For
three
unbelievable
years
Dr.
Ruka
was
at
it,
constantly
disturbing
me
about
this
wonder
guy
she
incredibly
was
convinced
was
perfect
for
poor
perfect
me.
What
baffled
me
was
how
a
guy
could
be
so
good
for
me
and
not
good
enough
for
her!
Anyway
all
I
got
to
in
return
for
this
my
confusion
of
illogicality
were
loads
and
loads
of
arguments.
Well
as
God
and
Dr.
Ruka’s
arguments
would
have
it,
I
finally
met
Hakeem.
And
how
did
this
10th
wonder
of
the
world
happen?
Well
Hakeem
used
to
escape
to
Columbus
(I
still
wonder
what
for!)
every
other
weekend
and
Ruka’s
strategy
was
to
make
the
best
of
that
opportunity.
And
try
as
I
did
to
escape
her
insistence,
especially
given
the
fact
that
meeting
anyone
was
the
last
thing
on
my
mind
then,
I
could
not.
Ruka’s
convictions
about
Hakeem
and
I
could
win
a
Nobel
for
persistence.
The
big
day
finally
came
in
2003
when
Ruka
called
that
she
was
headed
to
Miami
for
Thanksgiving.
Now
if
you
knew
Ruka,
that
was
a
visit
to
Miami
worth
taking
with
a
truckload
of
salt.
I
knew
her
sleeves
were
full
but
didn’t
see
any
escaping
her
persistence.
Using
a
connection
stronger
than
Verizon
she
got
Hakeem
and
I
hooked
up
on
the
phone.
This
was
my
chance
I
thought.
Talk
to
this
guy
and
get
it
over
with.
But
I
underestimated
the
skills
of
a
smooth
and
calm
speaker.
Eventually
the
short
phone
call
soon
grew
as
long
as
the
telephone
wires
connecting
us.
And
although
we
did
not
talk
for
a
couple
of
suspense
filled
weeks
after
that,
the
conversation
made
a
lasting
impression
(or
is
it
compression?)
The
final
straw
that
mended
the
camel’s
back
was
in
December
of
that
year
when
we
both
traveled
to
Nigeria
and
agreed
to
meet
at
a
party
for
one
of
Hakeem’s
friends.
Now
meeting
a
guy
at
a
party
provides
one
with
the
perfect
escape
route
I
thought.
The
plan
was,
if
he
wasn’t
good
enough,
I
could
just
excuse
myself
and
never
see
him
again.
So
I
got
ready
a
thousand
getaway
clauses
and
waited.
My
plan
backfired!
Hakeem
came
late,
keeping
me
in
suspense
and
by
the
time
he
finally
came
in
and
I
saw
him,
our
gaze
met
and
in
that
one
shaping
moment,
a
thousand
and
one
thoughts
crossed
my
mind.
I
wasn’t
given
a
chance
to
think
them
through
though
‘cause
the
DJ
(I
could
have
sworn
Hakeem
tipped
that
guy)
as
if
on
cue
just
started
playing
“So
u
Like
what
u
see”,
and
am
like
Hmm
Hmm.
The
rest
as
they
say
is
history
(and
the
future)
as
we
have
not
looked
back
since
then.
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