Footsteps of neighbours returning late from work soon died down into the silence of midnight, occasionally broken by distant howling of dogs and eerie hooting of owls.

Diallo lay in his room, unable to sleep, looking out of his open window at the half moon skating across the sky, above the thick fog that sat on the little town.

It hurts. The pain in his heart. And as the pain lingered, the wool of love gradually fell off his eyes and he began to see clearly the numerous instances common sense flagged danger ahead. Unfortunately, he had fallen in love and couldn’t rise to see his looming doom.

A jerk he had been. No doubt. But what baffled him, was when he grew into one without realizing it.

Then it all came to him…

It was one cold, wet Wednesday morning in late May, on the banks of a steep river. There he sat with Lydia, feet planted in the moving waters, his thighs her pillow.

The chirping of birds mixed with the river currents almost drowned Lydia’s dreamy voice as she narrated her plight to Diallo.

“It’s not easy living with someone,” Diallo told Lydia, and added, “Now I understand why whenever it’s time for lunch break you don’t leave the office. But why didn’t you tell me? You can’t keep on like this…working all day on an empty stomach and trekking home on foot because you don’t have money for transport.”

“I don’t know why I am telling you all this, because usually, I don’t like to open up. I like to keep my life and my problems to myself,” Lydia explained.

Taking out his wallet, he gave her some money for her upkeep. Since then, every penny he realized went into funding Lydia – hair, food, transport, shoes and the miscellaneous.

He himself was in dire financial difficulties. But Lydia came first. He would give all he could ever depend on for Lydia so she could live while he perished. “She’s a lady, I’m a man, I will figure out something,” he reasoned, despite the major toll the Lydia Project was taking on his finances.

One day while they lay caressing each other on grass far way from prying eyes, she pointed at the long beards his armpits wore, and the teeth of many colours he was developing. She didn’t forget to remind him that she liked gentlemen who smelt good and dressed decently.

His weakness was hiding his emotions. He was angry and his sudden silence betrayed it. He thought, “Calculate all the money I have been giving you. Couldn’t it buy varieties of perfume and a sack of shaving kits and collections of many fine clothes?” He was offended, but he reasoned, ” I guess it had to be said. I have to pay attention to my personal hygiene.”

Not many days after that incident, she started teasing him with one Philip whom she described as “my husband”. He tried to kill his jealousy but it would not die. She laughed at the sight of the green-eyed monster that her boyfriend had become at the mention of the name of Philip.

And in the coming days, the name of Philip caused more commotion in their relationship than the name of Jesus ever did in hell.

She was on the phone. And as he drew close to where she sat, “Let me call you back…” she told the caller. But the caller was adamant and their conversation continued, “Me?…No, you are the idiot! Foolish man! You asked me to wait for you at the indicated spot at 8pm and you never showed up…me? What!…Don’t ever call me again! Stupid man!” She hangs up.

There seemed to be many calls from more men than exist in her circle. Hearing arguments like these heightened his suspicions and weakened his love for her. She told her callers almost everything she had confided in him and he felt there was nothing special about their relationship. She began to find his presence irritating and didn’t hesitate to point out whenever they talked that he repeated himself and was needlessly detailed in his explanations. She preferred straight, short answers.

And with the passing days their relationship grew sour and sour. And this Philip guy, his name kept popping up in their conversations.

Finally, in the name of Philip, their once sweet relationship came to a bitter end. That day Diallo bumped into Lydia and Philip having sex in her room was the beginning of the end. His life was plunged into total eclipse.

His investments in Lydia was yielding bountifully as the once skinny girl was blossoming into a well-built and pretty lady. Unfortunately, strangers were reaping the fruits of his hard labor. The tree decided who harvested her fruits and the poor farmer looked on helplessly as scavengers feasted on his peace of mind.

Where had he gone wrong? Helping a poor girl or loving her?

Tonight, as he lay in bed with the silence of midnight all around him, his heart is in pain and he wonders if he will ever find happiness.

One Lydia had led him there. He was determined that no Lydia will ever lead him anywhere ever again.