Looking For Gems

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My phone was buzzing as I wrapped up the Ishai prayer, the last cleansing of the astral body for the day.

I picked up the phone and looked at the screen, truecaller identified the name as Rubiana, and I watched as the time turn 9 pm.

I don't pick calls after 9 pm.

'as though you ever get any calls on your phone after nine, pick up the phone, it's her, its Rubiana….'

Just when I thought I was not going to pick up, I watched as my thumb slide across the screen.

"Hellooo" a sensual nasal voice croons measuredly.

The voice, the same accursed voice, I can never forget it, or miss it in any crowd….

'Hey! Come on, say something, don't you chicken out now Kuga…'

"Hello" I mumbled in reply.

"So you do speak, Mr….".

"Kuga. Call me Kuga... Uhm... happy birthday Rubiana."

"Thank you, Kuga"

There was a paused, then she added.

"hell of a massage I received from you on a tissue paper".

"Oh that, never mind."

"But do mind. quite impressive, I liked it."

"You are welcome Rub…"

"Ruby is fine… my friends call me Ruby"

'But I am not your friend lady'.

"Excused me, what did you say?"

"Oh, nothing…. I said nothing".

"Who are you really, Kuga? Have we met somewhere?"

'Yeah in the science class'.

"No, today is the first time, and I was doubting you will call the number I wrote beneath the tissue".

"Okay… back to my first question, who are you, Kuga?"

"I am the desk guy at wodmax group".

"That's not what I mean…. Umm…. I mean…" she paused, and the line went quite, and I exhale in relieve thinking she has dropped.

"Hellooo" she whispered "are you there, kuga?"

"Yeah, I'm still here, Ruby".

"You still haven't answered my question"

"Give up already, lady."

"No. I met a guy today at the office, a place I have been working for the past two years. I seem to have met everyone, except this one strange guy, who seem to be talking to himself a lot…

so I asked around a bit, about you…umm… thinking you are some novice… turn out you are my bosses boss… and been working there for over seven years."

There was a pause ."Ruby… I think you know me better for a day then."

"You are still avoiding my question, Sir."

'sir my foot'.

"Ruby… trust me, that is all of me in that office…"

"Where did you attend school? I mean from High School to tertiary, you definitely look like someone I know" I tried changing the subject.

"Kameo high". My heart squeeze and started pounding o hearing her answer.

"But I never completed, till…"

"till what Ruby…?" I asked desperately.

"till my mom got transferred, and we have to move…".

"Your mom?... is she a banker or something?" I asked, yawned and sighed, deliberately faking boredom.

"No, she was a teacher at Kameo high…" what subject did she teached?…. I was palpating now in the cool air condition room.

"Is she still teaching?"

"No, she has been on retirement since last year. I guess you also attended Kameo high?".

"No" I lied. saying yes may lead to questions I didn't want to answer.

"No doubt, I am speaking to an only child of sort".

"Yeah, mummy's only child, probably spoiled," she replied lively in a chuckled.

"I must tread cautiously, then."

"It depends on what you are looking for?" She retorts.

I couldn't help but warm up to the witty vibe from the beautiful damsel in the other side of the line.

"oh, I am looking for precious gems," I said and She laughed and said, "then, forget about treading cautiously. Danger is your calling. perhaps a dangerous dreamer." she sniggered.

"Dreamer yes, but nowhere closer to being dangerous."

"How come I smell danger all around you, as though you have a lot to hide. They told me you don't speak you know…" she said evenly.

"I don't speak at the office, yes."

"And why is that, kuga?"

"That's just the way it is with me, Ruby?".

"I was curious to called you when I found out from my friends that you don't speak. I did wonder what sort of conversation I will be having with a guy who doesn't speak," She noted levely.

"What do you do at wodmax, Ruby?"

"Enough of me Kuga. Now is your turn, do you have any family, siblings, wife and kids….?"

"No, no, and no"

"What about friends, do you have any… umm…. Any… umm… come on, help me out, Kuga."

"Any what?" I asked.

"Be a gentleman and help a lady out, Kuga." "How can I help you when I don't know what you want to ask about?"

"Okay, are you seeing someone, like, someone serious?"

'Don't you dare say no, she will not believe you… say yes, say you are seeing someone kuga'

'will you just shut Spooky'

"Excuse me what did you say?…" She queried "Yes… there is someone, nothing serious… but… umm… I think we're just testing the terrain…"

"…. testing the terrain, ha… is she there with you now?" She asked.

"No" .

"But are you there with someone?"

"No"

"I head you telling someone to shut up…"

"Oh really…umm… is my friend bobby…"

Is the woman psychic or something?

"I thought you said you are there with no one…". "yeah…boby is my pet friend".

There was a little paused then she asked;

"How come you don't talk at the office, kuga?".

"I thought we have moved passed that, but who said I don't talk at the office, Ruby?"

"You know word do go around… you seem to be some kind of mysterious celebrity, boss…" she said and laughed.

That laugh! that laugh! that always get my heart pounding every time…

"Don't listen to all that grapevine circulating at the office…Ruby."

"Tall tales, hah?"

"Yes, Ruby".

"Kuga, There is something about your voice…. Umm… you should probably use it often…".

' I used it a lot lady'.

"Why do you say that?"

"It sounds so deep, and raspy," She replied.

"An aphrodisiac to the ladies right?". She giggled and countered, "I am removing your name from the gentleman list,Kuga. Are you always like this?"

"like what?"

"Forthright without diplomacy?"

"You don't seem like the type who need any diplomacy, Ruby"

"And what type is that?".

"I don't know the type lady, but lets say; a man looking for precious gems thrives on danger rather than caution, right?".

"Oh, I see. So you are gassing all the way on the mine field, right?"

"All the way, Ruby".

"Oh, boy, who the hell are you?"

"I told you, I am the desk guy at wodmax."

"A desk guy with a whip for a tongue?"

"Yah, you can say that."

I checked the time and it was 9:45 pm.

"Ruby. umm …we have been talking for 45 minutes…"

"Yeah, any problem with that?" she asked.

"No, not really… I can't remember ever staying on phone for that long….".

"Not, even with your lady friend?" she queried. "My lady what?"

"You know…umm the one you are 'testing the terrain' with…" she burst out giggling.

"Oh…yah... you know we do meet a lot…umm… we don't usually…. Talk on phone a lot" I reply tersely, my voice dubious.

She seems to sensed this, when she replied;

"Sorry kuga…. I don't believe you…".

"Ruby, I got to go."

"Where are you going Kuga. Going out on a date with miss non-existent?" she laughed again, paused and said seriously, "tell me the truth, Kuga."

The lady was getting on my nerves now. okay, let's play on.

"Do you want to take the spot?"

"None of that kuga, you look way too wild for my taste."

"What did I do to create this fierce impression you have about me?"

"It is not about what you do Kuga. It's the energy, the vibe you give off… something like that."

"Where were we?... yes, I repeat…. I don't believe you Kuga"

"Believe what, Ruby?"

"I don't believe you have a woman."

"Maybe I don't need one."

"Showing me your rainbow now, err kuga?".

Be careful now what you wish for lady…..

"Ruby, I think we should go to bed…umm, it's getting late."

"Oh… I see" she sounded offended and added, "where is the courtesy, Kuga? Your surely don't know how to court a lady."

"See, I didn't mean to sound like that, Ruby."

"Another wrong move, Kuga."

"what…?"

"I mean; you talk to a lady like you are talking to…. umm any other person…. Clearly you've not been around women for long Kuga… it's all over you…." she said and paused.

I didn't know what to say so I said nothing… as the silence stretched.

"Teach me how it's done lady?" I asked almost Subconsciously.

"Don't worry, you will learn on the job, depending on who you are going to meet. We come in different flavors you know?".

"What is your flavor, Ruby?"

"I think we should go to bed like you suggested earlier," she replied a little forcefully.

Is that timidity in her voice?

"Oh, you are taking me up on my offer now, aren't you?".

"Goodnight Kuga," she said solemnly…. And hand up on me before I could tell her goodnight.

"Damm you kuga, you spoiled the fun…"

"Get out from my head 'spooky mouth' ".

10:10pm, an hour and ten minutes… my first long call ever, but I have an epiphany it's not going to be the last…

I hit the cold tile floor in the shower., then started pushing up against gravity, counting down from hundred to zero….

I felt my chest burning from the strenuous exertion…. I took in long big puffs of breath, before started squatting, counting down from fifty to zero.

My heated skin seem to sizzle under the cold shower, after my night regimen.

All this while my mine was on one person.

A beautiful damsel called, Ruby.