Your Permission is Needed, Sir!

Dear Sir,

My name is Adewale, I am the son of a hard-working man who raised me to be like him. Unfortunately, he has passed on but his beautiful wife (my mother) is alive and well and she sits beside me as I write you sir. She is well pleased, I assure you!

I will not waste much of your time sir but I have a matter of utmost urgency to request of you. I know you have met me a couple of times when I came to visit your daughter but you and I both know I am unable to recollect a lot of what transpired during those times. 

I was too busy trying to breathe and look sane while trying hard not to mix up my tenses and do a poor job of making a good impression. And it is very important to me to make a good impression on you sir; the reasons will become clearer as I continue.

I have been friends with Yeside for a while and I have watched her trying to see who she truly is. I found her to be a kind, gentle, soft-spoken and truly charming person. These are the foremost reasons why we first became friends five years ago. After then though, I discovered some parts of her that I think you may be unaware of.

She can administer tough love when she cares. This can be translated as being cruel to be kind. Like once when I was ill with malaria, and refusing food and drugs, she made me this horrible pepper soup that woke my taste buds and after that, I ate! Well, mostly because anything else tasted better than that pepper-soup.

Or the time we got in an argument and she transfigured right before my eyes?! Have you ever made her angry sir? I strongly advise against it. I was sure my father would receive me in heaven that day. It took the entire male ego inside of me to not run off or pee in my pants but I had been wrong and tried to make it seem like it was her fault. Needless to say, we have not gone down that road again since. Once was enough!

She is also a firebrand in every sense of the word, emotionally, spiritually, and academically. I know sir. I checked. And I have copies of test results that providence sent me through the woman who sells groundnuts beside her faculty.

Why am I going on about a child that you yourself birthed and raised yourself? I know she is your treasure with her baby brother since you lost their mum all that time ago. I therefore do not wish to assume anything.

I love her.

I need your permission to ask her to marry me.

I consciously write to you to let you know I will not treat her any less than the treasure she is to you, ever. My sister and I are all my mother has as treasures in this world and I have watched her with fear in her eyes when she thought something was wrong with either of us.

I want to tell you sir; you will never have that look in your eyes on account of how I treat Yeside.

I am not saying we will always have perfection but that we will keep trying for it.

I am not saying we will not quarrel, but that we will always be kind to each other.

I am not saying she will not be exasperated with me, but that it will not be because I took her for granted or set out to hurt her.

Again sir, I love Yeside, your daughter. For clarity sir.

I would like to ask your permission to make her the treasure of my life.

Signed,

Adewale, whose mum looks on, consenting.