My security guard is not much to look at. His about 5ft frame can be easily missed in a crowd but when I saw him on his motor cycle, I recognized him right away and quickly stepped on the gas pedal to try and get to him as fast as the dirt road would permit just before he gets onto the highway and set out in a direction that is nowhere close to where I was headed.

I tried frantically to get his attention as soon as I got close. He turned and the first thing that greeted me was that smile. Despite all that transpired the dude won't just stop being cheerful. I smiled back and told him he can come for his terminal benefit the next day as I have been a bit too occupied during the week. He thanked me with a broad smile and went on his jolly way.

Barely 3 weeks ago he got what I would tag a very sad news. The landlady came without notice and asked him to leave at the end of the month for reasons I consider very flimpsy. I found out about this development a week ago and before I could empathize with him he quickly told me that he would prefer to leave and concentrate on other things.

I was a bit worried about the turnout of events cause he had been doing a marvelous job (in my opinion) only to be rewarded with this. I was particularly worried about how he would go about securing a place for himself and his family, especially now that the wife just put to bed but the dude seemed so relaxed and I was rather taken aback by his calm and cheerfulness in the face of what I considered a dire situation. I know he has a small business but the income therein can't help him secure an accommodation.

He looked up at me like one David to a Goliath, considering his size as compared to mine, and said: "Oga I don build one small house for myself and my family and I dey move in on Saturday". It was as if he was a mind reader. That was the last conversation we had before I saw him again on his way to work, but that conversation made a huge impression on me.

Here is a dude who has close to nothing but has been able to fulfill his primary duty as a responsible husband and father. He has been able to cloth, feed and now provide his very own shelter for his family. He hasn't allowed self pity to lead him to drunkenness, being an abusive husband and father for the loss of his security job; and has managed to keep his family cheerful even in the face of difficulty.

I owe him a debt of gratitude for these invaluable and practical lessons on managing and keeping a family. He may not know this but he has proving to be a role model to me and I thank him for that.

My former security guard is indeed a great man!!!

What a good man!

Iyawotolu:
What a good man!

From my viewpoint, I believe he is.

Wow. I believe he married the right woman.
His wife unconditional love made him a MAN.

Am sure his name is Udeme..

Had such a fwend, in mist of adversaries he was always cheerful. Ow I wish I can possess such trait..

Aprime:
Wow. I believe he married the right woman.
His wife unconditional love made him a MAN.

You are right!

The woman too is always smiling though a bit shy.

menix:
Am sure his name is Udeme..

Had such a fwend, in mist of adversaries he was always cheerful. Ow I wish I can possess such trait..

Quite a difficult trait to have I must confess but nothing is impossible.

I love this story.

He is the type of person I admire.

People judge others by their profession and income, I prefer to get to know people's personalities.

striktlymi:


You are right!

The woman too is always smiling though a bit shy.

Yea. I know am right.
It was very easy to make the guess.

I mean he's a guard. And with all due respect, I don't expect him to make much. Now if he doesn't make much, I think it's foreseeable that his wife will definitely nag, mock or jeer at his financial power. But she did at all, and that kept him sane and stable.

That's why it's never good to look down on anyone because of their occupation or anything at all.

To be honest with you, you'll be surprised to know that some of these people who do menial jobs have houses of their own.

May his hustle continue to be fruitful.

He is a great man.....

A man is known in the time of afflictions...

Women my brother, women. There is nothing like marrying the right woman. I have seen poor people who are contented, I have also seen rich people who anything but happy.