Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

Timi

Since I had an accident a year ago, I haven’t been to a football field. I followed my physiotherapy religiously till I was able to move well. Football is my life and not playing it is killing me slowly. When I was 8, I fell in love with football. I started kicking everything till my dad gave in and sent me to a football academy. The other guys there had talent and all, but the thing that kept me going the highest was my passion for it. I always made sure I was early for practice, I worked thrice as hard at everyone else and before I was 18 years old, many teams were looking to sign me in but I went with Chelsea FC because of this immense love I have for it. When I joined the team, the training was more, everything I thought I knew about football started looking like a joke but I kept my head down and followed the ball. At the peak of my career, I sustained an injury which ended my career prematurely and led me to an early retirement. I went to the best specialists and doctors and they all advised me to quit. So that is how I found myself volunteering to coach the university football team for the university games. I didn’t attend the university, neither did I attend any university in Cameroon but I decided to coach them because my younger sister did and she keeps on talking about it, so I decided to experience the university in my own way.

The field was nothing like the field I was used to playing in. no net on the poles and definitely no turf on the floor. It looked like a setting for a horror movie scene, but I guess this is Cameroon for you. When I got to the field, some of the guys recognized me and tried to adjust but some didn’t. I just looked for a spot where I could see everything and watched them for about ten minutes then I got their attention and told them to come over. They were about thirty of them, but I doubt if I will have a full team to train.

“Good afternoon blokes, my name is Jam Timi and I am going to be your coach for the university games. If you have any commitments or anything at all that will clash your practice time, you better be prepared to let go of them, or you leave now.  I don’t tolerate tardiness and laxity. I believe we are all adults, so we better behave well. Am I understood?”

The team answered “Yes sir”

“Now, you all should come out one after the other and introduce yourselves, then divide yourselves into two teams”  

After the training session was over, I entered my red 2020 Ferrari Portofino and started heading home. The road was really bad and there was a lot of traffic, so I decided to stop and take a drink or two before going home. The good thing about Cameroon was that no police officer will ever stop you to take a Breathalyzer or stop you to give you a speeding ticket or for looking suspicious. However, they stopped drivers to check car documents and driver’s licenses but I was clear because I had them.

I stopped at Dreamland snack bar at Mile2 and the place already looked full. I was about leaving, when one of the bartenders welcomed me and told me that the VIP section was upstairs. I chose a seat at the corner of the room and before I sat down, a bartender was already by myside waiting to take my order. I ordered for booster and then took out my phone to check for missed calls and messages. I had five missed calls from my mom and dad, so of course I called Aaliyah to ask what was wrong.

“Hey baby”

“Nay big brother, I beg to differ. Your parents called me six times today because they couldn’t get to you, and guess why, nah I’ll tell you. They wanted to make sure your first day coaching a bunch of adults wasn’t bad. So tell me, who is the baby?”

“Good evening to you too”

Aaliyah and I ended up speaking for about 30 minutes. She kept me updated about what was happening at home, about how my parents kept on worrying and all. I was thirty-two years old and was capable of taking care of myself; I really don’t know why they were worried about me. She also told me about her new job and colleagues and the new guy she was seeing. I ended up taking two bottles of booster and then I paid my bill and left.

I finally got home around nine thirty. As usual, the house was quiet and lonely. Recently, I had been thinking about getting married and settling down. Before now, I spent most of my time training and I didn’t ever think of settling down because I did not see myself as a family man.  I spent my spare time in bars and strip clubs and the girls I usually spent time with were not wife material; they were good at making my dick hard, taking it in their mouths and making me release my load in them. Not that they were not good and responsible girls, but I didn’t want the woman I will spend the rest of my life with doing such. They were all independent and capable ladies but then, we did not share the same goals in life.

I went straight into the bathroom and took my bath. When I was done, I put on the television and was trying to watch news when I received a text message from Amanda. The girl I had been having sex with since I came, asking if she could come over. At least, the night was showing prospects of being a good one. I sent a text asking where she was and when she replied, I put off the television, put my shoes on and went to pick her up.