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One night, in a cheap boarding house on the outskirts of a rundown city, a young man named Sani sat pensive on his porch when he suddenly received a phone call.
"How are you, son?" asked Mrs. Laila.
"I'm fine, Mom. Don't worry, I'll always be fine," Sani replied, promising his mother, who always remembered him.
"Have you found a job yet? You've been living in the city for almost a month. Don't push yourself too hard; if you run out of money, just come home. I'm not asking for much, son. Just knowing you're healthy makes me happy. May God guide your steps and help you achieve your dreams," Mrs. Laila said to Sani over the phone.
***
Sani is the only child of Mrs. Laila and Mr. Umar. Sani is a young man who just graduated from college two months ago. Generally, all students who have completed their studies have plans and hopes to find a job soon, and Sani is no exception. After waiting two weeks and sending several digital job applications to various company email addresses, Sani finally received an interview invitation via email from a private company.
This was certainly good news for Sani. Finding a job had been quite difficult lately. Sani imagined that only by having a stable job with a decent salary would his dream of making his parents happy come true. He realized how important their role and struggle were in financing his college education until graduation.
The job interview invitation from the private company required Sani to arrive on time on Wednesday at 8 a.m., dressed neatly: black trousers, a white shirt, and a black tie.
"The day I've been waiting for has arrived. This is a good start to my hopes and dreams," Sani said cheerfully, adjusting his shirt collar and tie in front of a mostly cracked mirror.
With all the preparations complete, Sani walked confidently to the bus stop. On the way, he sat on a bus stop bench, holding a large brown envelope containing his job application, and quietly recited answers to every question the company might ask during the interview.
That morning, the city was still quiet. All that was visible were a few porridge vendors selling breakfast and a few schoolchildren waiting for the school bus.
After waiting a few minutes, the bus finally arrived. Sani boarded the bus, so focused on memorizing the answers that he almost forgot to leave the envelope containing his job application on the bus stop bench. Fortunately, a middle-aged woman sitting next to him reminded him.
The bus was initially empty, with only a few people in the front and back seats. However, after passing a few bus stops, the seats began to fill with passengers, mostly office workers.
There was no conversation between the other passengers; everyone shared the same hopes, burdens, and responsibilities: working to survive. Such was life in the city; intimate interactions with others were rare. It was a stark contrast to life in the countryside. While the other passengers focused on their phones, Sani remained focused on memorizing the answers. He didn't want to fail and waste this golden opportunity.
Suddenly, the bus he was riding in stopped. The city streets were completely jammed. The passengers had been waiting for quite some time. His watch read 15 minutes to 8. The passengers' faces were filled with panic, and Sani's was no exception. Companies won't tolerate candidates arriving late, especially for job interviews.
Sani took a deep breath amidst the long traffic jam. His face began to panic, his mouth ached with memorized answers, and his cheerful expression turned anxious. He glanced at his watch occasionally. He thought if the traffic jam continued, his hopes of getting a job would be dashed.
After thinking it over, Sani realized there was no other way but to walk; waiting in traffic would destroy his dreams. Without further questioning, Sani immediately got off the bus and gave the driver the fare.
Sani ran quickly, ignoring the hustle and bustle of city life. He focused on running, occasionally glancing at his watch. He ran along the busy sidewalk, filled with street vendors and construction workers eating breakfast.
After Sani was fighting against time, almost late, in other words, the large gate of the company office was about to be closed by security guards. From across the street, Sani shouted as he ran to the security guard to stop closing the gate yet. Finally, out of breath and covered in sweat, Sani finally arrived at the company office grounds.
"Thank you, sir, thank you, sir," Sani repeated three times, his voice rapid, his breathing labored.
"You were almost late because of the traffic, weren't you?" the security guard asked.
"Yes, sir. This is my first day here for an interview," Sani replied.
Sani finally went to the bathroom to straighten his clothes and hair, then reviewed his job application. Feeling ready, Sani walked confidently into the waiting room, which was already filled with other job applicants. Thanks to his persistence and his parents' prayers, after Sani completed the interview, the company finally hired him in the accounting department.
