I have grown to love the company of older fellows to my peer groups, it was not something I chose but something I found to be more interesting and educative being among them.
As a child, the very person I was next to in age in our compound was twelve years older than I am, it was fun growing up with older ones around. It has come a long way in my life and has given me quite a reputation amongst my peer group, my friends always admire my sense of reasoning, composure, and how I handle things that they would freak out about, they sometimes ask me if am not really older than them because I don't think like them and I often would jokingly answer them saying I'm older than I look.
I have made friends with people who are older than me by ten years and more, I have a friend that is quite older than my mother. You might be wondering how I have a friend this old, well it all happened when I went to enroll for my National ID card.
This day was long with a hot scorching sun, everyone was tired of waiting online to get their turn, then my yet-to-be friend Mrs. Hannah came, she came there somehow in a hurry because she had limited time to get back to her office so she could finish her gazetting which her ID Card would be needed.
She already had one before, but she had a change of name and she was yet to get her ID Card that the effect of the changed name on it. Mrs. Hannah was looking worried and helpless at that time and she couldn't wait anymore, I saw how restless she was, I had compassion on her and felt pity for her, luckily it happened I was the person away to being attended to, that means after the person that was been attended to there was still another in front of me to be attended to before me.
I walked up to Mrs. Hannah and told her she can take my spot since she said she was in a hurry to get back to her office, I overheard her earlier when she was saying it, and she asked what about me then I told her that I can come back tomorrow and get it done since I was not in a hurry to make use of it.
She was so happy, thanked me, got to the line,e and was done with the reprinting. Before leaving she came to me to thank me one more time, she then collected my phone number saying she was going to call me, I gave my number to her.
After she left, an official at the place came out of their office to call me, he asked me to get inside so I'll be attended to when we got inside he said he likes my kind gesture towards Mrs. Hannah and that for that I shouldn't be delayed her he further added saying Nigeria needs more people like me.
I got done with mine, and he did say thank you to me and applauded my gesture.
A few days later, Mrs. Hannah called me to thank me, after which she asked if I would be busy on Sunday she said she wants to host me for lunch to appreciate me, I told her it wasn't necessary but she insisted. I went to her place, her family was welcoming and I had a good time there.
When I was about to go her husband asked for my account number, I gave it to him and Mrs. Hannah insisted on dropping me at our house, she dropped me at home and gave me fifteen thousand naira cash, and she told me to thank you. She said I don't know how much help I did to her, she said that would be a talk for another day. Upon reaching my room after narrating the whole thing to my mother, I saw an alert of thirty thousand from her husband.
Since that day Mrs. Hannah became my friend, and he's still my friend, I have more older friends other than Mrs. Hannah.
I've had quite a few older friends in my life, my grandparents. Till the death of three of my grandparents, two of my mom's parents and my father's dad we had a good bond with each other.
Presently, my father's mother is now the oldest person in my life, we are good friends and she is in her 80s now and very healthy. I pray that she have a long life, and more love from all her children and grandchildren.