AGAINST ALL ODDS
Sitting here in the comfort of my beautiful home made up of my Wife; Katherine and my beautiful daughter; Angel, I am about to tell you a story i never imagined will be part of my past.
While growing up, i was brought up by my parents to believe less in luck and more in hard work which i was made to know pays eventually.
I grew up in a fairly comfortable home and been the only child of my parents, they ensure that all my needs where met on demand, especially school needs. My dad often told me that education was the inheritance he was giving me and that only lazy children looked forward to one day inheriting properties. I was glad i was learning fast and the future looked all promising until tragedy finally struck.
My parents, been educational scholars travelled a lot for various education seminars and workshops so on that ‘unfaithful’ day, while travelling to Abuja, they had a head on collision with a drunk truck driver and all of them died on the spot, at least so the report from the FRSC said.
It was in the midst of my pain at losing both parents on such a tragic note that i realised my plight was way beyond just been an orphan.
Shortly after their death was made public, some people came from the village; people i had never seen or heard about before (no thanks to my father on that part) came clamouring for various inheritances their late brother left for them. They made it clear to me that i was not wanted since my dad never took me home to introduce to his kinsmen. I knew i was in a no-win situation firstly because i had never seen or heard my dad discussing anything about his will and i didn’t know who to run to at the moment.
At that stage of my life, i was in my fourth year in the university and out of frustration i left home because i was currently benefiting from a scholarship that catered for my educational bills.
Things got really rough with me but i was committed on graduating well.
On graduation, i emerged as the best student in my college. I Studied Veterinary Medicine and the school offered me a job but i turned it down (a decision i regretted not too long from that day) because with such a result, i had a lot of options to fall on but had no one to counsel me on the right step to take.
I wanted to further my studies in Veterinary Pathology but when i turned up for the interview, the board denied me the scholarship on grounds i couldn’t clearly understand. It was at this moment that my hopes where cut short and my previously multiple options vanished like a smoke screen.
Out of frustration, i sign up with a cab company and became a driver. I must pulse to tell you that at this point in my life, i had mastered my pride and was determined to make it at all cost so far as it didn’t contravene my civic sanity.
Since cab driving wasn’t what i wanted to do in life, it turned out to be one of the most boring moments of my sorry life.
On a fateful Monday morning, i had turned up for work as usual and as i sat on the bonnet of my car looking at the busy crowd in Wurukum market i heard a scream from a lady whom her hand bag had just been snatched by a garage boy. Without thinking, i jumped off my car and chased after him. Thanks to my athletic nature, with a few strides, i was behind him and i gave him a side kick on his right leg as i watched it cris-cross with the left as he tumbled to the ground. Walking over him, i retrieved the bag from him and walked back to where the lady was standing obviously stricken with fear. She thanked me heart fully and i won’t lie to you, i felt like a hero that morning. She told me she was travelling to Lagos which was where she was posted for her NYSC.
Looking at her, she was a beauty to behold. I wasn’t into ladies but this one was different. Her presence radiated with innocence that made you wanna shed tears of joy. I watched her board the vehicle and i made a silent wish to meet her again.
After she left, i drove back to my one room apartment and thought about her all day and everyday i came to work, i wished she would just appear from the crowd running towards me like i watched in the Indian movies.
It had been 2 months since i saw her and quite frankly i had given up hope on seeing her again even though i still had her on my mind. As i sat in my cab thinking, my colleague opened my door calling at me. ‘o boy, Na your turn now o. Come carry passenger’ he said.
I quickly got out to see who the passenger was and it was her. She didn’t forget my face; in fact she seemed to be excited at the sight of me.
‘Oh my God, i can’t believe am seeing you again. You saved me that day and i couldn’t even get your name or number which am terribly sorry about. When i had calmed down and realised it, i was quite into my journey’ she explained.
‘It’s alright. Fate wanted it that way’. I said casually as i dropped her luggage in the boot of my cab. We drove off and headed for her residence at Judges Quarters. We spoke a great deal while on the way and when we arrived i deliberately refused to go inside even though she was relentless. We promised to catch up sometimes and i knew for sure that a seed had been sown that day.
The following 3 months of my life were the most interesting as much as i can remember. She was a person to have around and at that moment i didn’t need the gods to tell me i wanted to marry her. I made up my mind to propose to her and i did.
That night when i did, i couldn’t help but marvel at the excitement in her eyes. She had accepted me for who i was because i never disclosed to her that i was a veterinarian, it was same for my park colleagues. I usually watched them marvel at the way i spoke not believing that i was a mere SSCE Holder. She agreed to marry me and i was the happiest man alive that night. She told me that it was time to see her parents and i was eager to fulfil that part.
She arranged it and that Saturday morning i was forced to dress in suit for the first time in a long while. I was looking cute in it and i knew it without been told because very few outfits rejected my slim body. I drove to the house with a lot of questions in my head but i was confident i was going to pull through even though i didn’t know how. Deliberately, i parked outside and walked to the house. She knew i had arrived and was at the gate to open it for me.
She led me to the sitting room where the parents were sitting. Immediately, my eyes caught Barr. Samson Akem. All the while, i wasn’t moved to assume that she could be related to the man let alone be his daughter. He was the chief of staff to the State government of Benue State but that wasn’t what bothered me. It was his arrogant reputation and his unquenchable taste for ‘class’ that did. A man like him would chase me through his door at the slightest knowledge of what i do for a living. But it didn’t scare all the same. He looked through his glasses with his newspaper in hand and regarded me thoughtfully as i greeted him.
The wife was indeed beautiful and i was quite sure Katherine got her beauty from her. They had a nice home too. The parlour was neatly kept and spacious too. It immediately brought back a lot of memories in my hidden past. I was welcomed in and the father insisted we all eat before talking. The meal was well prepared and i put up my most civilised behaviour that day at the table.
‘So my friend, what is your name and what do you do for a living?’ He asked with a keen and inquisitive tone.
‘Sir, my name is Ngutor Ate and i am a cab driver’. I answered with my gaze meeting his and i saw the surprise and disappointment in his eyes.
‘What? You mean you came here with such a job to come and marry my only child? You must be out of your mind’. He said obviously losing his temper.
‘Sir, i assure you, i am in my right senses. I love your daughter and am sure she loves me too. I will do my best to make her comfortable’. I defended.
The mother sat speechlessly with the daughter looking at me.
‘Woman, can you see who your daughter has been rejecting suitable suitors for?’ He said turning in their direction.
‘Young man! leave my house right now and never come back. My daughter is not meant for low lives like you’. He said making for the door.
I turned and looked at the mother and she was looking apologetically at me. I regretted the look on Kate’s face but i had to leave.
As i opened the door, i saw a man who should be in his late 50s walking in. It was Prof. Uza. He was the Dean of my College back then when i was still in Vet. School and his simplistic nature of complimenting both his junior and senior colleagues blew my cover.
‘Dr. Ngutor, good to see you again. It’s been a while’.
‘Good day Prof’. I greeted
Her father stood at the door quite amazed at the drama that was unfolding.
‘Why did you turn down the job when you knew the best students are always retained?’
I refused to see him after i lost the scholarship because my pride got in the way of things and i felt i had a pool of options to choose from before everything changed. But i didn’t tell him that. Rather i told him i intended to further but things turned out sour so i backed out.
A lot was said with 5 minutes and i was glad for one thing, he now knew who i truly was and more than ever i loved the fact that it turned out this way. Looking at my wife to be, i loved the surprise in her eyes but i was going to apologise later for keeping her in the dark.
Prof. was a family friend of theirs and they usually met on Saturdays to discuss contemporary politics.
Thereafter, Prof. ensured i was reinstated back as a lecturer and to my amazement, my father in law tendered an apology to me for his ‘bad behaviour’ but it wasn’t a big deal to me any longer.
Life changed drastically afterwards and the rest is history.
Looking at my wife today, i can only say that she was my long awaited comforter and i love her beyond what all the words in the whole world can explain.

orne, please do a summary sha kwagh la

benuejosh:
orne, please do a summary sha kwagh la

Sir, have you read it yet?

ShaddyTerese:

Sir, have you read it yet?

guess i was "foolish" when i wrote that.

ShaddyTerese:

Sir, have you read it yet?

i closed down the thread coz i hate lengthy write up atimes, but some thing pushed me to open it back again, the force came so hard that i reopened the post again to read it. it was quiet a touching and inspiring story. almost cried at a point. when i saw "unfaithful day" i was like God let it not be what i was thinking, i had to pause when i continued reading it was the same thing i didn't want to see. on the long run, there are few lessons to learn from your life experience,
1. Never Give up.
2. whats yours will always and definitely be yours when it's time it comes so easy without stress.
all we Can say now is, Father Thank You.
wish you all the best in life and i see a professor in the making soon.

benuejosh:
i closed down the thread coz i hate lengthy write up atimes, but some thing pushed me to open it back again, the force came so hard that i reopened the post again to read it. it was quiet a touching and inspiring story. almost cried at a point. when i saw "unfaithful day" i was like God let it not be what i was thinking, i had to pause when i continued reading it was the same thing i didn't want to see. on the long run, there are few lessons to learn from your life experience,
1. Never Give up.
2. whats yours will always and definitely be yours when it's time it comes so easy without stress.
all we Can say now is, Father Thank You.
wish you all the best in life and i see a professor in the making soon.

Am glad you picked up some lessons. Thanks for the prayer and may God sustain you too.

It this the end of the story

[quote author=aprilwise post=29426192]It this the end of the story [/quote
That's the end Sir