THE PERFECT NIGHT

Cliiiiiing.... Cliiiiiiiiiing, the alarm clocked sounded. It was morning, 9.40am to be precise. "OMG!", Claudia yelled as she looked at the clock. She was going to be late for the day's activities. She had asked her employer for a day off just to make this special day a memorable one. She had the day's schedule skeptically planned out and was sure there was not going to be any mix up. Adoley, her bosom friend, had called earlier on but she missed her calls. The previous night was so stressful at the supermarket where she worked which made her so tired before she retired to bed. Claudia called her friend back. They agreed to meet at the market as earlier planned the previous day.

Quickly, Claudia came out of the shower and slipped into some fresh clothes which had been ironned and hanged, waiting to be worn. She chose some wrist beads to match her orange blouse and set off for the market after locking all doors and windows. Getting a car at the junction seemed a bit frustrating for a while. Soon, a taxi pulled up and they sped off. It was 12.15pm when she moved.Adoley was becoming infuriated at her friend's delayance. Claudia was becoming fond of this habit. At the ninth or so glance at her wrist watch, she saw a cab pull before her. Her friend came out with a broad smile. "I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting", Claudia said while hugging Adoley. The two mid twenties walked through the market choosing and buying all the items they will be needing to prepare french fries for the dinner ahead.

At 3.56pm, they were at Ephyex Restaurant to take some snacks before going home. Claudia had not eaten anything yet since morning so they took the chance to grab something to eat. Soon, they were headed for Adoley's home to cook the meal they had planned to serve as dinner. By the time they were done, Claudia had eaten half of the fries due to hunger. She rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower. When she was done, she set off to Jeff's house to invite him over for dinner. Adoley would however send the prepared meal to Claudia's house and set the table ready for her friend's arrival.

By the time the cab stopped in front of Jeff's gate, it was 8.05. There was loud music coming from the house, an unusual thing about Jeff. Her boyfriend kept a gentle nature at all times, unlike most guys. Probably there was a party going on, she thought. After several minutes of ringing the bell and not getting any response, she opened the door. It was not locked, rather unusual. She went in. The hall was all messed up and yet there was no party. She began to worry when no one responded while she called out his name. Gradually, but with fear, she moved towards the kitchen, then to the washroom. Finally, as she approached the bedroom she realized the door had been left open. She was shocked at what met her eyes.

On her way home, she cried her heart out. What was she going to tell her bosom friend? How could this happen to her at this very hour? The driver constantly asked her what had gone wrong but she kept mute. As soon as she reached home, she ran out of the cab, forgetting to pay the driver. The annoyed man came out of his car and chased after her. He was peacefully settled at the gate by the security man who wanted to avoid any scandal. She opened the door and suddenly, a loud uproar came from the room, "SURPRISE!". There was Jeff and Adoley and a few other friends. "You coward!", Claudia shouted and ran to her room, leaving everyone in astonishment. The embarassed Claudia could not hide her shame after she had been clarified of the whole incidence. Jeff had been in her home all afternoon preparing dinner for the special night. She went to meet his room mate Paul who had just arrived from his three weeks holiday in UK; and she mistook him for Jeff who was making love in bed with another lady."A toast to a lasting relationship" shouted Jeff. "CHEERS!", came from the guests.

After all the noise had died down and everyone had departed, Jeff sat beside her in the garden. She stared into the clouds, humming her favorite love song. He took her left hand and started playing with them, then she felt him slide something into her middle finger. It was beautiful. As tears began rolling down her cheeks, he whispered softly, "Happy Valentines Day my love".

CIRCLE OF FRIENDSHIP

Just recently, my mom called me to the kitchen and asked, "Anima, do you have friends atall? Apart from Efia, I hardly know most of your friends." I smiled at this rather funny question and had a tangible reply for my mom, who seemed to be scared about the kind of people I might be associating with. Most often, as is the norm, parents are supposed to be protective and I understood her perfectly. Funny but true enough, I do not have alot of friends and that was why laughed over mama's words. Many know me to be outgoing, friendly and warm hearted, which is supposedly the characteristics of one that has many friends. All these aside, I have very few friends and I am picky about choosing them.

Over time, I have learnt to be very careful when it came to friends due to certain experiences. Let me share with you some reasons why I have such lifestyle against many friends... One reason is that I realised some people are with you because of what they want to benefit from you and not what they have to share. Also some associate with you so that it can be easier for them to stop you from reaching the peak of your life. Again, some are with you only because they see that you will be a great person and yet they are not willing to play any role in your life; neither adding nor subtracting from you. These three types persons are definitely not worth having as friends and they are the exact people I am mostly drawn away from. Indeed, true friends are hard to find.

Here are three friends you would never want to miss in your life: the elderly, the knowledgeable and the godly. The elderly are ones that are ahead of you in life. They are mostly wiser than you in a wide range of issues and experiences that you would want to know about. They mostly add up to your life by giving you sound moral advice and sometimes support when the need arises. What you have to do to keep such relationships is to stay humble and also be interested in what they have to teach you. The knowledgeable may not be older than you. They normally have a wide range of information and intelligence base than you do. You must often yearn to tap into their knowledge for the betterment of your life. Do not act jealous over their achievements and mostly shower them with praise, compliments and encouragement. This way, they are sure that you mean good and you are happy with their presence in your life. The godly are ones that have a religious lifestyle and are always active with the things of God. Such people cannot be wiped from our circle of friends because like the elderly and the knowledgeable, the act as a rod of guidance in our lives. They sometimes help us grow spiritual in order to get closer to God. They are also very trustworthy people and are honest with their judgements over some things they think are wrong about you. These groups of people add up to my circle of friends.

I also love the computer(internet), music, inspiring books and the Bible. The computer connects me to a whole new world. Music soothes my soul and mostly gives me joy. Inspiring books teach me most things that the elderly and knowledgeable may not uncover to me. The Bible is my rod and staff which comforts me in my darkest moments. Friends are worth having and keeping. True friendship is what everyone needs in their lives. However, if one does not choose the right friends, they are mostly headed for doom. You might want to think through before making the wrong choice. Remember that being selective with friends is never a sign that you are unfriendly but that you are a strong and wise person. Keep Loving!

Justica ANIMA.

switstica@gmail.com