Greetings!
Doing to others is one thing that has been keeping going in the journey of my life. Although, it's not that I get paid back with every good I do to others, but one thing is that, doing good to people used to make me feel good and important as well.
When I first met with Dan, it was at a tutorial class and being the secretary of the tutorial, I had no power to admit him into the classroom whenever he was unable to pay for the tutorial class and this is because I was not the owner of the class.
However, in my own capacity, I used to call Dan to my own small office and take him to some of those things being taught in the class by tutors. Although, it's not as if I know much about what is being taught in the class, but I think I always have ideas.
Doing this for Dan was not convenient for me at all and this is because, if the owner of the tutorial should find out that I'm helping a boy who cannot afford to pay for the tutorial class, I would be fired. However, because of Dan's zeal to learn and his quest for success in life, I took it upon myself to help him and to be candid. He was really responding to all that I have been teaching him in my small secretary's office.
There was a day that Dan brought his mum to the tutorial, he brought her to the tutorial not for anything else, but just to know me and appreciate me for helping him. When his mum came around, he took her to my office and it was there his mum asked,
“Are you Sam?” “Yes, I am,” I replied. “Dan has told me more about you and how you have been helping him, thank you so much for all you have been doing for him all these while and I pray that the Almighty God will repay and reward you for good,” she prayed. “Amen,” I replied.
As the mother was saying this, I was a little bit shy and this was because, I don't like people thanking or appreciating as such, not this time around when Dan brought his mum to my small office to come and embarrass me with her appreciation. Although it's kind of normal, I'm not a fan of it.
However, as Dan's mum was about to leave the tutorial’s secretary office, the owner also known as Mr. Excel came into the office and when Dan's mum saw him she stopped and greeted him saying,
“Mr. Excel, good morning sir.” “Good morning madam,” he replied “Thank you for all you have been doing for us ooo,” she said. “Don't mention, “ he replied. “Please, help me thank Mr. Sam as well he has been assisting you son Dan,” she said. “With what?” He asked. “You know we have not been able to pay Dan's tutorial fee,” she said. “I know, what has now happened?” he asked. “Dan told me that Mr. Sam has been helping him with some of those things being taught in the class,”
When Mr. Dan had finished listening to Dan's mum, he turned to mum and pretended not to have heard what the woman had said, but I knew he heard very clearly and also, I knew that I would be sacked for violating the tutorial policy and I was really prepared for the worst thing to happen.
So, as the woman had left our presence and after Mr. Dan had seen him off, he came back to the office and asked me how true what the woman had said and I confirmed with my nodding of head. So, when it was so clear to him that I had violated the rules of his establishment, he asked me to pack my things and what this means was that I have been fired.
Although, this didn't go down with me as I have no other means of livelihood, but I didn't have any other choice than to leave. Although, I was fulfilled to have helped Dan and that was my only consolation.
So, after I had left the place, I blocked Dan's number on my cell phone as I relocated to Lagos, where I was only squatting with a friend of mine, whose name is Yinka. In Lagos, I have nothing better to do than go out with Yinka to his place of work, which is a construction site. It was at the site that I too was employed as a casual worker and that was how I was living my life. Thank God for the job, I would have been stranded.
This was the job that I was doing for many years just to make ends meet, although there was always a slight increase in our salary at the beginning of every year, but that was not always enough.
One day, when we got to the construction site, we were told that another chief engineer had just been posted to the site and that he would like to talk and discuss with all of us. So, we were asked to assemble at the site's open space whenever the alarm sounded. Less I forget, this was years after I was asked to leave the tutorial centre.
So, when we heard the alarm, we all gathered at the open waiting for the newly posted chief engineer, we have all waited for about 30 minutes, and suddenly the new man was approaching and as he was moving closer, I noticed he was someone I have met before now and as he mounted the podium, it was Dan, the guy I have once helped and got fired for helping him.
When he came on stage he addressed us and gave us the new modalities of how things would be done henceforth, but I was not paying attention to what he was saying as I was lost in thoughts and thinking of how I would see him later in the day, but how would that be possible with his loads of bouncers and body guards.
So, I determined in my mind that I would break his protocol on his way to his office, after his speech and welcome address and as he was planning to go back to his office, I charged towards him and his entourage and as I was moving closer to where he was, one of his guards stopped him, but one thing that I have achieved was dreading his attention to me and immediately he sets his eyes on me, he commanded the guard and said,
“Leave him alone.”
So, the guard stepped back and I calmly walked to him. As I was walking up to him, he was smiling and shouting my name saying,
“Mr. Sam, are you the one?” “Yeah, I'm the one,” I replied. “What are you doing here?” He asked.” “After I left the tutorial centre, this is where I have been working,” I replied. “Okay, we can be talking here, let's go to my office,” he said.
So, we moved down to his office and it's at his office that I narrated everything that happened after his mother left the office when she had come to appreciate me. He was moved with emotion when he heard me saying this. He also narrated his ordeals in his journey to his greatness to me.
He said,
“I was shocked when I could not find you again and I was wondering what could have happened. I tried to get in touch, but your contact was not reachable. I even traced you to where you were staying back there, but they told me that they didn't know your whereabouts,” he said.
He continued and told me how he was sent out of the tutorial centre by Mr. Excel. He said he was embarrassed by Mr. Excel before sending him out of the tutorial centre.
When I heard him saying this, I was moved with emotion and tears were rolling down my cheek, seeing me being moved by emotion, he moved closer and hugged me, wiping out my tears. After he had done this, he said,
“Mr. Sam, stop crying, you don't need to cry again, God has blessed as you can see.” “yeah, I can see that God has blessed you and I'm happy for you,” I said. “How did you now do it?” “Hmmm, that's a long story. After I have been sent off of the tutorial just like you, I decided to be doing self study at home after which I obtained Jamb form, I sat for the exam and I came out in flying colours thanks to you for helping me to develop myself,” he said. “How were you now able to further your education?” I asked. “I was able to further my education via the scholarship program given to me by the senator representing our senatorial district in the National assembly and when I was in school I worked hard to attain success and that was what gave me automatic employment in the federal ministry of works.” He said.
When I heard this I was happy not for anything else, but because I'm part of Dan's life story. He then asked me what he could do for me and I told him to do anything he wanted and he promised to give me a contract. He eventually gave me the contract and that contract he gave me back then made me who I am today.
Thanks for reading.
Picture sourced from metaAi.