My discomfort became comfortable.

My friend read a book some days ago, and she told me it changed her life forever. I tried to scold her so that she could lend me the book, as I needed to learn more about my marital life. As they say, “Marriage is a book read without an ending.” This means you will keep learning and learning without stopping.

I called my friend and asked her to bring the book to me when she was coming to my abode, but to my surprise, she had borrowed someone else. I tried to push her to tell the lady she gave it to read it as fast as possible, but the more I attempted to talk to her, the more prolonged it became. At some point, my friend became angry and wanted to change her tune toward me. She said, “Did you want me to collect the book by force from her? The question pissed me off, but I used wisdom to calm my temper down and also to make her understand the gravity of the question she had asked me.

After a month of disturbance, I ignored her and minded my business. I decided to find the book in the market, “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus.” I could not see it in the whole of the bookshops in the market or even in the surrounding areas. After much research, I decided to forget about it and focus on my business instead. I knew one day I would see the book, no matter what.

I was just doing and playing, just like before, with my friend without asking her for the book. She was also not ready to ask if I still needed the book. I just played along, as it would be wrong if the book ended our friendship.

One fateful day, I took a stroll to the junction of my street just to get some fresh air. On my way, I saw someone reading a novel. I had passed where she was seated, but something drew my attention to her. I turned and asked her, “Please, can I see the title of the novel?” The lady raised her head and gazed at me. I was feeling ashamed of her look. “Please, I'm sorry if I have bothered you,” I said.

“Are you looking for yours?” That question got me angry, but who am I to say a word when I'm the one who is looking for something that does not belong to me?

I left the arena and went to my destination. As I was coming back, I could no longer take that route, just because of the shame I had gone through. I got home and came to agree with myself about the humiliation I had passed through. I told myself that it would never happen again.

Two days later, I was on my way to see my cousin when I yet again sighted someone reading a novel. The novel was similar to the one I have been longing to have, but I was unable to ask for the title; instead, I was just gazing at the reader. I kept on gazing just to know the title of the novel, but all my efforts proved abortive. I went to the position where the reader was and pretended to buy something as she was sitting at a shop. Not only that, but I asked what, I assumed, was not present in the shop, but to my surprise, the one reading the novel stood up and went straight to the shop to pick up what I asked for. Immediately, my heart began to shake as I did not have a dime to buy the item I asked for.

She came with the item and told me the amount. I told her it was not the brand I had asked for. I mentioned the brand, and she dropped the book on the table right in front of me. This allowed me to glance through the title.

“Eh, this is what I have been looking for all this time,” I said so loudly that everyone in the shop heard me. The lady came out and said, “What did you say?”

I was again feeling somehow ashamed, but I could no longer hide it, so I decided to speak up. “I have been longing to read this book. One of my friends explained how she changed through the book.”.

"Wow, you are right. This book has changed so many people, and even now, I have learned a lot from it, the lady confessed. I asked her, “Please lend me the book to read just for three days.”

“I don't know you and would not be able to release it," the lady said.

“I am not expecting you to be me, but I trust myself. I will bring it back to you as promised, I politely said.

“I don't know you, and besides, I'm still on it. I'm in the last chapter, the lady said.

“I don't mind coming back tomorrow to have it," I said.

“Alright then, just go with it and make sure you bring it back as promised.” She said it to me in a calm voice. I was just as happy as anything else.

Although I later returned it as promised when I was through with it,

The image is my property