The days of living in a rundown deteriorated building came to an end for my family. A dream I had always wanted to become a reality. For years, I wondered if it was possible to leave a house I have spent almost all my life in.
I was born in this house twenty-three years ago alongside my two brothers two years apart. From the day I was born till I became a young man, we never had an electricity supply.
This is because the electricity distribution company had disconnected the power of the building Five years after I was born and everybody decided to stay without contributing money to reconnect the electricity supply which was the reason why we lived in darkness for years.
My heart ached with sadness anytime I returned home from school. I wished I wasn't coming back to this house. I wanted to stay in a new home. A better one.
I wanted a cosy home. One I would be so proud to invite people to see me.
Never for once did my friends visit my place because I was so ashamed to tell them where I lived. Many times they asked about my home address but I would change the topic immediately.
"Reuben, we have never been to your house before. Why?" Layo, one of my friends asked.
"Yeah, you are right." Chuks nodded. "You come to our houses but we haven't been to yours."
"Em..." I scratched my head. "You see... Em. ..." I stuttered.
Chuks brow furrowed. "Is it that you don't want us to come to your house?
"No, no," I said. "It's just that you boys won't understand."
"Then make us to. Aren't we friends?" Layo spread his hands.
"I wonder o," Chuks cut in.
"I will. Don't worry, very soon," I told them and placed my hands on their shoulders.
"Okay." They shrugged.
Tears flooded my cheeks when I got home. I was determined to find a new home for my family but I couldn't answer the question of how.
I had no money.
I had no job.
I was still a secondary school student.
My parents were struggling hard to feed us and pay our fees. Moving out of this house would be a great burden to them.
I wanted to help.
To do anything to move my family out. Pensively, I stayed awake all through the night. There got to be something I could do to find a new home for my Family.
Funny enough, no ideas came to my head. I went to bed with the thought in my head.
Two weeks later, while returning from school alone. My eyes fell on a building site. I saw boys of my age carrying mixed cement, sand and gravel. I haven't done this kind of work before but I stopped by. It caught my interest.
"Good afternoon, sir." I bowed to a man in his forties.
"Good afternoon, my boy," he said. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, sir."
"And school?" he flashed a smile.
"It was fine, too."
He fixed his gaze on me. "How may I help you?"
"Sir, I want to work here," I said, without thinking.
His face distorted. "Why? Don't you have parents at home?"
"I do, but I want to help them." My face crumpled like used tissue.
"You are too young to help your parents. Besides, you are still a student."
"It doesn't matter. I need the money."
He let out a pent-up breath. "What do you want to use the money?"
"To Find a new home for my Family. The house we lived in is almost crumpled." I went down on my knees. "Please, employ me. I would be of good behaviour." My eyes shimmered with tears.
"Stand up." He raised me. "Don't cry, I love your heart." He shot me a smile.
He looked at me for a while and said, "Okay, I will employ you."
I jumped up in excitement. "God bless you, sir."
"Don't mention my boy," he said.
I started work the next day. I took separate clothes to change when I got to work.
No one knew about this. I stopped walking home with Chuks and Layo. I headed straight to work after school.
I lied to my parents I had to stay back in school to read in preparation for my exams. They believed me and said nothing against it.
Carrying mixed cement was a difficult job but I had to do it for my family. I had to pay a price to get the new home.
I saved the money I was paid.
Every single dime.
Today, I have been able to find a befitting home for my family to live in and I paid for the rentage.
It's still a wonder to them. They couldn't believe me when I told them I had gotten a new home for us.
My mom rolled on the ground singing praises to God with tears cascading down her cheeks.
It was a bond of Joy for us.
Image attached is mine unless otherwise stated.
