Another Chance

"I promise you, hell will resurrect the dead if I don’t get this job today". The interview was scheduled for 11 am on 5^th August 2019. Few minutes to time, someone came out of the room and said, "I suppose you are waiting for the interview?"

Yes sir.

"I am sorry; we have closed for today".

What? Please, "do not test the devil in me because it will be disastrous. I have been in the waiting room for about 50 minutes before now. Why are you doing this to me? What is my offence? Why not give me a chance before you could decide my fate?"

Mr Man, "I don't have your time". The interview can’t hold anymore and the panel have made their decision. in regards to this, they can’t hold another interview for you. We are sincerely sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused you. Do have a good day.

Steering at him in a wondering lost manner thinking if he could feel how I was boiling within me. Anyway, "let me take my miserable self home". Authority can deny others the chance to see the road after they have crossed the bridge. I spent 40 minutes on the chair outside the company premises and I began to sing my song of sorrow recalling the taunts of disappointment each moment I went in search of jobs. 

My body has melted,

As ice set under fire,

The pant I wore,

Loose as a child,

In a battle with diarrhoea.

The breeze was scorching,

The warmth I felt was wrath,

So painful as lovers parting ways,

My eye red as hot as charcoal,

All my thoughts swimming in perjury.

Oh, my dear soul!

My hand's tremored, 

As a child denied his lunchbox,

My spores ooze out sweats of blood,

My strength was taken away by the pit of misery.

Oh, my dear soul!

My hands touched nothing but despair,

I am famished by the strokes of despondency.

Oh, my dear soul!

My heart throbs,  

Faster than the running streams,

Speedometer slower than the noise of my agony,

I am in a web of depression.

Oh, my dear soul!

My contentment was only anger,

My visitors were thoughts of suicide.

Oh, my dear soul!

One of my visitors asked?

Why all these upon you?

Why all I see in the chambers of your heart is misery?

My silent look,

My drop of tears,

Burst in anger,

My heart explodes.

Oh, my dear soul!

The whole day was too small for me. I felt when will these “No’s” end. As usual, my litanies of frustrations couldn’t give my eyes a click of sleep. Weeks later, I was called by G&G Company for another interview. I was a bit hesitant to respond to it after my experiences of long hours of disappointments in the waiting room. As always, the coinless pocket will always hope that something good might drop.

It was the interview day and guess what happened?

Just a day to end my pit of hell,

Long before the hope was forgotten,

A morning voice of consolation crow.

While still in the waiting room, a young man came and said, "Are you, Mr Lenny?"

Yes, I echoed.

"Follow me into my office".

All right, sir.

And behold!

Sweet sugared and buttered bread,

Place before my table of agony,

To calm my wearied soul.

Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you a place in our company after having gone through your Curriculum vitae and the documents you submitted during the application process. Kindly go through these papers; all the information regarding your contract and responsibilities in this company are detailed therein. Do take your time and get back to me after 4 days if you have agreed to our terms and conditions of operation.

Oh, my dear soul!!!

Thanks very immensely, sir. I will surely respond as soon as possible.

Joy danced before me,

Again and again.

Happiness jumped out of my hopeless bed,

Again and again.

Warmth clashed their cymbals at the door of my mouth,

Again and again.

Comfort stringed the guitar of patience,

Again and again.

Peace played the classic melody in my chambers,

Once again.

Another morning of gratitude;

As the evening of sorrows elopes.

The whole night in my cottage was just the thoughts of the long years of struggle, bearing all sorts of embarrassments from all kinds of persons in the name of waiting for my turn of the interview and now an offer has been made without an interview. Surely, it looked like movies all through the night because I couldn't believe it was real until I signed the documents.

Immediately, I recalled an Igbo adage that says, "Nkita nwere ndidi n' ata okpukpu gbaragba". It translates "A patient dog eats the fattest bone".

If I had considered all the disappointments I received while at different waiting rooms, I would have given up when I was near to my success. Many a time, it is frustrating because at this weakest point of aggravation and if insults are added, one can easily lose control.

A week later, I reported working as a Humanitarian Officer-in-charge of the welfare of disabled children. It was interesting offering my services to them with patience and humility. The virtue I learnt on my way of suffering. It made me see life differently and serving these vulnerable people was a thing of joy because I carried out my duties with joy.

Soon, it clocked 1 year of my employment and there was a need to recruit an Assistant Humanitarian Officer who would support me because the task doubled to its usual and it requires more capable hands to join the organisation. This time I was in the panel to select the best applicant that would work in the advertised post. It interests me to tell you that I went out purposely to look at the faces of the applicants who came for the interview at the waiting room. It was fun because it made me remember the genesis of my life and where it ended.

This time instead of instilling fear in them with questions, I made it more pragmatic by involving all the applicants shortlisted to show what they could offer to the people they want to serve and to my surprise the person with worse grades was taken because he had the passion and experience in the area he seeks to work. But those with excellent grades had no idea of what it means working with individuals who are physically challenged. In the end, some quitted themselves because they couldn't withstand what they saw. I changed the ideas of sitting in the "waiting room" to the practical application of what they have come to do.