You are not introverts. You weren't born introverts. You played suwe the loudest and argued your way into the Mummy and daddy spot as kids. Your name rocked every noisemakers list, with a multiplications sign attached to it. x10, x5, x200. That was you.

"Imbecide. Bomboclap. Uninvited tombo fly. You mess akpu fly gate. Keep head like olumo rock. Keep eye like thief people torch." That was you.

You talked the sharpest, always spearing every discussion; talk about the girls, about the porn you stayed up till midnight to watch on DSTV, talk about movies, adding your own sauce. About distant uncles in bigger cities. But things changed as you grew.

Your intellect grew, your mind began to talk, running faster and louder than your mouth. The boys would talk about Jollof, and you open your mouth to talk and end up rambling, confusing everyone. The talk about terminator and guns had you reeling off the loop into a faraway country while they just watch you. You were becoming a loosed canon. THE FIRST STAGE

So you reduce your inputs, talked less. Not like you don't like talking, but people won't comprehend what you say, and you don't have the patience to educate people.

You see something wrong in every conversation, every discussion but you keep quiet. Talking could get you in trouble. You are better off talking to yourself. If you say half of the things in your head, people will pause in their tracks and turn to behold who is talking, throwing you different stares; Shocked. Confused. Disgust. Ignorant. THE SECOND STAGE

So you shut up and read more. Establish conversation with yourself, for yourself. Imaginary conversations with a sarcastic Ruth, sadistic and grumpy Jonathan, Humorous and Dumb Kelechi. All in your head. The dialogues are the best, if they get on TV, they will rival those of Big Bang Theory and Breaking Bad. THE FINAL STAGE OF BECOMING AN INTROVERT

One day, you'll find your kin. A talker that had to shut up because the world can't talk and think at their pace. That person that matches your weirdness, understands your points, and won't cast you a quizzical condescending stare, questioning your sanity. But rises to your pedestal.

"Nah, closeup might add to the color quite alright, but the minty taste could ruin the tomato and kill every other ingredient. Unless we have to fry it with the tomato and add Ghana pepper to reduce its chill and minty taste. I'd like to try it out, but there is not enough tomato to waste. Put that on our to-do list."

And watch yourself rise up from the ashes, talking a thousand words per minute, making people wonder. "Is that not that girl that is shy, quiet, and doesn't talk? What happened?"

You were never an introvert. You were just too loud, but on a different frequency from everyone else. You are an introvertive extrovert. The right people haven't come to unleash your inner noisemaker.