Welcome, dear reader!
Here’s a series that I’m sure you’re going to love. Let’s get acquainted with this group of friends and those around them, and how life is like for them. Maybe you could consider this the State of Dabar equivalent of Friends, just without so much comedy.
Ready? Let’s go!
It was a serene Sunday evening, and as always, the popular Cues Corner was the place to be, with the beloved pub filled with young men and women looking to wind down the weekend with some quality time with friends and loved ones.
A vibrant and well-loved pub nestled in the heart of Accra, where camaraderie, excitement, and football united in perfect harmony, this iconic establishment was a beloved local landmark, drawing in young and old citizens and tourists alike with its captivating atmosphere and infectious energy.
Founded by a fun-loving and affable quinquagenarian named Quincy Bamfo, this was the go-to place for the average millennial in town if a football match was ongoing. From the regular Premier League match to the highly anticipated Champions League final, Cues Corner was the spot to watch it.
At these times, however, where all the major games had been played before evening drew, the pub was a place for friends and loved ones to reconnect and share some good times before the beginning of another working week.
This was one of these Sunday evenings, so the wooden tables and benches that exquisitely lined the spacious restaurant area were filled with people enjoying themselves. Those at the grill were as busy as could be, with the appetizing smell of khebabs and chicken wings all around.
At the pub area, where a few guys with beer bottles and mugs in front of them sat on the stools and laughed and chatted about different issues, from the behind the bar where the ever-busy bartenders carried out their duties, Quincy emerged from his office to observe as usual, always excited to see the patrons of his beloved establishment enjoy themselves.
His eyes scanning the spacious restaurant, he noted one table at the far right end of the restaurant and smiled.
Yep, they were all there.
The group of six friends.
On one side of the table…
A tall guy with a familiar ‘high and tight’ haircut. He was well-known as a radio journalist around these parts of town.
Next to him, a pretty lady with a noticeably big forehead and the most enchanting diastema one would see.
And next to her, a dark-skinned, nicely-bearded young man who had his arm around her.
On the other side of the table…
A devastating beauty with braces.
Next to her, a light-skinned, quiet-looking guy.
And a young lady who bore a major resemblance to the radio journalist.
He watched on as they busily laughed over something the journalist guy was saying.
Knowing that young man, he was definitely saying something silly.
Shaking his head, the smile still on his face, he exited the bar and moved toward their table, raising a hand and waving in their direction.
The lady who resembled the journalist noticed him, and alerted the others. They all subsequently turned in his direction and waved back gleefully. “Mr. Cues!” they cheered as he arrived at their table.
“I hope you’re all doing good!” he asked.
Affirmative responses and thumbs up were returned to him.
“This Sunday diɛɛ, you’re going cool with the playlist,” the quiet-looking guy commented.
“Oh yeah. Tomorrow’s another regular Monday, so you know, we’re helping y’all wind down the weekend,” Quincy answered.
The beauty with braces sighed as she sipped on her cocktail. “I really wish tomorrow was another holiday. Last week was so much fun!”
Quincy laughed heartily. The previous Sunday was followed by a holiday, so Cues Corner had chosen a more exciting playlist, which pretty much led to a Sunday evening party. This squad danced their heads off, especially the beauty, the lady with the big forehead, and the journalist.
“Oh yeah, you guys really jammed last week! Especially you and Missus,” he nodded, his eyes sparkling. “The way you girls took the floor by storm when that Chaka Khan song hit, I was like, ei, these girls are not easy oo!”
The ladies laughed. “Mr. Cues, it wasn’t easy!” the other lady agreed. “90s jams? Staaappp! Issa trigger for us kraaa!”
“I can see paaa. Correct taste. As for when Kay Armando dropped the GH 2000s classics diɛɛ, the boys wanted to craze! Especially Didayy!”
The entire table and a few others around them laughed out loud. Indeed, the journalist among them had been dancing calmly to the other songs. But once the DJ dropped Angelina by Praye, he literally exploded into life and stole the show from then on.
“Oh, Didayy diɛɛ, abi you know him. Life of the party ankasa!” the bearded, dark-skinned guy added. “Ei! Your man no dey give we space make we breathe kraa! Stepping on our necks!”
“Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Aforo, issokay,” the journalist interjected, chuckling. “I beg. Here be roadside. Make we park for here.”
Quincy laughed once again. “Yeah, that was a good time. But hey, tomorrow’s another Monday, so it’s a chill one over here.”
“Sure, sure, Mr. Cues. We’ll probably be here for another hour before we all get moving.”
“Great, great. I’ll be seeing a few others at their tables, then. Enjoy yourselves!”
“Thanks, Mr. Cues!” they chorused.
He smiled at them one last time before moving on to the next table.
If there was any group that defined ‘loyal’, it was the one he had just greeted. Two years of consistently coming around, whether during the working week or the weekend, and they never grew weary of the place. Whether a few of them came, or the whole crew passed by, it was always a pleasure to see them around. And he always ensured they were given good treatment.
But it wasn’t just the fact that they were faithful customers of his establishment that caught his admiration.
These were six young millennials who had grown up together, per what they had told him one time, and were still going strong. This bond of theirs had been formed before any of them made their way to junior secondary school, and it was so admirable to see them maintaining that bond. From childhood to adulthood, they had been there for each other through it all.
Like the bombshell with braces would sometimes say, they had watched each other grow from only worrying about homework and what would unfold on the next episode of Esmeralda and Sunset Beach, to worrying about targets, deadlines and personal budgets for each month.
A funny way of putting it, but she certainly was not lying.
Cues Corner was just an open space that had the privilege of seeing these friends continue to grow their bond.
If ever you needed walking and breathing examples of the term ‘togetherness’, it was this group. Even if issues popped up here and there, they would always stick together.
And this… this is their story.
Yep, let’s see what this squad is all about!
