The next morning I called the number she had given me, and a deep masculine voice answered.
"Good morning sir," I greeted.
"Good morning, how are you?"
"I'm fine sir." I was lost completely; I realized that I don't even know the young lady that gave me the number.
"Sir, somebody gave me this number, sorry I did not get to know her name, but…"
"O, yes, you are Nosy, right? She mentioned you were going to call."
"Yes sir," I answered not sure if I had to.
"Come to my office immediately." The peremptory in his voice was profound. I wrote down his address as he more or less spelt it out.
I was ushered into a luxuriously furnished office. The man behind the massive table introduced himself as Mr Douglas Jideofor. He offered me a seat, picking up his desk phone that was blinking, he spoke gently.
"Ok. Yes, You will go for a 4-month intensive course on banking security and network, and marketing strategies. That's to enable your rapid promotion. Apparently, you are slated to rise fast through the ranks. Someone has a special interest in you. In less than eighteen months, you might be where most people want to be in 10 years. It's a vast world for you, and it's entirely up to you to make it or mar it." I had stopped eavesdropping and was admiring the hi-tech computer system and the paintings on the wall,
"Are you listening to me young man?" he asked with a furrow.
"No sir, I thought you were still on the phone."
"So you did not follow all I have been saying?"
I shook my head in embarrassment. He repeated all he had said earlier, and I watched him with my jaw dropping at the naked reality of it all. He gave me an appointment letter instantly, and I was sent to Lagos two days later.
During the months of training in Lagos, I made sure I dialled her number three times a day. I never got through to her number any of those times. I resorted to sending SMS, but they always came undelivered. Surprisingly, Mr Jideofor told me that he speaks with her every day. When I asked him for her name, he'd said calmly.
"What she didn't ask you to do, don't do it. Stick to that and you will go places."
It was so out of place that I did not know the name of my benefactress, and strange that I don't know her name too.