I have been sweating even before I left the house, I am sure you would like to know why...
I was already dressed in my brand new white shirt, I was very well ready for my first job interview, and this happens to be a very big one, I have been praying over it for weeks until I was finally called and scheduled for an interview today
But then, it happened...and, I don't know if to blame life or the country I find myself.
What happened? Bolt cancelled. And the very next ride was in about half an hour. It rained the night before, it stopped very early this morning, but now again it's begining to drizzle.
"Toyosi breathe.” I said to myself...
My mum knocked on my room, opened the door slightly and said, “You’re still here?”
“Bolt cancelled." I responded feeling down.
She nodded and said, “You should have gone since, I told you to follow Tunde so he can drop you on his way."
“I don't just want to bother Uncle Tunde, you know it is a different road to his workplace."
Then she said, “Enter okada(bike) then.”
More like I wasn't expecting that response, I blinked and said, “But you know this skirt won't allow me to, I am also on heels, see my makeup, not to talk of my hair too....mummy na."
"Are you interested in the job, concerned about your dressings, or you want to argue with your forefathers?"
I didn’t respond her, I picked up my handbag and murmured...."any small thing she would be saying my forefathers..."
"Say it out loud o, and let me hear you." She shouted after me.
Few poles from our place, I sighted an okada man(bikeman), more like he was just going out for the day as well, as he was just adjusting and cleaning his bike...
I approached him and we agreed on a price. On our way, he stumbled into a pothole and I was forced to talk
"abeg, abeg do me jeje, na interview I dey go." I said
Meaning (I am going for an interview, so please drive gently)
He looked back at me, smiled and said, “no fear na, uno how long I bin dey dis work" (You don't need to be afraid, I have been doing this work for a very long time.)
“I know, so please drive gently."
As we entered the main road, he almost hit a danfo bus, then both of them shouted at each other and cursed, he even dated the bus driver to come near him, me, I was like are you joking, a bike daring a bus, there and then I knew I was in for it.
Then I felt it on my face.....rain. We aren't even half way yet, then come this heavy wind also, my wig started to blow in different directions. I guess due to the countless potholes the bike man had stumbled on, my skirt has also risen to an odd length, and as I was trying to adjust it, the bike man hit another pothole so deep I almost flew off.
“Oga(boss), what's all this na!” I screamed.
“Madam, abeg no vex, I dey try corner those holes too." (Madam, I am sorry, I am doing my best in navigating those potholes as well)
He parked, he said he wanted to check if the tire hadn't developed any fault. I dropped as well, stood by the roadside and checked my wristwatch. I didn't know when tears came. I didn't know why, maybe I was scared, maybe it was because of everything I had sacrificed, maybe it was because of the countless rejection letters I had gotten, maybe it was because of the future I had promised myself, or maybe it was because of those times I had told my friends “I’m fine” when I wasn’t.
The okada man looked up at me and said, "Aunty, why na?"
I sniffed and asked, “What?”
"haba na, aunty, you sef no say he get how Lagos take be na, na who calm dey see road o, he dun do, na God fit run am, no sweat am." (It's alright ma'am, we all know how tough it is here in Lagos, it might take time but please take things gently, you will definitely get there, only God can do it, so don't sweat it)
I looked up at him, it sounded somehow, but even with that, it seems to really touch somewhere in me.
I nodded, wiped my eyes and said, “Thank you.”
He smiled and replied, "Even your beauty self dun dey enough for you to pass that interview." (Your beauty is enough to make you pass the interview)
And for the very first time that morning....I smiled.
Not long after, we arrived. I paid him more than we agreed on, he smiled, thanked me sped off.
I stopped at the front door, cleaned my heels, wiped my face a little bit, adjusted my clothes and then...I walked in.
I greeted the man at the reception, he looked up and said “Name?”
“Toyosi Adeyemi.”
“You will be called upon in ten minutes.”
I sat, my heart was racing. I quickly typed a message to my mum.., Please pray for me.
I entered the room and saw three people. A middle-aged woman in glasses sat in the middle, she was smiling, a man was on the left, he was looking tired, and a man on the right, he was looking stressed as well.
“Toyosi, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“You’re a bit wet.”
“Yes, it was a bit of an adventure getting here sir"
The woman grinned, leaned forward and said, Tell us about it.”
I hesitated at first, but then I started. I told them about the bolt, I told them about the bike man, to the potholes, to how down I felt and how he (the bike man) told me to not sweat it.
By the time I was done, they all were smiling.
Then the woman said, “I have a lot to say, but thanks for making us laugh.”
Maybe I was expecting her to sympathize with me, but then, I smiled and replied, “Thank you, ma.”
“We’ll get back to you, drop your files with the receptionist on your way out” The man on the left said.
I walked out, having some sort of mixed feelings. Can it be that these people just used me to lighten up their mood." I thought.
I got home, as I was about entering my room, a call came in and it was an unknown number.
“Hello?” I said.
*"Toyosi Adeyemi?”
“Yes?” I responded.
“This is HR from Techcom. Can you resume next week?”
That evening, as I was about going to shower, I thought of the okada man.
I heard him speak again,“Don’t sweat it, na God dey run this things."
Of a truth… He did.
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