The Agony of Young men in Relationships

 

The most difficult time to be in a relationship as a guy 

is in your early twenties. 

The period when you are stuck in a limbo, 

trying to figure out yourself and who you want to be.

At this age, you find it a herculean task 

asking money from your parents, 

considering your dad will always remind you of how 

he was self sufficient at your age.

So you are always left with "Nkechiyere" 

- anyone that comes from them willingly.

To compound your "woes"

You have a girlfriend whom you love so much

You are 24 and she is 23.
And guys being wired to want to take control

You are frustrated at your inability to take care of her 

Like you want to.

I mean where is the money?

You are still jobless, hustling, and finding your feet.
Still putting hands into many things hoping plus smiles on you. All of
a sudden, she starts acting out and showing attitude.
You call, and she takes forever to pick or return your calls.
When she finally does pick, the call is like an interview session with
those annoying and frustrating one word replies.
Yes, no, fine, okay, nothing.
Then finally she ends the call with a flimsy excuse like " wait let me
close the fridge", I will call you back. And the call never comes
back.


Then one day she calls you and asks you "where is this relationship heading to?
You don't even know where your own life is heading to, not to talk of
a relationship.

Then she drops the bombshell. Tells you that she met a guy who wants
to marry her. And how age isn't on her side, and you are almost
compelled to scream

"But you are just 23". Can't you wait 3 more years let me make it.
You just hold yourself and play the good guy.

You ask her if she loves him, she dodges the question and replies you
with " He treats me well".

Well since she wasn't informing you to take permission, she was simply
telling you.
You have to be the cool guy and wish her well.


One week later, she gives you the traditional wedding card

And then you do the math yourself.
She was talking to the guy a long time before now.

Then you realise that for every "K" you got on WhatsApp

The guy was getting a long epistle.

You have been played.

Worse is you can't even blame her

You are just a prospect who no one 

knows what will become of your life in 4 years time.

Would you have made it or not?
She has gone for the real deal

Someone who has already made it.

In football, you are an "Anthony Martial" (prospect)

While the guy is a Messi (has made it already).

I mean you were sending her cards of N200

And he was telling her to manage 10k for the weekend.

No comparison there.

And then you go through that silent heartbreak guys go through

the ones they don't talk about.

And unceremoniously you get inducted 

Into the special hall of fame
where members are young guys 

whose childhood loves and friends or
girlfriends they thought they would end up with 

left them to marry someone else.
Your heart is broken into smithereens.

In this hall of fame,

You are all victims. 

Victims of not having found
your path in your early twenties.

At the wedding, 

No sight is more heartbreaking than seeing 

"the love of your life" say "I do" 

to this guy she just met 6 months ago.

To make matters worse

You get an alert from your bank 

Telling you how N13 have been deducted 

For bank charges. 

 

You are mad.

Your N4000, is down to N3987 

Rendering that N1k useless, you can only
withdraw N3k now.
And that's your home and abroad.

Can life be more unfair at this moment?

6 years later. You are 30 now. 

Congratulations, you finally made it.
You are as rich as you hoped you will become.
You are one of the happening guys in town.
You go to a wedding. With your friends - the men on suit. 

Those guys that just intimidate everyone in the hall.

You are seated scouting the hall

And the bridal train passes by.
Of course, bridal train and "ashoebi" ladies 

Always show themselves.

That's part of the job description - Sampling.
And you spot one, she is beautiful, elegant and tall.
You walk up to her, chat her up. 

Exchange numbers and you leave.
She is 24, ripe for marriage.

Three months later, you are sounding marriage to her ears. 

She loves how it sounds.
You are on chat with her always.
And somewhere else, a 25year old boy still finding his way is
wondering why the girlfriend is becoming distant these days.
Why is he getting those one worded replies which is unlike her.

Why do their chats seem more like interviews?

And fast enough, you propose 

And simultaneously she is asking the
25 year old boy that question of 

"Where is this relationship going to?".

Then you marry her

And somewhere a boy gets heart broken.

The ball keeps rolling same way!

 

 

Mmadubugwu Justice N. is a 24 year old Nigerian from Ihiala, Anambra State. He currently resides in Lagos as a student. He is a Christian who loves writing, swimming, singing, reading, and investigating. He is a Perfectionist with an HND (Mass Communication) in View