly removed her clothes. His body entered hers with as much tenderness as lust and she was swept away by his touch, enthralled by the rhythm of the act as much by the man between her knees lolling apart. He was sex in himself.  

Vanessa looked lovelier than ever, younger too, with her honey skin glowing. What luck to have found Bessie! With a month gone by, a lot of things changed in their relationship. After all her calls and messages never returned, sending Bessie a jealous filled sms was the only way to get his attention, for he had made no attempt to contact her for weeks

"You've just ended this relationship with your own hands” read Bessie’s reply on her cell phone’s screen.

There was lot of pleading unaccepted while, in Vanessa’s mind, things fell into place.

“Bessie, is this what, you’ve had up your sleeve all these while? Ladies are his joke. And I was just one of your conquest; a feast for his pleasure.”

There was a lump in Vanessa’s throat. “So that’s what it was all about. The gifts, attention and support.”

Vanessa and Bessie were through before they began. He had her fooled good and proper. Nevertheless, Vanessa made sure her pains showed not on her face. As ever, she poured her energy into her work, sowing into her future. She found the courage to let Bessie go! If you love something, she understood, she must not try to hold onto it. She wouldn’t let her bitter experiences cause her to lose her romantic dreaminess. Torn apart like a frock though, she was going to keep on making wishes, being strong, she wouldn’t settle for less until true love she finds and its best. She will keep on holding on….

Ugh ---- wretched luck! Do you find yourself in Vanessa’s shoes and you think hurling yourself onto the road in front of a car and ending it all is the way out?

Heavens no! What could have put such a thought in your head? Or in your own case going into decline over your rough situation is the best solution you could come up with it because it isn’t the first and you doubt it would be the last. Then you cannot and would never find that diamond you crave. It is in the rubbles. It’s like a lily among thorns, I expect you to comprehend better, because that don’t come easy.

Hey, are you still reading? I am not saying you should use a new habit to rid yourself of the old. When you come out of a relationship, wait before starting over again. Get to know the new man that comes your way before you are turned over again. Learn from your mistakes, allowing the past to make it possible. Love with your brain first and then your heart and you won’t end up turning out the same.

Dar Douprah.

   

PASSERS BY

They are just passers-by; we meet them just about any where, but they take us to the strangest places in our interactions. Places we never thought we could be, or would never be again because of our reservoir of emotions that is totally spent up!
Some of them become our close friends when we least expect and are always eager to please. But then we let them down, we take their presence for granted. And just like nothing ever stays the same, before the blink of an eye they are gone!!!

“To where?”

We question it. And we wish we told them all we wanted to say….
Sleeping by ourselves at night while staring at the ceiling with their picture frame lying on top of our chests…. Mm. Obviously we are lost in thought but it’s too late to hold them now. They are far, far away… Some down below six feet; the others, still among us. Until our eyes, are closed in death we won’t see the dead loved ones but what happened to the friendship developed with the living ones??? Painful enough, our paths shall never cross again….

And some of them are supposed to be the last we make love to. They give us love, give us their best. They are always there when things go wrong. They are our shoulder to cry on. They need us in their lives – we are the reason they live. But no matter what they do, we seem to want to hurt them. We never care a little to hear the whisper of our hearts. And then, they book us out of their minds unable to move on. They are gone because we forgot to be good or proper lovers.

We are regretting….
And the other group; we shook hands with across the desk in their offices… from simple thing, big thing began. However, we are afraid to let them inside. But with the soul-searching intense kissing that often happens with our conscience rushing together, we fall into them with the hope that they would take away our heart aches. A good dream they ought to be but they are using us time after time, being the reason why we wake up from tormenting sleep….

If it wasn’t for the lipstick on their shirts; if it wasn’t for the guy’s cell number in their purses and the incessant love messages that keeps popping in each time we are making love; still we would be chasing shadows. When the heart ache is over we won’t be missing them, we boast to ourselves. Only a matter of time, we would heal and we won’t need them. To some we would never heal though; and the ones with footprint behind, would remain in our memory till death.
We need someone to love, yet we don’t want to get close; we want to escape because we are afraid for our hearts not to be torn in ache over and over again.



Well. I would say we can’t hold on to the past regardless of our demons. The Passers-by… they’ve come to stay. They are integral part of our lives. We will continue to meet for nothing ventured – nothing gained.



Dar Douprah

DESTINED TO BE A PERCULIAR CHILD, A ROLLERCOATER OF UPS AND DOWN

Tony Goldmine was born with sublime prophesies surrounding his birth, but here he was in the home that has been inherited by his mother’s family for generations, tossing seed on the ground in a backyard full of chickens, bumping each other out of the way as they ducked their heads for the food….

He was a graduate that nurtured a great ambition to someday work by himself, having a big press company. Unfortunately, presently, in his employment he was a failure. The result of his sales for the past few months were below average.

“I’m a smart ass, not a dumb one,” he sometimes muttered when he remembered his school days. “After all, it was my intelligence, that gave me a head start on my peers in the University and I finished top of my class. Somebody must be projecting an evil spell on me. This is beyond the ordinary!”

The Personnel manager of the company where he worked had summoned him. It suddenly struck him as a chicken pecked his toenail. He was going to address the memo from the Personnel Department. This could lead to his relief from duty. He was nervous.

“If he lost his job how was he to look after his ageing mother who was being cared for in the nursing home?”

Apparently, Tony was fired! When he was approached a few months after, by Jerry Hilton a rich young man who offered to take him to his god – mother for an occult relations and for a change of event in his life; there and then in a rush, Tony had made a secret pact with Satan to give him fame and fortune in exchange for his soul. Out of desperation! But does Satan understand the word desperation? Heck no! The ancient guy doesn’t joke.

A year later, Tony had wealth that was beyond human explanation; companies, luxurious houses and exotic cars. He also married a devastatingly beautiful woman. He was across the ocean when his wife had their first child. It was time for him to start enjoying his wealth and family. He was now a father! His mother was well cared for in the nursing home. Everything was just going too smoothly. Life was good!

He was on his way home to see the newborn when he died in a plane crash, taking along with him innocent souls who weren’t there when he was exchanging his own soul for earthly glory. At thirty seven, Satan claimed his soul. He died just when he finally got what he needed to be happy….

Mm. While there is a great deal of great children in the world today, there is a suitable amount of price greatly required to be paid. Do you, ought to have risen to the top but your career never got off the ground? You are dismayed and confounded as the grain blighted before it is grown. Well, who told you that the road was going to be easy?

“A man who is trampled to death by an elephant is a man who is blind and deaf!”

This is a little piece for you to learn from. It’s a must to be flawed in life to become successful, haven’t you learned? Go check out the backstory of those celebrated ones you see today and you would be awed at what you would find. Imagine the gold necklace we wear around our neck; it has passed through fire before it becomes a thing of beauty everybody admires. Anybody you see who has achieved anything of recognition has been put through a wringer of circumstances. You don’t come up to the height of success, by the multitude of your intelligence. Discard of that thinking!

My advice, accept the circumstances in which you find yourself rather than trying to adapt them to suit yourself and don’t wait for problems to sort themselves out rather take the initiative in solving them, giving your Creator the chance to direct your steps. Wait patiently for Him to move your mountains, one pebble at a time.

Bottom line; take only positive steps to improve your lot in life. Only that way could you fulfill your destiny perfectly.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;

For her proceeds are better than the

Profits of silver,

And her gain than fine gold.

She isa more precious than rubies,

And all the things you may desire

Cannot compare with her.

Length of days is in her right hand,

In her left hand riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take

Hold of her;

And happy are all who retain her.

“WISDOM!”

Proverbs 3: 13 – 18

Dar Doupra 

JOURNEY AFTER THE MISTED CANAL

The water would break and pour. There now, we’ve come to birth seeking our way out. Undressed in the birth chamber, our mothers are laid in the agony of child birth, gathering their strength to bring us forth. Prop up in a semi seated position they are urged to push, breathe, push ---- and then we would emerge covered in slime. Eased out of the birth canal, the string, which bind us to our mothers would be cut, to enable us plunge into the world; born naked and helpless, we fall flat into the vague alleys….




Before you begin reading I would like to give you a bit of info on who I am and my goal with this webpage.



My name is Damilola Ogunremi, a Nigerian born Artistic/Creative/Performance writer, based in Lagos. I have a graduate Diploma in Communication and Language (Scriptwriting – TV, Film, Stage, Radio,) from Stonebridge College Bude Cornwall, United Kingdom. My background and expertise is in Features, Drama, Life Story (nonfiction), Short Stories (flash fiction), Copywriting and Poems.



My real goal is to motivate people through realistic stinging rough situations many, of us might find ourselves in, in life. As we often times do not have the energy or motivation to face up to our challenges; unless we are urged forward with encouragement. And I am sure you would salvage your life from ruins, draw on the strength to keep on in spite everything, and survive your dark times through the liberating, remarkable incessant stories drawn from the product of my imagination and personnel life experiences.