episode 1
My ears picked up the sound of the alarm clock on my phone. I felt betrayed. Why in God’s name would my ears have done that- distracting me from a wonderful experience I was having in dream land?
I am one of those lovers of food. We seemed to have a special connection- food and I. I would eat at any opportunity even to the point of eating in my dreams. And that was what I was doing before my betrayer of an alarm messed up the whole thing.
Maybe I should give you a glimpse of the dream I was having. I found myself seated before a delightful looking egusi soup and pounded yam in an exquisitely furnished restaurant. The aroma of the food wafted into my nostrils. Such aroma could bring a dead man back to life. I had just murmured a very short prayer with my eyes open and my mouth salivating and very ready to begin the business of leveling the mountain before me and then, this annoying alarm rang, and my ears that would not stay put in its environment decided to pick up the sound from outside the dream land.
I turned to my left hand side with the plan to put the alarm to snooze mode, and almost immediately, I remembered that I was supposed to be at the office by 7:30AM. I frowned at the screen of my phone, I reached for my singlet to wear and then whispered some prayers before going to the bathroom for clean up.
Moments later, I was standing at my junction to wave down a bike. A young Hausa fellow stopped in front of me, after negotiating the fare, I boarded to my office. This day better be a good one, I thought as I looked at my wrist watch. It was 7:15AM. I hated near success syndrome. I was near eating such a delicious meal which I had not had for a long while because I simply could not afford it, and then I awoke. Almost but without it. That was bad.
Just as soon as I got down from the bike after reaching my destination and paying the bike man, as I was just turning, I felt my legs wet. An arrogant and terribly annoying person driving and blasting music loudly had just splashed me muddy water. And he did not even stop. I felt like having combined super human powers of Flash and Superman (Clark Kent), to go after him and pull him out of his car and punch him severally and then drag him out and soak him in the mud.
I pulled out my handkerchief, wiped off some of the mud water and then headed to the office to register and also use the rest room to do more wiping. Just as I was about to walk in, something semi solid fell on my white shirt.
What?, I groaned. A bird’s feaces? I turned my face up and the bird was busy singing away as it flew. I cursed under my breath, what is all these? Are these series of unfortunate events? Starting from the uncompleted dream, to the splashing of mud on my trouser and then a bird’s feaces on my shirt?
I spent some time in the bathroom to clean myself, after I had registered my name. As if these events that have produced the feeling of anger in me had not had enough, another one happened.
[nextpage title=”episode 2″]
episode 2
My boss just walked in. He was dressed in a black suit with a bow tie. I wondered why he had to put on a bow tie on such a hot morning (the sun had risen with an early morning heat. Was he planning on choking himself?). Looking at him, you would kniw that he has a thing for corporate dressing.
He nodded to everyone’s greeting except mine, rather he had a frown on his face. I wondered why. Maybe, it was my shirt. I had tried wiping off the stain from the bird’s faeces but it had left some stains- a more wider one with lesser intensity.
“Some officials will be coming from the Department of Statistics of the Ministry of Finance and you will be giving them a little talk since you assist Mr. Olu, the head of statistics unit”, he said.
“But sir, I am not…”
“Prepared?”, he cut in. “I would have informed you earlier?”
I stared at him
“I was not prepared too. I was just informed this morning. So get yourself ready, and put on something good. They will be here by 11AM”.
He turned and left. My heart began to pound. I was more of a side line person not a front line kind. I would prefer to sit and hear others give addresses than to be the one doing that. Though, I knew that I am an intelligent person but my shyness was something else.
I was not liking how today was going so far. Now, my boss seemed to have set me up for an address even though I was an assistant head to statistics unit.
Why under God’s good heavens did Oga Olu, our head of the unit did not come to work today? Missing work on Monday, of all days? Who does that for crying out loud? I didn’t even ask my boss why Oga Olu (as we under his unit usually call him) was not at work. I dialled his number but it was off. I hope he is alright, I asked myself.
I rushed home to do something about my dressing. I had done my washing but was yet to iron my shirts and trousers. Of course, it was NEPA that was behind that. NEPA would always be NEPA even if they change their name to PHCN. As I got home, they had not brought the light.
I decided to wait for some time in case they restore the power, after which I thought I should get two shirts and trousers to the dry cleaner across the street to work on instead.
We greeted and I explained to him the urgent need to iron the clothes. He said he understood and would start with mine as soon as he finished the one he was ironing for the customer waiting for him at the shop.
So, I decided to go home, do some reading and freshen up for the speech or address. I wouldn’t want to go out there and be talking rubbish. My boss would kill me if I do that and it would deal badly with my chance of getting the promotion I had been hoping for.
Moments later, I went to the dry cleaners shop and there I experienced another unfortunate situation. Oh Lord, what’s happening today? My forehead squeezed out thick drops of sweat.
[nextpage title=”episode 3″]
episode 3
I dialed the dry cleaner’s number which was written on the wall of his shop, it rang and he did not pick. I tried again and again, each ringing but he was not picking. I was getting frustrated. It was around 10:30AM.
A call came in, it was from Alex. Alex is one of my colleagues at the office. In fact, he was my closest guy, my paddy.
“Guy, where you dey?”, he asked with an anger in his voice.
“I go change my clothes. You know say the other one stain. The dry cleaner wey I give my shirts and trousers to iron no dey”
“I no understand. Wetin you mean say him no dey?”
“I dey the yeye guy shop now. I been explain give am say I need the clothes sharp o. Him say him go do am sharp. Now, I dey for the front of him shop, him shop close and him no dey pick my calls”
He sighed, “Guy do quick. The guests don show and Oga dey ask of you. The man just dey frown give our unit members”
He hung up. I went to ask the lady at the neighboring shop if she knew when the dry cleaner went to or if he left some ironed clothes with her, she said she didn’t know where he went to and that he didn’t leave any clothes with him.
I was getting tensed up. I was angry and frustrated. Angry at the dry cleaner, angry at the foolish arrogant fellow that splashed muddy water on me, angry at the bike man for stopping me at the other side of the road, angry at that good for nothing bird that defaecated on my shirt, angry at Oga Olu for missing work today, angry at the ever slothful NEPA, angry at myself too.
My phone was ringing. I looked at the caller I.D, it was Oga Morris, my boss. My hands trembled. I was debating intensely within me whether to pick the call or not. The ringing stopped. It started again. I didn’t pick.
It was now 11AM and this annoying dry cleaner was no where to be seen and still, he was not picking my calls. If I was not mistakened, I must have called him close to fourthy times. I even asked of his residential address but none said they knew his place.
A text came into my phone. I opened to see it, it was from my boss. Where are you?, was the message. It was now 11:15AM.
As I stared at the screen, a bike stopped suddenly in front of me. That got me annoyed. What was that? Why would one drive so rough and of places to stop, he chose to stop in front of me?
As I raised my head, guess who it was. The dry cleaner guy. He didn’t even act as if he took notice of me. He went forward, unlocked his shop, brought out my clothes and handed them over to me.
“Sorry”, he said.
I wanted to strangle him. I wanted to yell at him at the top of my voice. I wanted to deal with him but I did none of this. I was evidently angry at him but when I saw his eyes with tears every atom of anger I had left.
“Oga wetin happen?”
“Bros, no vex. Abeg, no vex. My wife dey labor since two days now and dem been call me for hospital say make I come sharp sharp say the thing don tough”
I felt bad for him but I needed to go. I was still feeling sorry for him but I was already so late. What pain would make a grown up man shed tears publicly before a stranger? I told him sorry and handed his money to him but he refused collecting it. He said I shouldn’t bother that he was the one who was at fault for keeping me waiting. I had no time to insist that he took the money.
So, I went into his shop and got dressed fast and took a bike to my house to put on my shoes and get my bag and headed on the same bike to the office. By the time, I got to the office, it was already 11:45AM with the useless hold up and some uniformed men asking bike men and drivers of papers.
My boss saw me and ignored me. His face was so folded. Anger sat visibly on it and his eyes looked fiery and red to me. I couldn’t look at him or speak.
What happening today, I asked myself again. Am I going to lose my job? Will I survive today?
[nextpage title=”episode 4″]
episode 4
I couldn’t look at his face. It was as though his eyes were shooting arrows at me. It was few seconds but it seemed as though the time stood still and the moment dragged.
I knew he had every right to be angry. First, he had informed me and yet I had not acted appropriately. Second, I came in late, and in between, even when he called, I did not pick his calls, neither did I reply his text message. Even if I had missed his calls as I did, I was supposed to call back but I did not.
He seemed to be busy because he did not stop to call me into his office and scold me, which was his usual manner of handling such things. This was one of the things I liked about my boss, he never scolds one publicly. He would do that behind the door of his office. It was one of his ways of respecting his staff.
Alex walked up to me, “Guy, you mess up. Na wetin?”
I wiped off the sweat on my forehead with my handkerchief, “Na long story. How the thing come waka?”
“Boss delegate me to talk. Na God help me, I for really scatter the show. You know say I no even prepare. Na after him call you wey you no pick, na him he say make I cover for you. He come give me areas to talk on”
“No vex abeg. How far? Oga dey really vex for me abi? Hope him no go do something drastic about this matter?”
“Cool down. No worry. Nothing like that go happen. He wan see you?”
“He no even talk give me. I know say him dey vex, though he dey as if he still busy. I go go see am. Though I need to first send am text message to apologize. Make that one go ahead first”
“No p. Make we enter our office”
Alex was my paddy. Unlike me, he had this ability of staying calm in a tough situation and of saying words to calm one down. Just talking with him helped me.
The cold air from the air conditioner was a relief. As I sat, I was mentally preparing myself on how to talk with my boss. I imagined standing before him(that is if he did not ask me to sit), and apologizing and explaining myself.
My boss was not one that listens only to an apology, he would also ask to know what happened. It seemed he liked stories, to know what really happened.
Few moments after my text message to my boss was reported delivered, his came in: “Come to my office”. My mind skipped despite all my mental preparation to explain myself properly.
“Good day sir”, I greeted as I stepped into his office.
” You disappointed me”, he started with his eyes fixed on me. He was not looking angry. “You must have a good explanation for that”, he continued. Then paused. “You will be traveling with me tomorrow morning. You will tell me exactly why you came in late”
“I am sorry sir. If I may ask, where are we going to?”
“See you tomorrow Omafe. Be at the office by 6:30AM. You will be driving me”
“Alright sir”, I replied. I wished he had told me where we were going to, and also, the purpose of the journey. It would have helped me have an idea of what to need for the journey. But at that moment, I felt it was not wise for me to insist on knowing where we were to travel to.
Moreover, he did not react angrily despite the fact that I offended him. I would not want to use my curiosity to annoy him further. So, I left his office as soon as he dismissed me. It was evident that he was still busy.
Mr. Morris, my boss was a man in his early fifty but looking at him, you would think he was in his mid forties. He was the one who helped me get the job even though I was not as qualified as the others but he said I had potentials and I was intelligent. So, from the start, I had always regarded him with utmost respect, to the point that I would often feel terribly bad whenever I hurt him. He was like a father figure.
After work, I decided to stop at Mama Aki’s shop to eat since I was feeling famished. I had not eaten since morning. Mama Aki was my food customer. As a young unmarried guy just like my other team single guys members, I also had a particular spot where I eat regularly whenever I didn’t cook at home. Mama Aki’s place was mine.
For sometime, I and some other guys had been disturbing her of adding another class of food to her food business. It had been majorly, if not all carbohydrates. Rice(rice and stew, jollof rice, fried rice. Rice na rice, all of them na rice), Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, white yam and egg sauce, spaghetti but no beans, which is protein.
On this fateful day, Mama Aki decided to answer our long awaited prayers and made beans- porridge beans. As soon as I steeped in, she called me in her characteristic way.
“Samson and Delilah, I make beans o”
“Serious?”, I asked surprised. Some of my guys there, fellow members of team single guys that patronize her like me responded: “See flexing. Guy, the beans get sense. This thing make brain”
And without asking further, I ordered for the beans and also for a bottle of cold Pepsi to wash it down, to enable a safe journey of the beans to its destination- my stomach. The cold Pepsi was needed especially considering the weather too.
As soon as the plate of beans landed on my table, all the smell cells in my nose began to analyze it and soon enough my brain testified that indeed, the beans make brain. All the creatures in my stomach stood at the front line ready to welcome this long awaited guest.
I did a sharp prayer and started business. In few minutes, I was done. I guaged my stomach and got a message to order an extra half plate which I did immediately. By the time, I was through I felt as if a new life was passed into my system.
I gisted with my guys there about the Manchester City’s match watch I had missed the other day, after which I headed home. I got my things ready for the journey, after which I decided to watch some movies and didn’t even know when I slept off.
Around 2AM, I woke up. Something was happening inside of me. My stomach was reacting, speaking in a strange language which would only be answered by visiting the toilet. I succeeded in pushing and pushing but nothing substantial came out.
But this was the beginning of another trouble. When I thought things were getting less intense, my stomach has started having issues. The beans I ate was attacking my system with one bad formation like that.
What’s happening, I asked again. All these issues on top one person?
[nextpage title=”episode 5″]
episode 5
I kept stooling through out the night. It was as if an ocean of water was poured into my body and it succeeded in making watery, everything I had eaten. To make things easier, I positioned my white armless plastic seat close to my toilet door.
I had bought bread on my way home after leaving Mama Aki’s place. I felt I would need it since I might, as I often experience, get hungry at night. It was strictly for treating hunger but I decided to use it for something else- to treat my running stomach. I had heard that eating bread helps thicken the stomach’s watery contents, solidifies it a little and so limits constant stooling.
It was after I applied this street medication knowledge that I could relocate from my toilet door to my bed to catch some sleep. It was a short sleep, just a little above two hours. I needed to wake up around 5:00AM, latest 5:30AM. I wouldn’t want a repeat of late coming again. At least, the one I did the previous day was yet to be properly atoned for. So, I set my phone alarm on.
I woke up at 5:30AM, prayed and started getting ready for the journey. I went to the toilet after I thought it was necessary I did that, since I was to travel with my boss. I wanted to give time to the stooling business, so as to empty everything from my belly and run on an empty stomach. It was far better running on such empty stomach than running on a full watery belly.
But I sat on my toilet seat and literally pushed like a woman in a labor room, sweat drops breaking forth from my forehead, and with all such energy applied in pushing, nothing serious came out. Whether they were hiding, I didn’t know. It was just that I was not feeling my stomach well.
This bread don go cause lock down for my belle, I thought. Which kind matter be this? I was interested in pushing out everything but since nothing serious was ready to be pushed out, I began to pray that the state of emergency which the bread had declared on my belly remain.
To strengthen this bread induced state of emergency in the locality of my stomach, I decided to eat more bread. I wanted to reenforce my stomach walls from collapsing. I wouldn’t want to be driving and be having a constant feeling to defaecate.
Soon enough, I was ready and took a bike to the office. It was 6:10AM. I spoke to the office’s security man so I could use his toilet, he agreed. I tried again but nothing happened. Pushed and pushed, nothing.
Okay, I thought. I think this matter has been effectively laid to rest. I went out get more bread and ate again to create further lock down. After that, my stomach seemed to be healed. I felt good. I was ready for the journey. I was even feeling like going to my boss’s house to remind him of the journey. My fear of having a running stomach had been dealt with.
But the issue had just taken a different turn, and that was far beyond what all my bread eating had got me prepared for.
My boss came and I greeted him, he answered and came out for me to take over the driver’s seat. He came in his Toyota Venza. It was my dream car, my favorite car. As I sat on the driver’s seat, I tried to imagine myself as the owner and it felt so good.
I turned on the air conditioner and radio as my boss told me. My boss, Mr. Morris loved listening to news. He said a wise man does not just read history books but also gets himself abreasted with facts of present happenings.
It was a discussion panel. The topic for discussion was the grazing rights. The anchor was asking some questions and letting his guests answer.
One man said, “You can’t just push people into giving their lands for cattle to feed on. If the herds men want a place or a land to feed their cattle on, they should pay for it or get it rented. Land owners have plans for their lands, and if the government includes grazing as part of it, then the land owner should be properly motivated and rewarded to let his land be used as far as he profits from it. Whatever plan he is sacrificing his land for to be used for graze must be properly compensated for by the pay from the herds men. So, for me, grazing should be pay as the cattle graze. It should not be made into some funny law”
The other disagreed, “I don’t think payment should be demanded. We are fellow citizens and should support each others venture. It is a key to encouraging and supporting and nurturing entrepreneural drive…”
The other cut, “Are they the only ones that need support? What about supporting the land owner too?”
I looked at the mirror to see my boss’s face, he was enjoying their arguments and smiling in between.
As we went on, my stomach broke loose. The reenforcements began to collapse. What’s happening, I asked myself again. I needed to stop and relieve myself or else, things would get bad.
To make things complicated, my boss said, we were behind schedules that we would not stop to get stuffs on the way. Who cared for that? Me? No way. Let me first remove these beans inside my stomach.
You no well at all
[nextpage title=”episode 6″]
episode 6
Looking at her as she walked carefully and gently into the room produced an effect on me. An effect I was so familiar with. During the week when she was with us at the office, when she had come to visit her dad, I had experienced tremendous measures of that effect.
My heart was racing fast, and I was suddenly perspiring despite the air conditioner in the room. It seemed my internal body temperature rose. This was not a medical symptom reflecting the condition of my health. It was something else. An emotional symptom of the fact that I was still in love with this lady, despite what had happened between us.
After I had strategized on how to get her convinced that I was in love with her by kissing her suddenly without her consent and expectation, I had rarely let my lips land on hers, when all of a sudden I began to hear the sound of a siren. I wondered why I should be hearing such sound so loud. It took me some seconds to register that I had been slapped.
Debbie slapped me for trying to kiss her. I was angry, frustrated and ashamed. These triplet of emotions had filled my mind but I could do nothing. Would I have slapped her back? Slapping the boss’s daughter? Hmm, that would cost me my job. Moreover, I was afraid that she would report the issue to her dad, that was sexual harassment, and that would be something else. I prayed she didn’t. After that day, I didn’t see her again until now.
“Hey”, I said. I was lying on the bed with drip on me.
“Hi”, she replied with a faint smile. “Sorry”
I nodded thanks. I was looking at her and mere doing that, was having another effect on me. She drew a seat close.
“I heard you ate beans”
I was shocked. How could my boss have told her daughter about what I had told him. I thought it was supposed to be confidential. And then I remembered how close they were- father and daughter.
Moreover, I felt embarrassed that he did that. This was a lady I was interested in, and was trying to woo. Such story would affect my chance. It exposed my weakness- my weakness for food and for eating in a lowly place. Like most guys my age, I wanted my CV before her to be clean, not one filled with tales of eating poorly cooked beans and having a runny stomach.
“Oh, he told you?”
“Not really. He just mentioned that you had eaten beans. So, I wanted to hear the full gist that’s why I came”, she smiled.
Boy, that smile was heavenly. It was from a place so far from this blue planet of us.
Well, I was already exposed what would I do? I could choose to lie and cover some spots to impress her. I had done that before. And what did that achieve for me? Did it help me get the girl? No.
Moreover, I had a runny stomach and it was really running with the speed of Usain Bolt, and would soon beckon me to the toilet to relieve myself. That alone would further expose me.
“Are you sure you want to hear the whole gist?”
“Of course. It must be an interesting one. Tell me”
So, I started right from the dream I had had, to the arrogant guy that splashed me muddy water with his car, to the faeces the bird defaecated on me, to the set up by her dad, my boss to give an address, then to the rush back home and the dry cleaner’s episode to the whole gist.
She was really finding it hard to stay quiet. She was really laughing her lungs out and loud. Being one gifted with humor, I accelerated further and as I did, she laughed more. The sound of her laughter was a great motivation. I could dare Goliath to a fight just to hear that sound again. I could die gladly looking at such beautiful face with the music of her laughter resounding in my ears.
I suddenly felt the pressure mount around my waist. Toilet calls. I calmed myself.
“Any issue? You need to go to the toilet?”
“Yes” I said with my face down.
“Its nothing to be ashamed of Sam”
That was the first time I heard her call me Sam not Samson. It was spectacular.
She helped me up from the bed, so I walked to the toilet. And after some pushing which seemed to produce more stool than before (I guess the medication was working or maybe, it was the miracle of her presence), I came out but she was still waiting for me.
As soon as I saw her looking at me expectedly and asking with her eyes, if I needed her help to walk to the bed, I felt excited. When I thought things were really getting bad, behold a sweet light of goodness waiting for me. So, really this whole incident is not as bad as it appears to be. It could have a good end to it.
Without me saying a thing, I just pretended I was having some difficulties in walking properly, she rushed to my side and held me to walk back. I was having the touch of heaven.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened and I froze on the spot. This was not who I wanted to see us like this. My happiness gave way to fear. Intense fear.
[nextpage title=”episode 7″]
CHAPTER 7
I could hardly contain my heart with my chest wall. It was beating fast and with much agitation in a.manner that made me fear it could drop on the floor anytime soon. I was also sweating and drops of sweat broke from my forehead.
Unlike my friend Alex, I could get so anxious about a thing and instantly loose every sense of personal control and coordination. And as often as was the case, the cause of such anxieties end up not leading to intense drastic outcomes as I had worried about.
I wished I was like Alex. I wished I was calm but I doubted that even Alex with all his PH.D in self control and personal calmness could be calm in such a situation as I was at that time.
“Leave us”, he said, pointing to Debbie in a barely audible volume. But it sounded as if he spoke with a loud speaker.
Debbie left my side with a speed that was almost the speed of light. And I stood. She must have felt a little bit surprised, since she knew the kind of effect her father’s anger could produce, that she didn’t hear the sound of my body falling on the floor.
But looking at Mr. Morris, you could find no trace of surprise even if you used a microscope to view. And even if you spent a whole year doing that, you would find none except a look that says something like: I know your game boy. And that look was something else.
As soon as the door was closed, and Debbie’s foot steps was no longer heard(she had worn a flat sandal whose steps could be heard as she walked), he walked to seat on the seat where Debbie had been sitting and motioned me to sit on the bed close to him and facing him. I couldn’t look into his face.
D–n, this is bad, I thought. I should have just avoided pretending not been able to walk properly to get Debbie to hold me. Now, look at what this pretense had gotten me into. I was not just on my boss’s incompetent persons list at office, I just got myself enlisted into another list at home.
But my mind flashed immediately at what I felt when Debbie held me, the softness of her touch, the scent of her body and I concluded that if the lion king was angry that I let his lion princesses touch me, then he was yet to see my next move. He would be shocked when I get her as mine.
“You are grossly incompetent as a human being. In all my existence, I have never seen an unserious young man like you. Sometimes, I wonder if you are really young because you act like someone with an aged brain. How could you after all you did, use craftiness to get my daughter to help you walk? Nothing fears you right? If I get you misbehave just one more time, I mean just one more time, you will be gone. Do you understand me?”
“Yes sir”, I nodded. I was shocked at myself that I was no longer afraid. Ah, I thought, what a fool I was. Who wouldn’t be afraid in such a case. I guess my brain had gotten sick not to register fear. I might really need brain transplant.
He was silent for some time and spoke up, “We are loosing funds at the company and its threatening the business. Moreover, we are needed to expand our capital base a bit. We need funds to do that and that can only be done by securing big investors that can be ready to put big money in the business. I would have said I am counting on you but seeing all these gross misbehaviors of yours, any man counting on you is like a man betting on having the Pacific ocean in Sahara desert or a man betting on Arsenal FC under Arsene Wenger to win the UEFA Champions League”
At this point, I began to pity for myself. What kind of analogy was that? And what kind of insult was that? I got determined immediately, to prove my boss wrong. I was going to strategize and show him that I was not a young man with aged brain. I was going to show him that I was a young man who he could count on to pull in big investors into the company, and last of all, I was going to show him that I could have the lion princesses. I could have Debbie.
He stood up, “You will be getting back to office next two days. You better recover fast. Meanwhile, I will be leaving soon, I will be back in two days time. You will be traveling back with me then.”
“Alright sir. I am sorry for my wrongs”
He ignored me and walked towards the door, opened it and left.
“God, help me”, I prayed.
I pulled out my phone after he left and began to scroll the contacts. I remembered I had met a man- Mr. Ben, whose car had a fault one evening on a lonely street and I was able to help him fix it. I was good with cars even though I didn’t have any. And we had exchanged contacts when he asked me where I worked and what I was doing. I had spoken to him of insurance and he got some interest in it and asked me to keep in touch but I was barely doing that.
The phone rang and he picked after three rings.
“Hello Samson Omafe, just the man I wanted to hear from”
“Good day sir”
“How are you? Its been long. I have been wanting to call you but I have been so busy”
“I am good sir. Sorry for that sir”
“Its not your fault. I have some funds to put in, so I want you to serve as my insurance officer”
My heart skipped. Wow. That was miraculous. God just answered my prayers fast.
“Hello”, he said, “Are you still there?”
“Sorry sir, I am. How do we meet?”
“I am not in town right now. I will be coming into Abuja in three days time. Let’s see then. But I will call you tomorrow morning to get detailed information”
“It’s alright by me. I hope you are good sir, and your family?”
“I am good and they are too. Got to go. Tomorrow then”
“Sure sir. Tomorrow. Nice day sir”
“Same”, he said and hung up.
I felt excited.
Later that night, unlike usual, I heard a knock at my door around dinner time. Since I had come into my boss’s house, dinner was always had at the dinning room. As the door opened, she stood there with a tray of food.
“Come in”, I managed to say
She walked in with her usual gait. Oh Lord, this lady does something to me. I could get everyone into a stadium to pay and seat with them just to watch her walk.
She set it on a side stool which she had drawn close, opened it, it was jollof rice and a chicken lap.
“Your food”
“Thank you”
She stood up to go, I reached out and caught her hand, “please stay”, I pleaded
She smiled, “just for a little while. As soon as you are through eating, I will pack the plates and leave”
“Then I will eat a seed of rice at a time. I can’t bear to let you go”
She laughed, “You are funny”
“All things works together for good”- Paul of Tarsus
Its been two weeks since I resumed work at the office. As planned by my boss, we left on the day he had stated. Before the day arrived, I was already back to good health. All the spirit of Usain Bolt in my stomach had left. No more runny stomach. But beyond that a lot happened in those two days.
Debbie and I were fastly getting close and we discovered that we had lots in common. We could talk for long and almost on any subject except of course on matters regarding women’s hair- Brazilian wig, and co; and their make up stuffs, which I was just a novice in. I heard they now lay foundation on their faces. Ah!
Since we could not cross proper boundaries like I staying in her room till late at night and she doing same in my room(as a lady, it would not be seen as proper. Moreover, given the fact that I was staying in her father’s house and her mum was around), we resorted to prolonged and late night social media chats.
When we left- her dad and I, I wished I could eat more of those Mama Aki’s bean and get sick and stay back again. Who knew that Mama Aki’s beans could help me find a lady? A lady who ignored me when I was packed up in suits and ties and trying all to impress her but got close toe when I was sick. Who knew the power of a poorly cooked beans? I’m sure Mama Aki did not know the wonder work her beans did in my life. Such power!
After I arrived, I called Mr. Ben, and we fixed an appointment to see the next day. The meeting turned out successful. He invested a huge sum of money into the company and I stood in as his insurance agent or officer as he had requested.
And my boss? The man was busy telling anyone who cared to listen that I was a very smart, diligent and competent young man. And that I was a product of his close mentoring and watchfulness.
Na so. When guy don make brain come hammer, people go dey rush come say dem help the guy pay lesson fees back in the days when him dey still go school. Some go say dem help am buy pencil and sharpner.
But then, with all honesty, my boss challenged me and pushed out of my comfort zone to put my potentials to work and prove myself. To reward me, he got me promoted. Soon, I would be given a car since I secured one of the biggest investor.
But I decided to work more. I decided to chase after other big investors because I wouldn’t want him to just toss me out when he discover that chemistry has been going on between his daughter, Debbie and I. I needed to solidify my relevance and competence in the company.
As of Mama Aki’s beans, I avoided eating her beans. I had to maintain my lane and let the beans maintain its own. Its better that way, everyone should give heed and beware of what he or she eats
THE END…