Okezie sat on the bench in front
of his house as he wondered what he would do about the situation he had found
himself in.
“They will
find out.” He said to himself and sighed.
It
happened few months before. He had gotten a new job as a cleaner in a
government office. He was excited even though the pay was small. It was enough
to cater for his little needs. He lived in a one-room apartment in a family
house and so he didn’t pay rent. Feeding was not a challenge also because his
village was 30 minutes drive away so he went to get food stuff from time to
time. There was nothing much he needed money for at that time so he worked with
all his heart.
With
time, he won the affection of his employer and the workers there because of his
diligence to work, his cheerful disposition and his integrity. On few occasions
when he had seen money or documents left carelessly, he kept them safe till the
owners claimed them. They loved and trusted him. Things were going smoothly
till he met Nkechi. At first sight, he fell in love with her.
Nkechi
was a lovely girl, fine and elegant. She was a third year student of
Microbiology in the university in town. She met Okezie when she went to the office
to see her uncle. She didn’t like him but Okezie persisted and chased her. He went
to the extent of getting her phone number and kept calling her. He even traced
her to her hostel. She kept putting him away but he kept making advances. After
weeks of trial, Nkeching was not falling for him, Okezie was frustrated.
“I don’t
know what else to do,” he told Ebuka, his close friend.
“Have you
bought anything for her?” Ebuka asked him.
“No. where
did I see money?”
“That is
the problem. Girls are moved by gifts.”
“but I don’t
have the money.”
“Borrow.”
“From who?
I don’t have anybody to borrow money from.”
After a while of thinking, Ebuka
whispered into his ears, “Then take it.”
Okezie
shuddered.
“From
where?” he asked Ebuka, shocked.
“From your
office of course.”
“Tufiakwa. I
will never do such a thing.”
“Then forget
about Nkechi. You will never get her.”
That
night, as Okezie lay on his bed, he couldn’t sleep. He kept seeing pictures of
Nkechi and wondering how wonderful they would be together.
…to be
continued
Chinedu Isaac
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