OKEZIE

(...continued)

The following morning, Okezie went to the office. He didn’t go as early as he usually did when he was working as he was not yet sure his job would be given back to him. He went when he was sure the workers had come. On entering the office compound, he met Okoro at the kiosk. When Okoro saw him, he went to him.

  “My man how are you?”

  “I am fine o,” Okezie replied quite taken aback by Okoro’s reaction. He thought Okoro was still angry with him.

  “I missed you o.”

  “Yes o. foolishness takes over a man at times.”

  “I understand. They told me why you did it. I don’t blame you my brother. Woman palava.”

  “Woman no send me o. na me go myself.”

  “You wan go see oga?”

  “Yes o. let me know whether my job is still vacant.”

                Okoro coughed. Okezie understood but pretended.

  ‘someone has replaced me,’ he thought.

  “Let me go,” he told Okoro. “ I will come back.”

  “k. even though I wanted to go out but I will stay in the kiosk and wait for you.”

                Okezie left him. On entering the office, some welcomed him, some didn’t, while the rest didn’t know what to think. He saw a lady with the instruments of a cleaner, which confirmed his earlier thought but he kept calm. He shook those who offered a handshake and went to the secretary’s office.

  “Good morning ma,” He greeted her.

  “Morning Mr Okezie. You are welcome.”

  “Thank you ma.”

  “I guess your suspension is over right?”

  “Yes ma.”

  “Okay. Hold on to see the oga. He will let you know your stand.”

                With the intercom, she put a call through to the oga who asked her to send Okezie in. Okezie went in.

  “Good morning sir,” Okezie greeted when he entered the oga’s office.

  “Good Morning.” Oga replied. “Sit down.”

  “Thank you sir,” Okezie said and sat opposite his table.

  “You have come back to resume your job I guess,” he asked Okezie.

  “Yes sir.”

  “Tell me what you did during the suspension.”

                Okezie told him everything.

  “You must have learnt your lesson by now,” he said when Okezie was done. “However there is a situation now.” He paused and looked at Okezie who swallowed saliva and sat up. “When you were suspended, Okoro couldn’t handle the cleaning requirements so we hired Margret to take your place. She is not as good in cleaning as you are but we are managing fine.” He stopped.

  “Sir does it mean I can no longer work here?” Okezie asked with a lump in his throat.

                The Oga heaved a sigh and told him, “there are two options on ground now. Either we pay you off or we employ you and rotate the three of you. This means reduction in salary of three of you  and rotating how you work each week so that you have less work or giving you a day or two off. So what do you suggest?”

                Okezie kept quiet for a while.

  “Did you hear me?” the oga asked.

  “Yes I did. I want my job back but reducing the salary will not be fair to Okoro and the other lady.”

  “There is nothing I can do. We will not spend more than the office budget.”

  “Okay sir.” Okezie didn’t know what to choose.

  “You can take your time and think about it. Let me know what you decide tomorrow.”

  “Okay sir.”

                Okezie took his leave. At the kiosk, he met Okoro and Margret. Okoro introduced him to Margret and he sat with them.

  “So what did oga say?”

                Okezie thought what to tell them. Then he decided to keep the ‘pay off’ option to himself.

  “Oga said he will give me my job back.”

                Margret got interested.

  “So what happens to Margret?” Okoro asked.

  “Oga said all of us will work together.”

                Okoro and Margret jumped up in excitement.

  “So the work load will reduce,” Margret said. “These people make a person suffer. They don’t even want to see a single sand on the floor.”

  “Yes oo,” Okoro joined her.

                Okezie laughed and then dropped the shellbomb. “He said our salaries will be reduced.”

                They stopped dancing and sat back down.

  “Meaning what?” Okoro asked.

  “That’s what I asked him o and he said the office cannot handled more expenses that the budget.”

  “That’s not good na. You know that what we are being paid is not even enough let alone reducing it.”

  “This is not good o,” Margret lamented. “Upon all the work we are doing.”

  “He said working together will mean reducing the work load. We may have to get off-days or shorter work time each day.”

  “That one dey. But the money is important.”

  “I will reply him tomorrow sha.”

                Okoro held his shoulder and jocularly told him, “You know you are my man. Reject the offer na.”

  “Meaning what?” Margret asked. We need reduction in the work load”

                Okezie smiled.

  “Ehe, What do I offer you?” Okoro asked him.

  “Don’t bother yourself. Has Nkechi been coming?”

  “you are still thinking about her.”

  “Not at all.”

  “She doesn’t come frequently like before. She heard what happened and people made fun of her as the reason why a man went to do what you did. She felt bad”

  “Okay.”

                After spending some time with them, Okezie took his leave.

  “I will see you people tomorrow.”

                When Okezie left, Okoro and Margret looked at themselves.

  “What do we do?” Margret asked.

  “Nothing. It is his job. He has the same right as we.”

(...to be continued...)

 Chinedu Isaac