Writers 
Chapter 3
I made sure I finished work early at the office the next day, boarded a bus and made my way to Mama Chi’s bar.
I got there early because only a few people were in the bar, and every staff member was busy cooking, cleaning and taking orders from Mama Chi. I walked up to the big woman and greeted her respectfully. She smiled and asked one of her girls to take my order.
“That’s not why I’m here, ma.”
She told the girl to go back and turned to face me. She looked at me from head to toe with the eyes a Nigerian mother uses when pricing meat.
“If you’re here for a job, don’t you think you’re overdressed? You wear shirt, still put tie on top. Na beer I dey sell, no be bank ooo,” she said, and I almost laughed.
I smiled.
“Ma, I was here last night and told you I wanted to have a private dance with African Waist, but you said she’s fully booked and told me to try again today. That’s why I’m here,” I said carefully.
I saw the change in her eyes, like she was trying to remember me.
“Oboy, you’re serious about wanting that African Waist oo. But she’s not available now. You’ll have to wait for her,” she said.
I nodded and smiled.
Thank God, I said in my mind.
Ten thousand naira for ten minutes, and you couldn’t wait for her without buying something. You had to drink beer. Everything she said came like an arrow.
Ten thousand naira for ten minutes, and I still had to buy something. It seemed like a lot since I wasn’t a big Lagos boy. I was just hustling, but I agreed and took my seat. I reluctantly ordered pepper soup and a bottle of beer.
I waited for about two hours, and it was already past 9 p.m. when she arrived.
Men rushed to Mama Chi’s office, but I was first on the list. She wasn’t performing that night, so she could start work immediately.
I had already paid for my ten minutes and was led into a small room with different lights, a couch and a ceiling fan. Sweet traditional Yoruba beats played from a speaker.
I was asked to sit down and wait for her.
About five minutes later, she walked in and closed the door behind her.
She looked exactly the same, if not prettier. The lights had their effect, but they changed nothing about her beauty or her beautiful body.
I’m a good boy, but what am I doing in a bar, drinking and getting private dances? I thought to myself.
She cut my thoughts short when she spoke.
Her voice was like sugar cane coated with honey. She sounded as good as she looked.
“Good evening, sir. Do you like the music playing, or should I put on something else?”
I couldn’t say anything. I just stared at her.
She giggled as if she was used to men looking at her like that.
“You’re not allowed to touch my breasts or my buttocks, and you only have ten minutes, so let’s start, sir.”
Her voice hit me like an arrow and pierced through my heart.
She changed the music and started whining her waist like she did the previous night.
“Stop.”
I didn’t know when the word came out of my mouth.
She stopped and looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Am I doing something wrong?” she asked, and I felt bad for stopping her.
“I don’t want you to dance for me,” I said.
She looked confused.
“I’m not a prostitute, sir,” she said, almost angrily.
“I know. I want to talk to you.”
“About what?”
She looked annoyed now, and I was getting scared.
“I don’t know anything, but please don’t dance. Let’s just talk.”
She hesitated but eventually sat down beside me, though not too close.
No one had ever wanted to speak to me before. The same confident girl I had seen on stage looked shy now.
“I understand. My name is Folarin, and I’d like to know your real name.”
“My real name?”
She looked so surprised, yet so beautiful.
“My name is Chioma, but people think I’m Ada too. But I’m not,” she said.
Chioma.
It tasted sweeter in my mouth than African Waist.
She laughed when I said it, and she looked so free. Her laughter was like a melody.
“Why are you laughing?” I asked, joining in her laughter.
“The way you said my name. This situation I’m in… it’s strange and funny, don’t you think so?”
I didn’t think about anything then. All I knew was that I was happy to be with her right now.
