No Response….

"Oh no, hahaha Not weird really, I've heard way weirder especially tribal names"

"You must be asian, Thailand maybe?"

"Just guessing because of your name"

"Nice guess"

"I'm from Thailand"

"What about you"

"Yay, I got it"

"I'm from Africa, Nigerian."

***

Hey there siri. Oh, No response yet, huh? It feels like my message got lost in the hustle and bustle of life, just like a tiny leaf swept away by a strong gust of wind. Or maybe you're caught up in the whirlwind of your own adventures? Thailand, huh? Your ethnicity and location feel like a distant star in the night sky to me. I wonder if that's why you didn't bother to reply? And I got so carried away I didn't even tell you to follow me back yet.

Oh Well, we all have our own paths to follow and stories to write. Just like a river flowing steadily, we can't be glued to our phones or a single app all the time.

It's already twenty three minutes past 8pm, approximately 2 hours since I finally made it home after a seemingly endless day at work, this "long day at work" definitely felt like a rollercoaster ride through stress city, literally!

It's been 9 months since I embarked on this internship journey at the NIGERIAN ELECTRICITY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, and I still have 3 months left to go.

I still remember the intricacies of my first day at the agency. When my uncle in-law, who happens to be the accounting manager at the agency gave me a ring on that faithful day, I wasted no time and dashed over to his turf. He wanted to introduce me to the Area Inspecting Engineer of the agency and get my IT letter approved pronto. After a quick shower, I dressed to impress in a sleek black blazer, a crisp white T-shirt, and stylish black loafers. With my documents neatly organized in my trusty cross hand bag, I hit the road. It only took me a cool 35 minutes to reach the agency, which conveniently sits just 1km away from my parents' place. I stepped into the administration office feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. It feels like just yesterday I crossed the threshold of the admin office, my gateway to the great unknown. The administrator, a towering figure at 6'1ft, stood stoically behind his desk, flipping through files with a fervor that seemed to fuel his very existence. With a gentle tap on the slightly ajar door, I announced my presence. His murky eyes met mine as he waved me into his office, I entered the room, my towering presence seemed to cast a long shadow catching the admins attention, he's murky eyes widened like a star struck astronomer discovering a celestial giant.

"How tall are you?" The admin asked deftly maneuvering around his chair to take a seat.

"6'7 sir" I replied unhurriedly, unsure if it would be impolite to sit before him, I carefully synchronized my steps, calculating his movements, so that we could both settle into our seats simultaneously.

I submitted my IT letter like a brave warrior presenting his sword, my GPA was quite impressive, something I could proudly hold my head high for.

"He held the letter in one hand while keeping a grip on the bulky file with a slightly tattered back cover with the other. After a quick glance through my letter, he warmly welcomed me, likely recognizing me as the referral from the accounting manager.

But deep down, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being a small fish in a big pond. Finally, he put his documents aside and stood up to offer a guided tour of the agency. As we stepped out of the administration office, we walked towards an adjacent office with the words 'Assistant Manager (Technical)' boldly written on the door. A man about 5'2 in height, approached us through the corridor, eyeing me as if sizing me up. His gaze then fell on the administrator, who was now engrossed with his phone, seemingly forgetting he was supposed to be my guide for the tour.

I gave a friendly silent greeting to the man, who seem to stand between two pillars as he approached me and the admin. He offered a light wave in response to my greeting, and opened the door to the technical office which seemed to be his.

His actions snapped the admin out of his trance, he quickly introduced me as the new intern and I extended my hand for a handshake, which he accepted. Just then, my uncle in-law emerged from his office at the far end of the hallway.

"Vincent, is this your in-law you mentioned? Did you bring him here to show off his height and make us feel small?" he jokingly remarked as my uncle walked towards the gathering.

"It's not anyone's fault that you refused to grow tall, David," Mr Vincent replied playfully.

"Oh, is that how it is? Don't worry, I know what to eat to make me grow tall," Engr. David retorted.

I struggled to hold back my laughter at his words. I always seem to have the worst timing when it comes to unexpected dark humor, but I managed to stifle the laughter. Engr David turned and entered the technical office, this is definitely not the first time he had mentioned such things, the atmosphere was too light for such exquisite humor.