DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
Episode 2
Miriam Edem
Everything went on well until about 4 months later when Frank jumped in laughing hard, one afternoon. He left for an interview two weeks ago and got a call that morning, behold he has the job. The pay was just 50,000 naira but he was so happy, according to him that is the highest salary he has ever earned. To me that pay was nothing and didn’t deserve the shouts Frank did, I just looked down on it.
My mother who was at home cautioned me to celebrate little beginnings and reminded us how our father started with the pay of 10,000 naira.
Patricia hearing that burst out laughing,
“I’m very serious, your father was so happy and felt like a millionaire then, my mother continued and I joined Patricia in the laugh.
“Mommy leave them they won’t understand. Do you know my last salary was below 15,000 naira? Why won’t I be happy to see 50,000 naira? Frank asked.
“Congratulations brother don’t mind Patrick. He has not even seen a job yet and he’s opening his mouth waaaa! Patricia said.
“Hey hey hey something huge is coming my way okay. Who knows if I will hit 500,000 naira in my first pay, I said.
“Wow my brother welcome to the labour market. Anyway let me go arrange my stuff, I am starting tomorrow, Frank said and left us for his room while my mother just pinned her eyes on me.
“So you’re expecting a job of 500,000 naira for a start? She finally asked.
“Hmmmm mommy I didn’t tell you. Patrick has declined two jobs when I have not seen even one, Patricia said.
“Big mouth! I shouted on her.
“Eh I like it like that, Patricia said.
“You rejected what? My mother asked.
“Mommy I know my worth abeg. I can’t have first class to earn ordinary 40,000 naira that’s an insult, I replied.
“Weldone sir. So you prefer staying idle? She asked.
“Ahh mommy something good will come up, make Una dey try get faith abeg. If I h it big now it will be the same you that will start hailing me up and down, I replied getting pissed up already when people expect me to settle for peanuts.
“Good, fine! I wish you well, my mother said and left for her room and I angrily looked at Patricia.
“Must you open your mouth wide always? I asked her.
“I thought we were having a conversation? She asked and I hissed and took up my phone to search for job opportunities online.
“Hey are you mad already? Patricia asked drawing my ears and her phone began to ring.
“Hello, she picked up.
“Good day, am I speaking with Patricia? The voice asked.
“Yes Patricia Bombum speaking, she replied and what I heard next was a scream from my sister and I sat up from the sofa I laid.
“Thank you ma I’ll be there tomorrow, thank you so much, she said and dropped the call and my Mother with Frank was seen coming out to know why Patricia was shouting.
“What happened? My mother anxiously asked.
“I have a job! I have a job momma! She shouted giving my mother a big kss and ran into her room shouting and I didn’t know what to feel at that point. Was i jealous or something? I just assured myself that mine will surely hit big than theirs.
I was now left alone to do the house chores. Patricia place of work was quite a distance and she has to be there at 7:30a.m, she wakes up in the morning takes her bath and runs off to work without cooking or doing any chores. Frank wakes up also in the morning takes a cup of tea and few slices of bread and runs off to work before 7:30 to arrive there by 8a.m.
I was now left as the chef to cook for my parents who will also leave the house in the morning and I’ll be alone to carry out the house chores and get dinner prepared for them to eat when they return in the evening.
It continued that way for 5 months when I got no call from the different places my applications were scattered in. It was no longer funny for me and I began to cry out that the chores are becoming too much for me.
‘Who so ever that want to go to work should wake up by 5a.m and do something o! I shouted one early morning drawing my ears.
“I don’t understand the unnecessary shout when you can talk to us in a civilized way, Patricia said and it was as if a drum was hit on my head.
“Wait o, who is the uncivilized one here? I asked her.
“Hey bro it has not come to that. Don’t we do the chores when its weekends? Frank came in.
“Ask him o, Patricia said.
“So because you do the chores on weekends then the jobless one will take over for the rest of the week huh? What if I was working? I asked.
“Until then please, Patricia bluntly said and got into her room and I was so pained.
I got very desperate to have a job, anything I was ready to accept if that will make me leave the house also and end the insult.
DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
After a month Patricia complained that the distance is too much for her and she’s thinking of relocating to where the transportation will be less also for her.
“That’s a good idea, have you seen a house? My mother asked.
“Yes yes, I saw a good place and the pay is manageable though I need a little help to balance up and get some few things for the room, she replied..
“Like how much are you talking about here? Frank asked.
“Uhmmmm, 80,000 naira will do please, Patricia said and everyone heaved.
In money matters it didn’t concern me, because if broke was a person it will be me, so I just kept quiet for the workers in the house to say something while I just listened.
My father then cleared his throat when my mother looked at him,
“I don’t understand the eyes of your mother o, he said laughing.
“You’re the man of the house na so we are waiting for you, my mother said.
‘Okay I think let’s contribute within ourselves to get that money, what do you think? Frank asked.
“I promise bro this will be the last, when the next rent expires I’ll be able to pay without asking for help please, Patricia said.
‘Pat calm down, we are not asking if you’ll pay or not. We are still finding a solution to how to help you, My mother said.
“Okay ermmm…… As an old man I don’t have money o, but I’ll support with 20,000 naira, my father said.
“I’ll add 10,000 to it, my mother added and we turned to Frank and he burst out laughing.
“Una just swallow me finish o, Frank said and they laughed because it was not funny to me.
“Okay, I’ll balance the rest but that should be when I am paid o, Frank said and Patricia jumped on him shouting.
“Thank you all so much you’re the best muah! She shouted throwing ksses and I heaved. So within minutes 80,000 naira has been raised with no stress but I’ve been jobless for almost…. If not a year now and no one cares to ask me “how far na” no one has bothered to ask if I have business plans or not.
DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
That was how Patricia left the house to her own apartment, and me as her twin remained at home doing houseboy.
After about a month I was at home relaxing after doing some laundry when Patricia call came on phone,
“How far? I picked up but her voice was not good at all. She’s always fast in having typhoid and we’ve warned her to be careful of what she eats and drink but she won’t listen.
“Where are you? I asked.
“At home, she weakly replied.
“Send me the address, I said and dropped the call and hissed just when I wanted resting. I got changed up and saw she already sent the address and I began to calculate the amount of money that will take me down there.
I arrived there and got her better and gave her something to eat.
“This your place is busy o and good for business, I said to her.
“Yes, if you come here in the night eh, eatable things are scattered but no sharwama, she replied.
“Sharwama? You mean no sharwama? I asked and she nodded.
“Very annoying, she replied and I hit her.
“Ouch! Whats that for! She shouted.
“Sorry I didn’t know it will pain. But then why didn’t you tell me? I asked.
“You know how to do it? She asked surprised and I shook my head.
“Oh you didn’t know that my friend over there at the camp during our NYSC knows how to do this sharwama and roasted plantain very well? I asked.
“What are you waiting for na? See you’ll hit here o, if you want i can secure a spot for you, Patricia said.
‘You dey laugh me? No money na, I said.
“Don’t worry about that, same way money was raised for me it can be done for you. I’ll be there on Saturday so we can plan it out, Patricia said and I was so happy.
DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
Just as she said, on Saturday she visited and we discussed it as a family. Even though my parents didn’t know what was Sharwama they bought the idea if that’s what I wanted.
“But we have to taste it first o so we can rate it for you, Patricia said.
“Uhmmm can you give me a small amount of money to get it done now? I asked and Frank gave me the money which with speed I ran to the market and came back to prepare it and gave it to them.
“Uhmmmm so you’ve been hiding this huh? God don expose you today! Patricia shouted.
“Bros when you open up collect her money o, there is no sister in business, Frank said.
“Brother you don’t need to worry, that one is pay before service, I said and Patricia looked at us with a frown.
DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
In less than a month, Frank returned one evening and gave me an envelope. I opened up and saw the exact amount of money I wanted to start the business with,
“But brother how? I thought you didn’t have money? I asked.
“Yes, but then I thought my brother has to do something so I loaned it from a friend.
Don’t worry I can pay back but use it wisely okay, Frank replied and I screamed and hugged him tightly as he laughed at me……….
DELILAH : EPISODE 1 – THE END
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