PHONE RINGING

RINGING.........

CALL CONNECTS!!!

BOMA* Hello ....hello??

STATIC.......

BOMA* Hello?......can you hear me?

MAN* .....(clears throat) Yes....hello?...I can hear you!!!!

BOMA*I received an sms from this number,saying something about a job....

MAN* (static).....yes? we want you to come for the Interview

BOMA*Interview........?......what's the name of your company sir?

MAN*..........The Nigerian Oil Company.......

BOMA* ....Hello?...please can you repeat that....?

MAN*.............The Nigerian Oil Company .....We do everything Oil and gas.....our head office is in London


BOMA* .....Sorry sir.....but I don't recall sending you my resume.....hello?

MAN* Well,...the job is your own..If you don't want it,We can give another person....!!

BOMA*(static).....can you tell me the position I applied for because I can't remember sir.

MAN* All dis ya questioning .....when you are ready for this Job....tell us.We will arrange for your interview......(static)

BOMA*This network is terrible.Sir, when is the interview?

MAN*You will tell...........us when you are ready for interview .

BOMA*....(Pauses)....can I come to your office?what's the address?

MAN* No 25........Razza Avenue.

BOMA* Okay....but its far oh!can I come tomorrow?

MAN* No .....Probs.We will .....be expecting you by 9am.

CLICK!!! line disconnects.

Boma sits in the silence of his room.He could barely contain the excitement growing inside him.Was this it?He thought to himself..After five years of leaving NYSC,was this his first job?? Was this the end of unemployment for him?It had to be.He thought.....It had to be .

He quickly checked his credit balance.Through the severely CRACKED screen of the old Sony Erikson,he saw;.....N89.50.

He frowned at the figure.In this harsh financial climate, he had to be prudent.He would need credit on the way to the interview the next day.
He scrolled through his phone searching for Tunde's number.

He dialed the number and listened ......he let it ring twice.Then ended the call.
He repeated this process about three more times.Then waited.

He was about to try it again,when Tunde called back.
Boma answered the call

TUNDE* ....Hello..?....flash-flash...nawa oh!

BOMA*bros....cool down!...You know my condition....!

TUNDE*(chuckles)......I know jor.What's up?

BOMA* You're at work ba?.....I think I might have a job oh!!!!

TUNDE*.Yes I am!!....Really....congrats!!!! where?

BOMA* One oil company !The interview's tomorrow.And I didn't even send a resume.That's God's favour oh!!

TUNDE* Wow...that's awesome!....and a little odd. what's the name of the Company?I'm sure it'll be on our data base since All the Oil companies in Nigeria are registered with my firm.

BOMA*The Nigerian Oil Company.....

TUNDE*...I'm online now let me check. .........

Long Pause

TUNDE*.......hmmmm.....its not here oh!....are you sure its the right name? It should be here na!!!

BOMA* ....Check..It should be......!!!

TUNDE* Okay give me the number let me call them.Text it to me.

BOMA*Okay...

LINE DISCONNECTS.

He texted the number to Tunde and waited.

The excitement on Boma's face had died off.Why did I even call him sef?Boma thought to himself. Tunde was clearly an enemy of progress.The last thing he needed was discouragement from someone who was chilling in a comfortable office, talking rubbish.
Mtcheeeeeew!!!

Tunde was calling back now.
To be honest,Boma didn't want to answer the call.He didn't need more discouragement.

Phone kept on RINGING as he continued staring at the cracked screen.

What the hell.He thought.
With a long sigh, he answered.

TUNDE*..hello? Boma....I think those people are fraudsters oh.I called and they told me that it was a hair dressing saloon.....And the fact that they are not listed on our data base is .....fishy.....I don't think you should go anywhere tomorrow.

BOMA*.....well I'm going for the interview tomorrow ...I'm tired of being jobless.

TUNDE*. Did you hear what I said?It's not listed on our data base.I think these are fraudsters........

BOMA*Please....abeg. what would Fraudsters want from me?....do I have money?You know what.....sorry I bothered you.I just thought I should share the good news with someone I "assumed" was my friend.Once I start my new job,.....you will hear about it.Good day.

TUNDE*Please Boma,don't misunderstand me.I...

LINE DISCONNECTS

Boma smiled at himself. He knew his time to shine had come.People like Tunde would be sorry for discouraging him.

The Phone was RINGING again.At first he assumed it was Tunde again.But a quick glance told him it wasn't.

He hurriedly answered the call.

BOMA* Hey, baby

PATRICIA* What's up ?

BOMA* babe,.guess what?? I have a job in an oil company

PATRICIA*(excited)....really? (screams)aaaaaaah!!!!.....but wait...are you serious??hope its not a joke?

BOMA*No its not a joke....its for real oh!!!

PATRICIA* hmmm, So is it mobil or Total.....how much is the pay?

BOMA*....the name of the Company is The Nigerian Oil Company.............and we wont discuss pay until after the interview tomorrow.

PATRICIA* Hian!!!! I've never heard that one before oh!....The interview is tomorrowbut I thought you said you've gotten the job already?hmmmmm!!!

BOMA*Don't worry my love, the job is mine.

PATRICIA*It had better be oh!!! Come June this year,if you're still jobless and broke,I'm leaving.I can't remain with a poor man when so many rich boys are on my case biko.I want to marry by the end of this year....so hurry up!!!!

BOMA*Please my love, don't worry.I will make money for us.

PATRICIA*.....Please do oh!!! I've given you more than enough time.Four months....have I not triedAnyway,....good luck.

BOMA*I love you baby.

PATRICIA*Take care.


LINE DISCONNECTS

I can't lose her. Boma thought to himself.I need to get this job


The next day while Boma was leaving the house,He received an sms from Tunde.

"my dear friend, I wish you all the best today.But I would strongly advice that you reconsider.Something about this whole setup sounds fishy....Please, be careful."

Can you imagine the rubbish. Boma thought as he got into a cab.He was soon going to be an "Oil boy".The idea excited him.

Boma left for this "interview" over a year ago.He has never been seen or heard from again.His number till this day still can't be reached.No one knows what happened to him.....or if he is still alive.
There are no records of any company known as The Nigerian Oil Company.The phone number connected to this fictitious organization remains......UNAVAILABLE till this day.





Life is a choice my friend
So choose wisely
Enough said


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