Mrs
Biodun looked at Mabel for a response.
“Thanks for the
offer Eph,” Mabel said to Ephraim. “I will go with Madam B.”
“Ok,” Ephraim said.
Mabel shut
down her system and locked the files in her drawer. Then she got her things
together, said goodbye to her colleagues and went out to meet Mrs. Biodun. They
entered her car and she drove off.
“I am glad to see
that you have not allowed the incident affect your efficiency,” Mrs. biodun
said to Mabel as she drove out of the office premises.
“Thank you ma,”
Mabel replied. “It was not easy when I came in the morning o.”
“I noticed. When I
told Ephraim to find out whether you have worked on the files, I knew you had
not done anything.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I just needed
to wake you up.”
“And you really did.”
“After then, you
picked up.”
“I had to, so I will
not give some people opportunity to laugh at me.”
“Who are the
people?”
“Don’t worry about
it ma.”
“Ok, if you say so.
There are different types of people in every establishment; those who want you
to succeed and will do anything possible to make sure you succeed; and those
who want you to fail and will take advantage of every little opportunity to
make sure you fail.”
“And they will let
the whole world know that you failed.”
“Exactly.”
“I also had to just
brace up so I don’t lose my job.”
Mabel
looked at Mrs Biodun with the tail of her eye as she said that. Mrs Biodun looked
at her and smiled.
“That is your fear
right?” she asked Mabel.
“Yes ma,” Mabel said.
“That was why I had to force myself to come today.”
“I have not seen the
thing that will make me give your job to someone else. You put in more than
100%. I can’t lose a staff like you.”
“Wow. Thanks a lot
ma.”
“The ‘thanks’ goes
to you for putting in more than your best.”
“I just have to.
That is how I was raised.”
“Your mum did a good
job then. By the way, how is she?”
“She is fine.”
“How is she handling
all the issues in less than a week?”
“She is a strong
woman. God has been helping us too.”
“Your sister is
getting better right?”
“Yes she is.”
“Thank God.”
After
driving for a while, Mrs Biodun slowed down and wheeled to the right to park by
the side of the road.
“I want to buy
something,” she said as she tried to park.
“Are you sure you
are parking in the right place?” Mabel asked her. “These task force people
could be around.”
“You are right.”
Almost
immediately Mrs Biodun parked, Mabel called her attention to two men walking
towards them.
“These people look
like them,” she said.
“But they are not
wearing uniform,” Mrs Biodun said.
“Most of them don’t
wear uniform.”
“They cannot do
anything.”
“Not these men o.
They don’t care who you are.”
“I think I better
move out fast.”
Mrs.
Biodun checked her side view mirror for on-coming vehicles and wheeled left.
When the men saw that she was trying to drive out, they walked faster.
“You see,” Mabel
said.
“You were right,”
she said
Mrs.
Biodun drove off speedily. The sound of her screeching tire was so loud that
people turned around to look. They didn’t bother themselves when they saw two
women in the car, so there was no possibility of car theft. From the side and
rear view mirrors, Mabel and Mrs. Biodun could see the men standing and shaking
their heads.
“God punish all of
you,” Mrs. Biodun said.
“You just escaped
harassment,” Mabel said. “Before your connection will come into play, they
would have rubbished you.”
“Who sent these people
sef?”
“Nobody sent them,
though they say they have the backing of government.”
“It’s terrible.”
“And nobody can do
anything about it. It is either you settle them or you get delayed and
embarrassed.”
“What a country.”
“I think abroad is
better.”
“Ha. No o. You will
pay tax through your nose o.”
“But they have a
more organized society.”
“Yes. Depending on
where you are talking about.”
“I will find out for
myself one of these days.”
“Anyway, thanks for saving me from wasting my
time there.”
“No wahala ma. What will you do about what
you wanted to buy?”
“I will send someone
or I get it close to my house, though it will be more expensive there.”
“Ok ma.”
She got
to a T-junction and slowed down.
“I even forgot to
ask you,” she said to Mabel.
(...to be continued)
Nedu Isaac
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