" Mr Riggs , i have taken a look at your credentials and i have to say ; this is a fantastic CV for someone of your condition . When i first saw your CV i was ecstatic . I told my secretary that you should come and see me immediately .now that i am seeing you in person , it begs the question , can you be able to handle this job? with your condition i mean "
I cant count the number of times that all the employers that i have gone to meet for interview has reiterated this fact to me .the thing that leaves me perplexed everytime is that , none of this people are related!. not one . Infact , the distance between The first and second establishment is huge that , if you decide to walk there , you will never feel your knees ;ever again . This is the third interview ; or is it the fourth ,after the second interview where the employer told me .
" Mr riggs , you look ; no ,i know you are a hard working man . I am a man that appreciate hard work . Hek ; even this enterprise was built on hard work , commitment and perseverance . That is why , when you brought your CV to me and i saw your cridentials , i knew you were a hard working man too .But , this job ; it is not going to be easy for you .With your condition again , you might not be able to keep up . I am a man of speed and accuracy and i like my workers to be able to finish and submit all their given tasks before the due date ; and with no excuses. In a way , i am just trying to save you from the stress of this whole pointless roller-coaster . i hope you Understand? "
The way the man was speaking to me was like as if i am about to join a secret cult , or join the military .The thing about nigerians is that some people like to exaggerate their current status as if they are on the top, when they are just normal . Imagine , they have turn digital marketing into computer engineering .
Anyway , after that incident , i stopped keeping track of how many interviews i was being called for . I had to keep my sanity in check so that i will not mistakenly explode on the wrong employer .. Now , with these new turn of events , i couldn't take it anymore .
" Look , Mr employer . If you don't want to give me the job , please just tell me . I have gone round the whole of lagos; searching and hunting for jobs like a possessed widow . My condition didn't stop me from coming hear , so don't use it as an excuse . i have been doing things like a normal person for many years and the condition didn't stop me . So please , you all should be realistic and truthful for once ."
I know what i said was rude and wrong on the bases that i am searching for work , but i couldn't take it any more .All of them are the same . They don't like a disabled person working in their firms because they think it will lower their productivity and will be a waste of their money . The thing is , their theory might be correct in some jobs but not all . I did a full course and training in digital marketing and also did my I T in the United kingdom . So i have a little experience in the job ;and they say , experience is the best teacher . The reason i am even back in nigeria is because , i had to submit my report and get my clearance with my certificate, in other to show that i did the course . Now one employer is questioning my job ethics because my eyes is closed ; nonsense .
" How dear you talk to me that way! Are you mad?! because i allowed you to enter my office , you feel you have the liberty to ...."
I didn't even allow him to finish his statement , i stood up , carried my bag and started to walk out of his office . When i got to the door , i said
" nobody knows how someone feels until they are in their shoes . I pray it dosn't happen to you .Have a nice day ."
with that been said; i opened the door and walked out of his office , not even taken a glance at his secretary . I exited from the building and was standing outside on the gate . Thank God that the man's workers were not like him . they assisted me, that is how i was able to locate the exit ; one of them even offered to take me home saying that he is going in my direction .But i declined . I didn't want him to enter trouble . Besides , i have a paid driver . I don't want my mothers money to go to waste .
I took out my phone, inputted my pin . I searched for the driver's number and dialed it . He answered on the first ring . I told him he should come with the car to pick me in front of the exit gate and he told me he will be their in a few minutes . I used that time to collect my thoughts . I have been searching for work for a while now and still yet , i haven't found one . weather its a curse or a blessing i don't know . I just need to cool off today . I can resume the hunt tomorrow ; this is just a minor set back . After about 4 minutes of standing and getting odd comments from nosy people ,The driver arrived . i opened the door and got in the back . When he saw i was ready , he zoomed off .
" Where would you like me to take you now sir?"
The driver asked me . The thing i like about this man is that he is humble . Although he is older than me , he still shows me respect . I really enjoy the man's company . He is not dull at all . When we were going to the second interview , he asked me what happened in the last one and i told him . The man told me that maybe all of the employers are related in the spiritual realm. maybe they have a father and mother their, or they have a whole extended family based their ;you can never know .. The statement actually made me laugh ,and for a second ; i forgot about what happened.
" Just take me home , i am very tired . I will continue looking for work tomorrow ; let me use the remaining time to search online for any available vacancies ."
He got the message loud and clear . Something even told me that, that was what he was already thinking because before i knew it , i had already arrived home . I got down from the car , carried my files and went inside the house . My mom was in the kitchen preparing something for us to eat. As usual , the smell of the food will make any food you have eaten to vanish from your stomach . My dad died a long time ago ,so it has been me , my mom and siblings . My older sister and brother are already married and living on their own with their wonderful and beautiful children ; that makes me and my adopted sister, the only one's living in the house . My mom dosen't mind ; infact , she is happy to have some of her children living with her . My adopted sister sarah has finished secondary school and she is waiting for her admission . Her mom and dad died in a car crash so she didnt have any where else to go . My mother, being a nice woman took her in .
I walked into the house and greeted my mom . She just gave me a faint response and continued her cooking . Anytime my mom is cooking , she always likes to put her mind , heart and soul into that cooking ; maybe that is what makes it sweet . If you try and disturb her when she is cooking , you'll be her sworn enemy . seriously , one of our neighbor did it to her and now , they haven't spoken in years . Anyway i went to my room and arranged all my files and folder in my cupboard , making sure they don't get bent . After that , i went to take a shower and prepair for dinner .I didn't see sarah in the house , but still ;if she was in the house , she will either be playing with her phone or sleeping . The girl likes her sleep . 30 minutes later , MY mom shouted from down stairs that the food is ready .
" finally , i was day dreaming about eating dinner ." That is the level of how i was hungry .
During the meal that, sarah unsurprisingly came down for ; my mom asked me how the job hunt went today .
" Well , we thank God . "
This is the common statement that nigerians give to people when they dont want to talk about their day , or they are trying to hide something . Now in this case , my mom wasn't buying it . How did i know? because she Immediately said .
" We give God the praise , but i also want details . Where did you go and how are you sure that they are going to call you. "
You see? she is not buying any of it . Weather it is the motherly instinct or it is just my bad luck , i don't know . I am really rooting on the former .
" Well mom , if i want to be honest , i don't think any of the jobs i went for today, that the employers will call me . It seems that they don't really take people with disability into their job description . Honestly i am really tired of all of the insults . "
" From the way you are talking you must have lost your temper in one of the interviews . Look my son , don't expect people to take you like a normal person . some people are not elightened , so you can't expect them to know the power and usefulness of people living with disability . Please my son , dont take it to heart . "
Now i am certain . The motherly instincts is where the money is . Imagine if i was playing a trivial game , i would have won some sweet sweet cash .
" But my son , don't you want to consider that proposal that your vice chancellor gave you last year? I know you said you wanted to make your own way ; build your own path with your sweat and blood , but isn't better to start from somewhere?. Most successful people today started from somewhere . They didn't just wake up in the morning and say " i will be successful " . no ;they started from somewhere . they also were not ashamed to ask for help when they needed it . so my son , please if i were you , i will take the offer and make sure i build up my self until i can be able to stand on my two feet , then i can go independent . "
I thought about what she said . the main reason why i din't accept the offer that time was because i didn't want everyone in my class to think that i found favor with the vice chancellor . After the whole mushy talk on our graduation , i didn't want any rumors spreading . Now though , maybe i should try it out . Who knows , God can use it and bless me .
After dinner , i helped my mom with the dishes , while sarah did my mom's laundry . after which i went to our family archive and searched for the letter that was given to my mom on my graduation . It was a good thing i put a brail dot on it , if not i wouldn't be able to find it on my own . I took the paper to sarah and asked her to read out the contact us number on the bottom of the paper . Of corse , being a young adult ,; she decided to play games .
" if you don't read out the number in 3 seconds , i will tell mom about big and hunky tolu ."
That , like i thought , got her attention . she slowly and nicely read the number to me , afterwards , she started begging me to keep my mouth shut . Nonsense; me that i don;t even care .but to stop her annoying begging , i promised that i will . After she left , i put a call through to the number and the person answered on the first ring .
" hello " the lady answered
" hello , my name is david oluwale riggs . i got a job proposal in your company . for the digital marketing role. "
" aah , mr Riggs . We have been expecting your call ."
my heart started to beat fast ; was i to late? ; has someone else beaten me to it? . O God please ....
" so Mr Riggs , can you start on monday ?"
I didn't think twice before saying ." yes, i can ."
" Good , see you on monday ." . after that the call ended .
Meanwhile , in an office a long distance away ,; a person is seen putting a phone reciever back down on the table .
" it was only a matter of time before you accepted my offer . see you soon "