Stepping into deep waters.

By now it's no surprise to many that I doodle and like to write, for those who are just finding this out, follow "Wanda's Tale" my ongoing series (we're in Episode 4 already so you have some reading up to do) Twitter @RitgwanFacebook, facebook.com/Ritz.Gwan 

Monday's and Thursday's are now dedicated to creative writing...the stories, tales and doodles (😀)

From the month of February I will be introducing "For the Love of Travel" where I will continue to write about my love for traveling until I begin to travel and document those adventures (😀), this will be Tuesday's and Fridays.

I reserved Wednesday's for a special project, "Living your best life" is something I started in 2014 but dropped along the way, now it's back and better...This captures mostly pointers to living an abundant life, the voicing promises to be as interesting and as creative as possible, some of you will be conscripted to share with me some tips to living an abundant life...

2017 is the year of stepping out.... January was a blast. Thank you for encouraging me through "Wanda's Tale" as the story unfolds I assure you, it is only the beginning of great things this year.....

By late February another series "WIFE MATERIAL" will premiere, you don't want to miss this.
Cheers to an exciting 2017..

Wanda's Tale Episode 4

A Friendship is born?

Jude had two carryover courses and unlike before, he now had reason to attend the lectures more frequently, Wanda had become his new obsession and the two had become somewhat comfortable and a harmless visit to room C-14 didn’t look like a bad idea. 

Oiza in her usual fashion had reservations…”Wanda you know what they say about C block boys; don’t say I didn’t warn you”..A puzzled Wanda had stumbled on some Maya Angelou literature recently and she felt the need to express herself…”Babe, why box the guy in a stereotypical description…because he stays on a block doesn’t make him akin to the behavioural pattern dominant there”…All this English, Wanda, don’t say I didn’t warn you sha”. 

“it seems you don’t have friends?” Wanda’s question seemed like a concern even though she tried to coat it.. This had “RED FLAG” written all over it but the butterflies in her stomach didn’t leave much room for thoughts.

“I like my sanity”; “trust me I’ve had friends on this campus and in three years none has proven worthy”.. “your royal majesty or should I say your royal flyness” both caught a laugh and Jude took the opportunity to cup a feel of her breast. 

“AH!!!” “please, I’m not that kind of..” he didn’t even let her finish “I’m sorry, I slipped, I ehmmmm, I’m sorry”. Now they could barely make eye contact and the tiny room felt more like a cubicle, she was running out of breath.. “ I have to go”. The C-block stereotype wasn’t a lie after all… 

“but I said I was sorry, I really am” Wanda was already on her feet and in all honesty she didn’t mind that he had felt her up she just didn’t want to appear easy. Since she started it, she intended to continue with the charade until she knew for sure who this guy truly was.

Few weeks ago Jude was a figure in the University census as far as she was concerned; now, he intrigued her and his mystic appearance didn’t make it easy. Even he knew he was a catch but what was it to him? Wanda knew there was more and she was keen on finding out. She quietly had a thing for ‘bad boys”, now that Jude was looking like one, he seemed all the more her type…..hmmmmmm

“ I’ll walk you out then, I apologise I didn’t mean to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable”

now Wanda was feeling bad and in her head she thought “…me sef, and this guy is a gentleman oh..” as if reading her mind he says “ I insist you go and return whenever you feel comfortable, even I am embarrassed now.” Jude knew he was putting up an act; in another place and time things would be happening, no talking involved…

It was a quiet walk to her hostel and since men weren’t allowed in he knew he had to say something before she disappeared into the night and possibly never speak to him again…just as the noise of the busy commercial area was drowning out he moved closer, leaned in as if to say “good…” the night was muffled in the kiss she gave him, “hmmmm” before he could respond or even get it through his head what just happened, she had slipped through the gate… 

There were no mobile phones then so he knew it would be a long night… 

A shaking Wanda walked briskly “What did I just do?!! what are we now?” her walk was in a bid to avoid the scorpions that could be lurking in the dark and trying to get further away from what she had just done… 

Had Wanda awoken a sleeping dog?

"Wanda's Tale" by Ritkatmwa Gwan Episode 3

Wanda meets Jude:
It was a hot Wednesday afternoon and the scotching sun on campus seemed hotter than usual. Wanda made her way through OAU walk, she had just 5minutes to the start of lectures and she didn’t want to sit outside. Professor Koroma would let you sit in the scotching Northeastern Sun if you were five minutes late to his class….not to mention the Maiduguri flies that seemed high on steroids.
She could tell someone was trying to get her attention but she was the least bit bothered.“These guys don’t know when to toast girl abi”…the sweat trickling down her back wasn’t the only thought running through her head, her misplaced face towel was competing for her thoughts …“ excuse me, hi” Wanda’s patience was thin at the point and without a second glance at whoever it was she blurted out her repugnance…“ahh, what is it, can’t you see I’m late for a lecture? please, I don’t have time for this” and walked off.He looked at the purple face towel in his hand and walked quietly behind her. He knew he had seen her before…trust me, this wasn’t a cliche move he knew she needed the towel.Just as Wanda was beginning to enjoy the coolness of the barely functioning fan in the lecture theatre Cynthia passed her face towel, “that guy said I should give this to you”… Her flushed face did no help masking her embarrassment.She quickly looked away and the lecture seemed like an eternity…she would almost forget he was there but each time she tried to steal a glance, their eyes met; those eyes…. “what is this?” He looked too good to be trying for her attention...With Prof out of the way, she knew he would walk up to her, what would she say…before she had a chance to gather her thoughts he was a few feet from her desk, his perfume had a soft smell of talc almost like a baby smell to it…his presence was over powering..."is he that tall or it's cos I'm sitting?"
“I’m sorry about earlier, I,I,I…” her stutter was more embarrassing…
, “it’s fine, you wouldn’t have known I had the face towel, it’s OK…”
with an almost convincing gentlemanly demeanour he stretched out his hand for a handshake and Wanda was awed by his smile.
“I’m Jude”……” ammm, I mean, I’m Wanda”.
Her heart rate was accelerated, the sweating had returned….why did one hand shake have so much effect on her?!
Watch out for Episode 4 next Monday... feel free to Comment, like and share...

Episode 2 "Wanda's Tale" by Ritkatmwa Gwan

Episode 2

The night was hot, a constant reminder of the scorching Abuja heat but PHCN had struck and trying to pacify two angry toddlers in these conditions wasn’t easy; Jude didn’t seem to care, she didn’t want him agitated either. 

The neighbors’ son had been frantic and his wails could be heard a block away. Jayden was teething and Wanda in normal fashion  had offered “unsolicited advice, but it seemed Bonnie didn’t heed.

The sleeping beast didn’t need any agitation, he was troubled..was he having a mid-life crisis? she didn’t seem to understand what it was with her husband..

“why would I call my wife in my own house and she won’t respond? “Wanda?, woman where are you?…she almost slipped trying to get to the sitting room; 

are you stupid? she looked puzzled, did he want an answer? “hon, I’m sorry I didn’t hear you call, I was trying to put the kids down for a nap…” “so I’m now lying” she knew better not to pick an argument but he had been edgy since his return from work. She was still limping and nursing her dislocated rib from last week’s beating, another would probably leave her hospitalized. 

Before she could muster the words ‘I’m Sorry’ his punch hit her so hard she was thrown off balance. It was now her cries for help and pleas to her attacker, her lover, father of her children that filled the air. The neighbors were more angry than sorry, they needed the peace and quite… so, no one came, no one , even Bonnie was tired and Jayden’s teething didn’t leave any room for sympathy. As her cries faded so did her breath… The neighbours were getting frustrated but when the sobbing ended everyone thought; “peace at last”…“finally some peace and quiet…now we can sleep”

-- The shrill cry from Wanda’s house pierced the early dawn, “not again” the neighbours taught it was too early to start. As Bonnie rolled over to pick a cranky Jayden her eye caught the night stand clock it was 4:25AM…”what could Wanda and Jude be up to this early?” 

In another 8 days, her thought in this exact moment would race through her mind standing by the coffin like some dejavu… 

...Next week Monday (Episode 3 ) we get a little deeper into how it all began.

"WANDA’S TALE" BY Ritkatmwa Gwan

EPISODE 1
Wanda was young and by many standards beautiful. She was swept off her feet in her 200 level, contrary to her terms she agreed to a whirlwind romance.
The proposal was wonderful, fit for a movie scene. Then she said yes.
It was the first day of camp and the stress of wedding plans weighed heavy on her mind. A month later the wedding done and NYSC underway, life was sweet. The slap that hit her cheek wasn’t expected; it’s force pushing her to the ground...I thought he was different now?

Her sobs were silent but the stream of tears poured freely… He would later apologize and tag it "an act of the devil".
Months passed: ---Baby in hand and loads of chores to do Wanda ponders what it’ll be like keeping a job; a dream she can’t pursue, her first class certificate lay securely in the bottom of her Echolac box.
‘’hon, don’t you think I should get a job’’ the awkward silence stretched…she feared the beast had been angered by her question; “I could help with up keep” it was the sound of shattering glass that broke her concentration, he had aimed and barely missed her, the tumbler hitting the wall. That night she learnt suggesting help was an insult; after all he was the man.
The news of her second pregnancy came with mixed feelings, friends and family had a glossary of advise “why can’t you leave him, he’ll kill you, what kind of love is this?” Oh! She wished she could provide answers to these questions she had often asked herself. “He loves me, I know he does, he’s just frustrated” “you know a woman is the one that makes the home, just stay and make it work”.
Was it all her fault, had she brought the emotional and physical pains to herself? Did she deserve it all?

The story continues...Episode 2 next week Monday...