Anne should have suspected it was all too easy when she had no difficulty in her first year in school. Her uncle had taken good care of all her needs and school fees, and he never for once denied her of her monthly allowance. Even the dead knew Mr. Gbadebo was treating Anne like his very own daughter. He went with her to her school during her fresher's registration, and he ensured she was given a good and comfortable place in the school hostel where he wanted her to stay. Everything was going fine, at least, to an extent, until Mr. Gbadebo lost his right shoe, his left leg, his job, and almost his life. He was among the team dispatched to a particular area to disconnect houses who were yet to pay their NEPA bills. Before then, he had always stayed in the office, but that very day, he felt like going on the field, and he requested to go with his other co-workers. "You still sabi cut lite so?" One of them asked him in a very funny way after he volunteered to go with them. "You know how many years I don dey this job? If you turn to light, I go cut you." Mr. Gbadebo replied, as they all bursted into heavy laughter. The first three houses they got to were not owing, and at the fourth house, an elderly man had begged them to temper justice with mercy. The fifth house was where Mr. Gbadebo met his misfortune. The occupants of the house were owing about 3 months bill, and they had earlier disconnected them, but the occupants had used another set of wires to re-connect their light. The occupants begged as the whole thing resulted into a loud argument. "Do you guys know what you did is a criminal act?" Oga James, the head of the team asked a young guy who was begging him. "Eze!" Oga James called out to one of his boys. "Disconnect this house." Oga James commanded. Eze had set up the ladder at a good position to climb the pole when he called out to Mr. Gbadebo. "Mr. Gbadebo, abeg, come help me hold the ladder." Mr. Gbadebo was supposed to simply help Eze hold the ladder, but when he got there, he made a different bargain. "Eze, make you hold the ladder make I climb go disconnect." Mr. Gbadebo suggested to Eze. In less than a minute, Mr. Gbedebo's right shoe was the first to land on their car before him, and that was how he lost his place as the breadwinner of his house, shifting the duty to his wife whose salary was always at the mercy of the incumbent government.
Then, Anne was in her third year, and things were no longer the way they used to be. They had resumed for a new session for over a month, and she had not been able to pay her school fees, let alone buy the needed books for the semester. Even her hostel accommodation was from her personal savings, as she had to sort that out on time because of the limited spaces in the hostels. Those who don't pay on time are put into the bad and dirty rooms, while some are kept at the extreme rooms where "big" and "bad" girls stay. As for Anne, she did paid on time, but, she was still given a room with the "bad" girls. At first, Anne kept a distance from her roommates so as to avoid being influenced by them. But, at a point, she couldn't hold the fear of not being able to pay her school fees. So, she walked up to Lizzy, one of her roommates, for financial support. "Lizzy, abeg, come borrow me money." She said without any prologue. Lizzy was shocked at first, then she asked, "Wetin you need the money for? " Anne explained all her predicaments and ordeals. She told Lizzy everything from when her parents died till the very moment she was standing before her, begging for money. "I'll pay back soon." She said as she finished her story. Lizzy felt for her, but, she didn't let it show neither in her voice nor on her face. "See, as I dey here so, I no get kobo". She said, stressing the "kobo" beyond necessary. "But, e get one show wey dey tonight, at least, if you follow us go, I fit assure you say you go make something reasonable for your school fees." She added.
© 2015. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
As they say, evil communication corrupts good manners. Will Anne take the offer? How will she pay her soon-to-close school fees if she doesn't take the offer? What's even wrong with the offer in the first place. Just join me tomorrow as we continue the story. A PENNY FOR YOUR SOUL.
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HAPPY NEW WEEK !!!
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AUSTUS OFMAT NWANNE (Mr. Tackle)
Inspirational Speaker and Business Consultant,
TYO Konsult Services.
+2348072970850
tackleyourobstacle@gmail.com
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