Read 50k Packaging
Obaino munched on his fries as he typed away on his laptop. Chris bounced in and as usual disrupted his peaceful work.
“Guy abeg borrow me 20k.”
Obaino raised his brows. “Why?”
“I wan use am do something.”
“Why?” Obaino repeated.
“I go yarn you later.”
“Why?”
“Which kain question be this? You wan borrow me the money or not?”
Obaino sighed. “You’re taking a girl out, abi?”
Chris smiled like a cat that ate the canary. “Guy, if you see this chick eh, na you go take your hand dash me more than 20k.”
Obaino sighed again. He was really getting tired of Chris and his fake lifestyle. If the guy could actually afford his lifestyle, it could have been better. But everything was on Obaino’s head. Honestly, Obaino didn’t understand why he hadn’t kicked Chris out of his life already. Apart from the fact that the freeloader was helping his social life, Chris was a pain in his ass.
And the worst part was Chris had refused to learn from the mistakes of his past escapades. That 50k incident was still very fresh in Obaino’s mind. Apparently, he was the only one who remembered even though he wasn’t the one affected. Scratch that. Chris had clung to him like a leech for everything after he lost a whopping forty nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety five naira out his fifty thousand naira to that girl at the restaurant.
And now he had landed another one. Obaino could already feel the disaster coming.
“Guy, e be like say you no dey hear word. You’ve forgotten what happened the last time at the eatery.”
Chris scowled at him in confusion. “Which eatery? Oh that one? Guy forget that. It’s in the past.”
“So losing your 50k no dey pain you.”
“Haba! Why are you bringing it up again? If you don’t want to give me money, just say it. So I can sort myself elsewhere.” Chris replied in annoyance.
Thank God, Obaino thought. “I don’t have any money.” He said out loud.
Chris immediately changed his tone to begging. “Guy abeg na. No fall my hand o. This girl na World Cup o.”
“If you like, make she be Champions League, I no get any money.”
“I will pay you back next week.”
Obaino snorted in unbelief. “I’ve heard that one before.”
Chris smiled, turning on his ‘bros’ charm. “Obaino, no dey do me this kain thing. You be my guy o. We’re together.”
This time, the ‘bros’ charm wasn’t working on Obaino. He was really tired of Chris. “I said no.”
“Please na.”
“No.”
“I go pay you o.”
“You haven’t paid the ones you borrowed before.”
“How much is it sef?”
“Three hundred and sixty thousand naira.”
“Eh! E don reach that amount?” Chris exclaimed in shock.
“When you dey borrow anyhow, you no know?” Obaino replied coldly.
“You sure say e don reach that amount?” Chris asked suspiciously.
“Plus the 10k you borrowed yesterday.”
“Hei! Okay, I will pay you back. I promise.”
“Chris, I’m not giving you any money just to toast a girl. E no go happen.”
“Please na. It’s me o. We’re bros. The babe will be here any minute. Abeg, abeg.” Chris pleaded.
“Okay.” Obaino relented. “But this will be the last time. Don’t come to me for money o until you pay me back.”
Chris’ ‘bros’ charm grin was more than ten thousand megawatts.
“Obaino, Obaino, you be my man. Thank you very much. Make I give you my account number.”
“No worry. I don already memorize am.”
Obaino took out his phone and made the transfer. Chris’ ‘bros’ more than ten thousand megawatts grin increased as he saw the alert.
“Bro, thank you o. You don save me from shame. As you see me so, I been no get shi shi.”
“You no get shi shi naim you dey toast girl wey pass your level.”
Chris shrugged nonchalantly. “Na the way na. I gat to represent. You see this girl na, when she comes, I will take her to a nice place to eat fresh fish pepper soup and drinks. Then we come back here and you know… after the reggae play the blues.”
“If she no wan play the blues nko?”
“I get contingency plan. I go add tusa tusa for her drink.”
“Eh!” Obaino exclaimed. “Chris, which kain level be this? I no dey o. If na that one, abeg transfer my money back.”
“Guy, relax.”
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Chris’ smile turned to full megawatts. “The eagle don land.” he turned to open the door. Obaino followed him.
“Chris.” Obaino called in a low warning tone.
Chris ignored him and opened the door. A very stunning girl stepped in, smiling.
“Hi, baby.” Chris smiled back.
“Hi.” Then she stopped and stared at Obaino who stared back at her in shock.
“Mimi.”
“Obi.” The girl replied also shocked.
Chris looked at both of them in surprise. “Both of you know each other?”
Obaino glared at him. “So you borrowed 20k to add tusa tusa in my sister’s drink.”