Hello! We are back with our newest series. I hope you are well! Last time, Jeneba faced all of the suitors. This blog post will focus on Samba’s story. Enjoy!

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Samba stood in the middle, holding his clammy hands together. He tried to stop thinking about the conversation he had with his mother this morning. It was quite discouraging. His mother wanted him to marry Jeneba. They were both from the same tribe so it would make everything easier. As his mother said, “Your children will better understand your language. You would have a wife who cooks the same meals I cook for you! You need a wife like me. Imagine that, my dear.”

“Good evening my people, elders. My name is Samba Toure. I am twenty-five years old. I am currently an engineering student at Harvard University. I will be graduating in less than a year. Jeneba and I have grown up together. She has been a friend, and I would now love for her to be my wife. Inshallah.” Samba let out a small sigh of relief. He was happy he remembered that well.

An elder cleared his throat. Was it time for the questions? Ah, Samba did not prepare for this part. Like any test he has ever taken at Harvard, he was never prepared. He always winged it.

“Samba Toure, thank you for your introductions. Jeneba will ask you three questions. You must answer them truthfully or else, you will be disqualified from being a potential suitor.” Samba nodded his head.

He watched Jeneba’s eyes move to his. They held their stare for a few seconds before Jeneba blinked. The first time he really looked at Jeneba’s dark brown eyes was in high school when he asked her to prom. Jeneba had his heart, but he did not know how to tell or show her. He walked up to Jeneba’s locker, where she stood talking to a friend. His friends were behind him, giggling. To them, Samba could never get a girl like Jeneba. Samba thought he could prove them wrong, but that was not the case. Jeneba said no.

From that day on, that hurtful rejection, Samba never pursued a girl. He let them come to him, and he toyed with their feelings. He would bring Anna to his dorm one day, then Kandy the next day. He would tell Gina he loved her, and tell Femi the same thing that same day. He had his own roster. Now that he was almost done school, his mother needed him to be serious. Who would be the perfect person? Of course, Jeneba.

“Samba, are you a virgin?” He almost wanted to laugh after Jeneba asked the question.

He contained his smile. Be truthful or lie. Where’s the fun in being truthful? “Yes, I am a virgin.” Technically, he is. The last time he had sex was one month ago. That’s a long time, in Samba’s book.

The elders side-eyed him. Oh did they know? There was no way they could prove it. Unless they asked his brother who always tells the truth.

“Samba, if we got married, how would you contribute in the house?”

Samba raised an eyebrow. Interesting set of questions. “As the head of the household, I would pay all of the bills and food that is needed. I would help with household chores as much as possible.”

“Samba, final question, if I do not want children. would you still marry me?”

What? Of course not. “Yes, I would my love.”

Tonto Ali stood up. “Thank you for your answers, Samba Toure. You may sit down.”

Samba knew he was no longer a suitor. The elders knew he bullshitted his answers. Those answers were not his best. He went to his seat with his head hung low.

“I now would like for Thierno Diallo to introduce himself.”

Thierno. The sexist man.

Look out for Thierno’s story in the next blog post! Do we like Samba or nah? Thank you for reading 🙂

Written by Diaka Thiam