I had to think back and prob my brain before remembering my first earnings. Chai! It was a very long time ago. Like seriously, my dad never wanted me to work when I was in school. I do tell him I feel like getting a sales boy job anytime we are on a long term break when I was in high school, but he would look at me with killing eyes and say
"If they born your mama well, let me see you out there searching for one useless job"
As a good boy, I had no option. I didn't lack anything, but I jus felt like doing something because I wanted to taste the hustling things in the street, you know Nah!
When I discovered he won't allow me to take a job, I started playing betting with some street guys. I used my pocket-money to challenge some rascals in the street in the game of whot, dice, snooker, table tennis, relay race, splinting, swimming, jumping from a story building, soccer, somersaulting, fighting, and so on. I do this on a low key but the fighting aspect burst my burble one day as one guy punched me like a punching bag. Of course, I took my revenge gallantly by beating him in the second challenge, but the fact that he was the first person to beat me hands down remains in my head. I lived a life of gentility, but my street was rugged and wogged, so I tasted from the ruggedity.
Senior WASCE was what took me to a remote environment
My image
I can't say the money I made from betting was my first earning because I can't even remember the day I started rolling with such street guys. Although, we had nothing in common than play games and dismiss, but I smelled hell when my dad caught me one day and that was the end of playing games on the street
I was forced to write my senior examination far from where we reside. My dad took me there 2 months before the exam and I joined their SS3 class. The head boy became my best friend with some of his guys, but still, I was living a different life because I found them too local. Notwithstanding, I couldn't dissociate myself from them too long because they are nice and accommodating. What's bad in living a village life? I blend in asap but still maintain my town swags
One Saturday, I saw them putting on dirty clothes early in the morning. Where are you guys going and why are you putting on such dirty clothes I asked? We are going to the farm to make some ridges. It sound so amazing, but the dirty clothes were disgusting. They asked if I would like to join them and agreed
When we got to the farm, they gave me a small hoe we started weeding. When they looked back, I had weeded almost 6 beans plants. They burst into laughter. I was confused because I didn't understand why they had to laugh out so loud when there was no one cracking jokes
Na mumu you be. Is that how to weed? I never knew it was a beans plant. It was my first time seeing it on the farm. They taught and explained how to weed and I did my part. While still working, I heard them talking about the sharing formula
What are you guys saying? It was then I realized they are doing "agbaro" meaning they are paid for weeding people's farms. So I will get my share, I asked and the answer was positive. Then I increased my weeding speed. I was happy I would get some money from my own labour. When we finished, I was given #300 ($0.50). That was the first money I earned from my own sweat
I was having more than a thousand naira on me at that time but the joy I derived from the little I earned was something I can never forget. In fact, I told my dad when he came to visit me, and what can he do? He just smiled and gave me the loaf of bread with Titus he bought on his way to my hostel
Truth be told, the work I did was not worth the money they gave me but they shared it the same because they wanted to encourage me, but hey! I couldn't go the next day because I felt serious pain in my entire body and my palm was painful with boils
It was fun anyway. What I couldn't do that year is what I gladly do on my farm today. This life is a journey
Thanks for reading.
This is ckole the laughing gas
One love