MY FIRST JOB

"Can you work in a store?", my dad asked.

"Yes, I can do that", I replied.

"I've been looking for a job that won't be too hectic for you and my contractor informed me that he needs an extra hand at the company's store. When are you good to resume?"

"I can start immediately"

"Okay, let me give him a call now".

I had just finished secondary school and was hoping to raise some money before going to college. My dad and I have been in search for jobs around and outside my community for a while. He worked in a steel mill, the jobs there were just too hectic for a young man like me. He wanted something that won't stressful so he informed all his friends and fortunately for him, there was a space for me at the company's store.

"He said he can resume tomorrow, sir", my dad said to his contactor over the phone.

"Okay, when he gets to work, I'll meet him. Take care", his contractor said as he hung up the phone.

"Son, the pay isn't much. Just about NGN720 per day and you'll get paid every two weeks. I feel its for the time being though", my dad said to me.

Joy filled my heart, I was going to be making NGN10,080 every two weeks. That was a lot to me back then. I couldn't express my excitement. My sister was happy too, big bro was about to start supporting the family.

Work resumed 8am, I reached there as early as 7:30am dressed in a t-shirt and a knickerbocker. "Sign in here", the security guard said to me at the entrance. I quickly signed in, met my dad who was just about to leave for home. He was on night duty and his shift was over.

"Follow me, let me take you to my contractor", my dad said to me. In excitement, I followed him.

"Ik isn't around now but I'm sure he'll come later. Is this your son?", my dad's friend, Abraham, asked.

"Yes, he is. He just finished secondary school and I was hoping he would work a bit before going to college", my dad replied.

"Oh, that's very good. Okpia (Man, in Ishan), I'll see you later", Mr Abraham said as he walked away.

"Williams, go meet that man. He's your co-worker, he'll show you around. I'll see you at home, son", my dad said to me as he walked home.

I quickly rushed to meet the man my dad assigned me to.

"Are you the new recruit?", he asked.

"Yes, sir", I replied.

"Are you sure you can do this job?".

At this point, I was puzzled. Wasn't it a store job? Who can't sit in a store and take records?

"He can't do this job. See how small his body is", my co-worker's friend said.

"Well, let's see", my co-worker said to him.

The whole company was filled with noise of irons melting, machines working and workers talking. I followed my co-worker to a place hidden from the Indians. According to him, if we were caught not working yet, we would lose our jobs. I was like, "what's happening? Bruh, I just got this job!".

We laid low for a while when a random man walked to us and said, "it has landed". My co-worker said, "let's go" as he rushed to somewhere I didn't know. I followed him only to find sixty-four huge empty gas tanks. Now, I was bewildered. What are we doing here? What is this?

My co-worker explained to me that we had to carry the empty gas tanks into a vehicle that will take the tanks to the store. I could swear I felt a bone break when I carried one of those tanks.

After successfully loading the gas tanks into the vehicle, I thought the day's job was over. We joined the vehicle to the store where I was told that we were to replace the sixty-four empty gas tanks with filled ones. I almost died the first time, what would happen to me now?

My delicate palms got injured in the process of moving the filled tanks into the vehicle and my whole system dropped to five percent. At this point, I knew I wasn't coming the next day.

We successfully carried the tanks into the vehicle and the bell rang for break. I only had NGN100 with me. I got into the company canteen and purchased rice NGN100. It wasn't enough to raise my dry bones.

I almost fainted in the restaurant before I saw my dad's friend. He quickly purchased about three wraps of pounded yam for me and told me to eat. I finished eating and couldn't stand up from my spot. I stayed there till closing.

We closed around 7pm and as I walked home, I thought deeply about my life. All those days I blamed my parents for not giving us the best life were over. One day of hectic hustle transfigured my mentality.

I got home around 8:30pm and my sister saw my state of despair. She couldn't utter a word. I got into the bathroom, took my bath and fell on my bed.

I woke up 12pm the next day and I must say, I slept like a dead man. Poverty won this round.