"Tayo, I'm becoming frustrated with my present situation; nothing seems to work," Wale said to his friend as they both sat outside their apartment one afternoon, eating a sausage roll with cold sachet water.
"Hmmm, I can understand how you are feeling, if only you see somewhere to be managing too, just the way I am," Tayo replied.
"Guy, it's been five years since I graduated. Five good years," Wale said repeatedly.
"What's the essence of education if we can't get a good job at the end that will pay for the quality of our knowledge?" Tayo said, hissing.
"Person, go dey take menial jobs like slave (I'm taking menial jobs like slave). I can't even eat to my satisfaction or eat what I want. When exactly will all this come to an end?" Wake asked as he drank out of the sachet of water he was holding.
"Na to keep praying and searching, my brother (we just have to keep praying and searching, my brother)", Tayo replied Wale.
"When are you going to work? Thought you dey night shift ( thought you are going for night shift)", Wale asked Tayo.
"Once it's six p.m., I will be on my way to avoid the heavy traffic in the evening," , Tayo said as he stood up and headed inside.
"Imagine, a person just dey useless for here; (I'm just useless here) nothing to show that I am a graduate," Wake said to himself as he hissed continuously.
After a few minutes, Tayo returned outside and dressed up for work with his backpack on his back.
"Guy, I'm ready for work; see you tomorrow morning; take care of yourself," Tayo said as he left and bid Wake goodbye.
"Okay, stay safe at work, and call me should there be any opportunity," Wale replied as he stood up.
"Let me go inside before people start asking me several questions that I won't be able to reply to," Wale said as he hurriedly walked inside.
Throughout the day before nightfall, Wale was indoors, thinking of ways to get himself a job that could sustain him. He was on this thinking when he slept off. At midnight, Tayo's call came in, and that woke Wale up.
"Guy, you don't sleep? Are you sleepingg?" Tayo asked Wake over the phone.
"I don't know I've slept off; I hope no problem. Why are you calling at this hour?" Wale asked, although still feeling sleepy.
"There is a day job opportunity that I see, but I don't know if you can do it. Although the pay isn't much, it's better than nothing," Tayo said.
"And it's just for a day? Hope it's not stealing; I no fit to steal (I can't steal)," Wale said jokingly to Tayo over the phone.
"In fact, you are a good candidate for the job, and mind you, it's not stealing, so relax," Tap replied.
Immediately, Wale heard this; it seems the sleep disappeared from his eyes. "Okay, tell me about it," Wale asked Tayo anxiously.
"Abi na sugarboy job? (Is it a sugarboy job?" Wale again asked jokingly, laughing out loud over the phone.
"You sabi my boss's wife na, (you know my boss's wife right?) she has a school that she runs", Tayo explained to Wale.
"I don't know your boss's wife; I've never met her, so how am I supposed to know?" Wale replied sarcastically.
"You no go relax, make i give you update wey go help your life (won't you relax ,let me give you update that will help your life)", Tayo replied over the phone.
"My boss's wife school wants to celebrate their end of the year party, she runs a nursery and primary school and they need a funny man that can put smile on the faces of the children", Tayo explained.
"Which one is a funny man? (Which one is a funny man?) You mean a clown?" Wale asked Tayo as he made fun of him for not knowing the right word to use instead of a funny man.
"So you think I can act as a clown?" Wale asked Tayo sarcastically.
"You resembled a clown before, you don't know?" Tayo asked Wale back.
"What's the pay? That's the most important thing to me," Wale asked.
"I'll give you my boss number; you will talk with her and know what to do next." I already told my boss's, I have someone that can do that," Tayo replied.
Immediately after Tayo hung up the call, he forwarded his boss's number to Wale. Throughout the night, Wale was ruminating if he could actually act as a clown or not.
The next morning, at exactly 8 a.m., when Tayo returned from work, Wale put a call through to Tayo's boss to discuss his intention to take up the clown job.
"Hello sir, good morning, sir. I'm Wale by name; I got your number from Tayo, a friend who told me you need a clown," Wale said.
"Oh, Wale, Tayo told me about you; I will send a location to you; meet me there by 10 a.m.," Tayo's boss replied.
"Okay, sir, I will be there," Wale said, and he hung up the call.
"Your boss asked me to meet him at a place by 10 a.m.; let me get ready so that I can be there in good time. He will send the address," Wale said to Tayo as he stood up to go have his bath.
"Clown Wale, the role fits you; die (the role suits you)," Tayo said, teasing Wale.
After some minutes, Wale left home to meet Tayo's boss at the location he sent. On getting there, he met Tayo's boss and his wife, who is the head of the school.
They discussed business and negotiated the payment. After the conversation, Wade was given the job of acting as a clown for a day at the children's end-of-year party. He was given the date, time, and venue of the event.
After a week, it was the day for the children's party. Wale got dressed, and he was escorted by his friend Tayo to the school. By this time, Wale had already gotten the costumes needed and hired a lady in their neighborhood to help him with the makeup with the part payment he was given.
The party began, and Wale was performing his clown role excellently. The children were happy, though some were scared as that was the first time they were seeing a clown. The parents also loved the way the clown was playing with their children. Wale got lucky as some of the parents gifted him while others gave him words of encouragement.
A friend of Tayo's boss, who was the chairman of the day, saw Wale, and he was impressed with his performance. After the children's party, he walked up to Wale and greeted him for a job well done, then asked where he works; probably he belongs to a clown company where they are trained.
Wale explained to him that he is jobless, and he decided to take up the clown job just to find a means of livelihood.
"That's good of you. I would like to talk with you. Here is my card. Make sure to give me a call. I'm Base by name," the man said to Wale.
"Okay, sir, thank you so much, sir. I will surely get back to you, sir," Wale replied as Mr. Badru turned to go.
Wale ran to Tayo to tell him what just happened as the two friends headed home. The next morning, Wade put a call through to Mr. Badru, and he was told to come to his office with his credentials the next day.
At exactly 8 a.m., Wale dressed up and went to Mr. Badru's office. On getting there, he was attended to without any delay. After careful examination of his credentials and an oral interview by Mr. Badru and members of the board, of which Mr. Badru had been informed before Wale's arrival, he was considered the best candidate for the post of managing director of the electronics department of Mr. Badru's company.
It was the best day of Wale's life in the past 5 years. He was asked to resume the next day with immediate effect as his service is urgently needed due to the absence of the former managing director, who was sacked due to fraudulent acts. Wale rushed home to relay the good news to Tayo, and since then, Wale's story has changed for the better; he no longer complains of being out of money.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.