onismate:
I used to think life is unfair to me. In 2010 when I finished my NYSC, some of my friends got a job immediately. Some got a month after service while some just a year. But mine, I was counting months and years while I continued the search. I was becoming weak and tired. 2010 had gone, and we are in 2015, yet no reasonable job, no plans for marriage while some of my friends are counting the number the number of kids they have. My strong 2.1 I graduated with was yet to save me from joblessness. I was still managing as a factory worker
In 2015, February precisely, one of my relatives helped me got a job in ministry of works in Delta state. I had to relocate from Lagos to Asaba. Only for me to be relieved of the Job by June by the new Governor. I wasn’t even the only one sef. The new administration claimed that the recruitment was illegal so they had to lay off everyone employed from 2013-June 2015. It was so painful. The struggle continued. I waited if we would be called back but nothing happened. “But how long will I continue to wait,” I thought to myself. I had to move back to Lagos again after I was discouraged that we may not be called back to work.
September, 2015 after returning to Lagos, I tried to see if I could raise money, N120,000 to see if I can start a second hand clothes business. But it was unfortunate that the N80,000 I managed to raised vanished from me. I don’t know if I will say it was mysteriously taken from me or carelessly threw it away the day I was going to give the money to the lady that will help make the purchase. Because that day, the only thing I could remember was that I woke up that morning after giving a call to the lady that will help me to confirm she was at home. I took N90,000 and shattered a Keke that will take me there. I was having the money in my trouser pocket. Only for me to get to my destination and discover that the money was no longer there. I only had my wallet with the little change intact, the money gone. And the keke man had gone. It made me look like a fool where the lady was. Who will I call and how will I explain the unexplainable to. I had gone into debt. I was tired of life. I felt it was just difficult to get just a reasonable job. The only job I was seeing that seem a little considerate was teaching but the pay was not encouraging. The administration will want you to teach 5 subjects for 5 days per week with take home pay of N20,000. I had to take up one which I resumed by January 2016.
On 26th January, 2016, I was on my way home to Obalende from Victoria Island where I went to submit my CV to Zenith bank headquarters. I wasn’t even convinced about the job offer. I was even forced by a friend to do it. I had almost exhausted all the money I came there with. I was only left with N50 on me. I tried stopping a taxi that will take me out but all of them were asking for huge prices. No be even shatter sef. Any driver I told that I don’t have much on me, na so dem go dey look me with bad eye, with the way I dressed. And I can’t trek. 30 minutes gone by and I still dey there.
As I was still standing wondering if I will trek or not, a black tundra came to my front and packed. Glass whined down, “eehe, young man what’s the problem, you have been standing here close to an hour,” the man inside the car said authoritatively as if he wants to arrest me. I told him I couldn’t find a car. He said he had been watching me for the past 20 minutes from a distance, and does it mean all the cars I had been stopping can’t pick me up. Or maybe I was 419ner or up to evil. Na so fear catch me as he talk am. I told him I wasn’t a con artist. But I had little money on me that will take me to my direction. He asked how much I had and where I was going. I told him I have N50 on me and I was going towards Oshodi area. Na so the man laughed and said, “all these scammers, you are looking for mercy. Look at how fine you are dressed and you are going to Oshodi without money on you. Is N50 money.” Na so I just dey look him. he said I was not serious and I was looking for a customer to scam. Na so him whine up come zoom off. As he moved, he stopped as if he forgot something. He reversed back again. He said that he was going towards that Oshodi direction, and since I have N50 I should enter so he will help me. As I entered, he began telling me that he’s a military man, and I shouldn’t tell him anything about dollars and if am a scammer, I shouldn’t play any deadly game with him, and if I do, he has a gun inside the car that will end my life. And that he was just trying to help me because he felt the urge. I told him I wasn’t a scammer, that I ran out of money that was why I was stranded. “Hmmm, na so all of una dey lie, so you can have free ride” he said. “Is there no ATM around, you should have gone to withdraw,” he repeated again. I just felt he was being harsh.
As he moved, he asked me my name and where I work, I told him, but told him I was hadn’t gotten a good job, and I was only managing in one private school. I told him I just went to submit my CV to Zenith bank. Na so the man smile. He said it was because I ws always looking for a free ride that’s why I was yet to get a job. As the man said it, the thing pain me. I began regretting entering the car. This one no dey funny again, it’s an insult because he carry me for him car. It continued that any small thing, the man go tackle me. He would say that is why am jobless. Na so I just keep quiet come dey pray to get to my destination as soon as possible. But the man sef no gree. He will still be asking me unnecessary questions.
At a time, he saw I was so quiet and wasn’t responding much to what he was saying. He asked if I was married. I told him I was yet to be married. “How can you be married! I believe you are also waiting for a free wife,” he said to me as he laughed. He said someone like me won’t get married, and infact he won’t even give his daughter or advise anyone he knows to give their daughter or sister to me to marry, abi what will I use to feed them. Maybe I will marry the woman for free, look for a free house to leave and after children don come, I will be looking for free rides for my kids to school and even free food. “kaiiii.” As he was saying those things, I was boiling in anger in me but I managed to smile. But who wan even marry his daughter? Because that one na problem. When we got to Oshodi were I will stop, I told him that I was getting down. He dropped me and asked for the N50. I was so shocked. I thought he won’t collect money from me. “My friend stop wasting my time, give me the N50 let me leave,” he shouted at me. Na so I dip my hand inside my pocket come begin find the N50. I no come see the money. As he was still waiting, looking at me to bring out the money, he saw I was unable to find the money. He began shaking his head, “you see your life, I said it, I just pity you,” he said to me. He dipped his hand into the front pocket of his shirt and brought out his complimentary card and gave to me. At first I didn’t want to collect it but I did. “Take my card, incase if you need free ride next time you can call me. Osho free,” he said as I collected the card and he zoomed off. Who will even want to enter his car again! With all those punch line of insults, mockery he has in his tongue. I won’t even dare to call him sef. Infact I even regretted it, that that would be the last day I will ever enter free ride again in my life. I put the card into my shirt pocket and left to my house.
When I got home, I felt humiliated and in bitterness because of the incidence. I brought out his card from my pocket. I felt like calling him to insult him for the embarrassment he gave to me but changed my mind. I was still in bitterness and placed the card back into my pocket.
Two days later when I brought out my clothes to wash. As I was searching my pockets to see if I didn’t have any valuable paper or money, I saw the complimentary card. At that moment i just felt like calling him to say “Thank you” for the ride he gave to me. Part of me said I shouldn’t because I was going to receive another humiliation. I obeyed the other part of me and called, he picked and I introduced myself.
Me ------ I was the guy you gave a free ride the other day.
Sir ------- Ooohhhh, the Osho free guy? If you want a free ride today, just forget about you because am not giving you.
Me ----- No sir, I just called to say thank you for the ride you gave to me the other day. I really appreciate.
Sir ----- Are you sure that you are not calling for a free ride? Am sure na free credit you take dey call me.
I laughed as he said I was calling with free airtime
Me ----- No sir. I believe you had a great night sir?
Sir ----- Were you expecting me to have a bad night?
Me --- No, just asking.
Sir --- stop asking and go and look for job, or have you gotten ?
Me --- No sir.
Sir ---- Well its great you called. It shows you have regard for me and very appreciative of good things. But go look for a job.
Before I know wetin dey happen, he don cut the call. Two days later I was surprised when I received a call from him. He asked if I have gotten a job. I told him no. He referred me to one of his friend’s company. He said I should go there and tell them he sent me, and he was going to call their big Oga over there. And that was how I went there and I got a job with six figure salary. Later I got to realize that he owns a share of the company and was part of the board members.
Men and brethren! That was how I got a job ooo. Just from an irritating free ride. As time went on I realized that “Sir” told me the day he gave me free ride, some of them were true. He was just trying to motivate me. There are sometimes, some hard talks are hard truths we fail to believe about ourselves. He later liked me and we worked closely. I found him interesting only if you didn’t take most of the things he said personal and sometimes seriously. Today my life has changed.
http://www.hovabuzz.com/frontline/1216-how-i-made-the-magic-appreciation-call-that-got-me-a-job |
