The day surely looked bright even while the sun sluggishly emerged from the distant horizon, yet my optimism got the better of me.
"Come here, Mr. Handsome." My adorable wife, Sarah, pulled me closer to herself, adjusting the tie I had knotted on my tuxedo suit. It was her ritual of ensuring I was perfect for any occasion, for I was her mirror to the world, of which she constantly reminded me.
My lips quickly parted in a broad smile as I held her by the arms lovingly, allowing her to take charge of my outfit. She walked around me for a minute, looking at me from head to toe, and there were two things I could decipher: admiring the gentleman that stood right before her as her husband or looking out for any errors in my outfit.
"Perfect! I’m certain you will win the heart of the director." She said it with a twist of her body, her cheeks accentuating those bilateral dimples as she made a giggle. Our ten years of marriage were as fresh as a newlywed, and my wife always surprised me with dramas I found amusing yet appreciated. Hardly would anyone believe I was above forty years of age, and my wife of thirty-six years could be mistaken for a twenty-five-year-old. Even after two kids, my wife’s physique appealed to me at every moment.
"You would not want your darling husband to be late for our life-changing contract interview, would you?" I whispered loud enough for her to hear. I knew she could dress me for much longer if I gave her the opportunity. I have trusted her with my dressing, as she has a taste for good dress sense. I gave her a peck on the forehead and left for my interview. Though it was scheduled for 9 a.m. and about 30 minutes’ drive from my house, I preferred to get to the venue early enough.
JK Educational Consult had a partnership with some foreign investors in Nigeria and was recruiting facilitators on contract to train students for a pioneer academy in Georgia, USA. My lecturing career began after I obtained my postgraduate qualification at the University of Balford here in Nigeria, teaching physics. I was good and one of the best the university had graduated; thus, an automatic job offer was offered after I graduated, which I accepted concurrently while running my postgraduate programs.
While I sat at the reception thirty minutes before the scheduled interview time, I repeatedly tapped my feet in a subtle but quiet tone, even though a plasma TV hung on the wall showing some entertaining news. Perhaps the distraction was good for me as I threw occasional glances at the secretary, who was all smiles as she went about her duties, perhaps tidying up her table before the boss arrived.
"Good morning, sir. Welcome, sir." The secretary quickly stood up to receive the man who entered, whose bag was brought in by a young man I assumed was either his personal assistant or a chauffeur. The secretary took the bag from the young man and led the way for the man I assumed was the boss I had the interview with. His face looked quite familiar, but I was unable to place where I may have met him.
I stood up and adjusted my dress as he approached. "Good morning, sir. I am Dr. Ken. I have an interview for this morning, sir." I said it with as much smile as I could muster.
"Thank you, I know. I will call you in when I am set." The boss replied and walked to his office. I watched his back as he headed to a corridor that probably leads to his office before taking my seat again. Not long after, the secretary returned to her seat, which I courteously greeted with a smile.
I turned to my wristwatch for the umpteenth time, and the scheduled time for the interview was far past. A few other people had come in and were led to the boss. My patience had gradually waned, and the air conditioner that once blew cold felt as though it had lost its function. Two hours after the boss had entered his office, he had yet to call for me. "Could he have forgotten I was here?" I thought to myself as my feet tapped the floor in a more conscious and loud manner. I refused to pick up my wife’s call as I did not want to give her a notion of my frustration and only replied with a text to assure her I was still on top of the game.
"Can you remind the boss that I am still waiting?" I spoke to the secretary, standing up.
"Kindly be patient, sir; he will call you in shortly. He has some work to sort out and a Zoom meeting he is attending. My apologies, sir." The secretary replied sympathetically.
I cursed under my breath and took my seat. This time around, the clock ticked rather slowly, further annoying me. I lost count of the number of times I hissed, and my once excited face had gloom and frustration written over it.
"Darling, what is happening? Or have you been asked to commence work immediately?" My wife’s text message came in some minutes before the hour of 4. Though I was hungry and angry, I managed a chuckle, laughing at the state I was in, whereas my wife thought I had gotten the contract job I came for.
"You can go in now, Dr. Fred." The secretary said shortly after she received a call at the intercom: "Enter through the second door on your left, sir." She continued with a gesture. I stood up, adjusted my suit, and cleaned my face with a handkerchief before heading to the office.
The office was magnificent, and I could only imagine the luxury sponsored by the sponsors, as the office was equipped to admirable standards. The boss gestured to a seat opposite his table, which had a few items on it, making me wonder if he truly had those busy days as mentioned by his secretary.
"So, why should I consider you for the contract, Dr. Fred?" The young-looking boss, in his early thirties, asked. The least I expected was an apology for keeping me waiting or some respect, if he had any in him. I knew I was the one in need of his favor, so I subdued the vengeful anger that threatened to explode.
"Beyond being qualified for this contract, I am the best to engage to train students for the academy as my reputation is unmatched in the field of physics, sir." I replied.
"Is that all you can defend your CV with, Dr. Fred?" He asked further. At this point, I was about to lose my calm; however, I smiled and continued to talk about my educational and professional achievements.
"You do not remember always asking me and my colleagues to come to your office every day of the week only because we wanted you to append your signature on our course forms? I have watched you through the CCTV as you sit uncomfortably. Now you know what it means to have a taste of your own medicine. I’ll give you the contract; I already predetermined to do that; I just wanted to teach you a lesson. You can pick up your contract with the secretary, Dr. Fred. It was nice seeing the humble part of you." He chuckled.
My head was bowed in shame, and I wished the ground would open up to swallow me. "Thank you, sir." I replied and walked out, each step feeling heavier than the previous.
"Congratulations, Dr. Fred." The secretary said this as she handed over a brown A-4 envelope to me. "Definitely, she knew all along," I thought to myself as I took the envelope and walked out of the office at some minutes past 5 p.m.