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 Here is a copy of the short story that won the November edition of the storried monthly competition        

                     

 DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

By Emmanuel Chika

I felt like I was in the seventh heavens.

RELOCATION TO MAGODO!!!

Even though it felt juvenile, I still nursed the need to trumpet my new milestone to any one I come across.

I was awed by the state of the compound, the state of art cobbled stones, the brilliant lightings and the way the apartments were arranged in semblance to letter C: with the gaping curve in the middle utilized for the array of flashy and modern cars.

 But just when I thought I have had enough of the opulence and class, I stepped into the apartment and it was pure heaven.

Still drowned in my feeling of euphoria, I quickly changed from my work clothes into an easy wear and stepped out the balcony

I had three things in my mind:

To get dinner

To get a feel of the estate and

To bask in the genteel calm of the wind as I stood with my hands clenching the balcony rails

I decided to live in the moment and savor the gift of nature

I closed my eyes and breathe in the fresh hair; I ran my hand through my hair feeling like a superstar and daydreamed of the fun I would have living here.

My reverie was brusquely interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the cobbled stones

I opened my eyes and saw a young lady dressed in a worn out pink sweater on a black skin tight skirt and an old pair of slippers

Her hair was unkempt but she strolled languidly with a grace one can only find in the elitist class.

I quickly summed her up and decided she must be the side chick of one of the bachelors, I felt her poise was just a façade masking a social climber and I hated the fact that she added a blemish to my idyll with her flawed appearance.

“Good evening” she greeted with a nice and clear voice

I mumbled an inaudible reply

I NOW LIVE AMONGT THE RICH AND SINCE SNUBBING PEOPLE IS A COMMON TRAIT OF THE BOURGEOIS CLASS, I MIGHT AS WELL START

I felt I had earned that right by reason of association

Later that night, I had conveniently forgotten about the strange looking girl but as I was in the bathroom preparing to take a shower, I heard the same voice greeting me from outside the bathroom window.

I was too surprised to reply her and felt guilty when she had passed but I justified my actions by querying the weirdness of the scenario

“Who greets people from their bathroom window?” I thought

INDEED, THE WORLD VIEWED FROM ABOVE IS SUCH AN UNFAIR PLACE AND EVERYTHING SEEMS RIGHT BECAUSE YOU FEEL UNTOUCHABLE

The next day, I was dressed for service. I made sure that my choice of clothing reflected my new found class and even edited my stride from a casual glide to a patterned saunter.

THEN I SAW HER AGAIN!!!

This time she was dressed a bit nicely

I turned to my elder brother: the owner of the apartment we just moved into

“Do you know who she is?”

“That’s our neighbor. She owns that Camry over there, word out there is that she just won an international fashion award and she runs her own fashion line” he replied

I was too stunned to say anything and I remained speechless when she walked over to greet my elder brother completely ignoring me.

If only I had looked beyond the appearance, if only I had been less vain.