By Bunmi Sofola

Maggie, a contented mother of three ran into an old classmate three years ago, and her life has never been the same.  “I went to the same polytechnic with Nelly,” she recalled “and we were the best of friends.  Shortly after college, she travelled abroad and I got married to Supo, a university lecturer.  Nelly had always been ‘Miss I-Be-Lady.’ 

Even when we were at school, she owned the smartest bags, designer clothes and had bizarre hair extensions.  It was a relief to see the back of her as I was tired of her cast-offs, which weren’t bad.  For years after college, I heard nothing of her until that fateful day.

“I was with a group of friends enjoying a house-warming party when she turned up.

I saw her first and could feel the old familiar resentment beginning to grip my stomach as I took in her glittering jewellery, heavy lace dress and designer sunglasses.  She flashed me her plastic smile as soon as she saw me, and strutted over in her expensive shoes.  “Look at you,” she shrieked.  “You look wonderful,” I felt myself shrived.  She was obviously lying – I seldom look well when Nelly was around.  “It’s so nice to see you after all these years,” “I shrieked with an enthusiasm I didn’t feel.  I had on, my sensibly priced baby lace dress, the price of which was a fraction of her glittering one.  I reluctantly introduced her to Supo, as I watched him size her up, an amused look on his face.

“I’m married too,” she said, flashing her expensive rings.  They’d just relocated from Britain and have a house at VGC.  She sat briefly with us and invited me to pop in for dinner the following day with another classmate.  ‘Your friend is a bit flash isn’t she?’ Supo sniffed after she left, ‘and her strong perfume could double as an insecticide?!’  I was a bit worried about the dinner date I’d just accepted – most of my clothes were comfortable but unfashionable.  Those were all I could afford raising three boisterous children.  But I raided my younger sister’s wardrobe and came up with a show-stopping dress in black chiffon, beautifully beaded with delicate red crystals.  A more appropriate garb for Nelly’s type of bash.

“Her house looked like something out of good housekeeping, and Rose, another classmate, looked like she’s never done any housework in her life.  The dinner was good – thanks to her expensive cook.  And so was the wine.  I must have been smashed when I agreed to be part of guests on her table at her niece’s wedding.  I didn’t remember agreeing to such rubbish until the set of clothing was sent through the driver, of course with a N45,000 bill.  Where would I get such money from?  I didn’t have any savings but my sister, bless her, offered to give me the money with the understanding that she took possession of the items after the wedding.  I was really grateful to her.

“So I joined her impressive ‘table’ at the wedding and only five of us had on the dress.  But I looked good and felt confident.  Nelly wasn’t so special after all, I kidded myself.  Her money just made her seem like she was.  I could look like her.  All I had to do was get myself some dough – I mean – who’s a rich man but a poor man with money?

Why should I always feel like the ‘poor cousin’?  Why couldn’t I have a slice of Nelly’s glamorous life?  She was surprised to see how I turned out at the wedding – impressed even.

“A couple of months later, Nelly sent her driver with another set of aso-ebi.  One of ‘our’ group of five was having a house-warming luncheon and we would wear the clothes to honour her.  The bill?  Just N200,000.  I wasn’t in when the driver called and Supo sent him back without collecting the fabric.  He told the driver to tell Nelly his wife never indulges in aso-ebi.  I was relieved when he told me but felt a bit embarrassed.  What would the ‘group’ think of me?

“I called Nelly to apologise and she said frostily that I shouldn’t ‘stress’ myself about it – that she’d already passed the fabric to another friend.  Needless to say I didn’t go to the party and didn’t hear from Nelly for a long while.  The next time I saw her was at another party in company of her group.  She simply looked through me and I happily ignored her.

“I had on one of my sensible boubous and went to sit with a genuine friend.  Friends who love me for who I am not for the amount of debt I could get into trying to be like the Jonesses.  Now that I can’t afford to go out with Nelly’s group of friends, she’d dropped me like a hot coal.  Why I’d wanted to impress a shallow person like her beats me still.  Supo was right – she’s just shallow and flash.

“I have love and security – the riches my marriage has brought me over the years.  I don’t need expensive goods and massive amount of debts to keep contented… .”