When Reality Is Just The Opposite

Written in response to: Write a story about someone who doesn’t know how to let go.... view prompt

3 comments

Black Fiction Friendship

Self-respect is what most people don’t have and don’t know how to acquire looking at things and events these days.

Nothing beats self-confidence in most people's opinion. That is the route, the key to many locked doors and even open ones. But many think that the route is turning oneself into a rich man's dog that kowtows nonstop to influential people. Why some don’t even know that those influential people, most have grounded wisdom while others are just baboons, floaters. That is what Mrs. Aaron never knew. Maybe according to some, pretends not to know.

She is a woman with adequate education, and exposure and earns enough from her civil services job to be Self-sufficient. She is not just grounded as a human. Yes, many know that looking down on people you are better than by any barometer, you use as a gauge is not good and shows that something is wrong with you but is it not still preferable to err on the side of looking down than the side of belittling oneself to the extent of marrying the refilling sites Just to appear down to earth?

She kowtows anyhow to everybody both the educated, the rich, and the famous many she is old enough to be their mother. Once she hears that that person is rich or that the other is a specialist in her chosen field, she will navigate her way to the person at times shamelessly. 

 “She came for our money, she did not remember that we exist earlier and now…”

That is the type of utterance many have of her and her chosen way of passing through this planet. From her rich primary school classmates to those from tertiary. Rich and famous ones, she never misses identifying with while ignoring the poor and struggling ones.

Imagine the image of a woman many believes that If she can just learn how to let go of the materialistic tendencies in her that have such an ugly strangling hold on her, she would have been someone many admire and look up to attaching themselves to. 

She has that features and is educated enough and equipped enough to handle any prestige post in any group she found herself in. She earns enough salary if managed well, is enough to command self-respect and from others. How are you going to respect a person you rate up there in every aspect, secretly wishing that she accept your pure advances into being her friend only for the same person that previously don't look your way to jump not to become your friend, your equal, once she noticed any financial change no matter how subtle to voluntarily offering herself as your errand gal. 

She just doesn’t know when she is being given a red card. Which referee likes a cheat? No referee likes a diver but the only difference between Mrs. Aaron and the players is that the players knew their relationship with the referee on the court, pitch, or wherever color that card was in his pocket is. You can be laughing and joking with the referee but both of you knew that one million eyes and probably the same amount of ears listening  and watching won't tolerate both of you getting too friendly to their confusion. So once the referee shows up with any color of the cards, you must get the hint and respect yourself. But guys, not Mrs. Aaron. She doesn't know or care about the difference between each card color and her little mind can't comprehend the reasons why cards even existed in a game. It's just a game and should not be tied down by unnecessary rules.

Hints are not for her either is innuendos. If you want to offload her, shout in public to the hearing of her husband and children, or you can go bankrupt for a week for her to do away with you. The woman is playing her own games and manages to always found a way a she keeps her dignity partially intact by not attaching herself to you 24/7 but is always there when you don't need her around you.

   “Hey, why do you always go to that lady's house and what is that about accepting money from her?”

I was there when her first suitors came for her. I was the one that told the mother not to agree with that particular person. The man is so poor that it is showing even in her speeches even though his clothes were saying another thing. I know those types. See who later married her?”

It is evident that she is defending collecting money from a girl young enough to be her daughter and justifying it on the ground of her advice on the choice of a marriage partners. She just doesn’t know how to let go. Pretend to be a novice in reading facial expressions.

She is just a leech to many she attaches herself to, to their annoyance by not knowing the sensible and respectful way to offload her. Many believe she is an expert in playing this type of game. To her, acquiring as much as she can from those she knew so well don’t want her around them is an ultimate sign, a skill she always hinted to his friends she believes every sensible lady should acquire considering the state of the economy and social requirements’ of their time.

  “Certain moves and its end in profits are just far better than the good name throw around in preaching as if it will put money in your pocket of food on your table”

That is just her watchword to herself and her kids. Without money, and God, this planet will be too stressful to navigate. “Marking all the well-to-do women and chasing after married and unmarried males in your community, which one is preferable?”

Not many accusers and trolls were able to come out with accurate answers to her question. Accusers are silently turning into jealousy-infected witches that are not happy their sister in Christ Is meeting pressures society heaped on the salary earners.

Imagine all the monthly bills lined up each month by mismanagement of the government. Imagine all the dues various village and city groups one belong to require each month, imagine how one would change wardrobe on the meagre leftover from her salary after settling all the bills each month.

   “Be your sister’s keeper” is another phrase that is meant to silence most accusers and put them in a defensive state. And that her defensive mechanisms seems to be working perfectly. Mrs. Aaron is not about to let go the weapon that her served her perfectly well.

February 11, 2023 05:20

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3 comments

Graham Kinross
12:07 Jun 10, 2023

I know someone very like that at work. All smiles for the rich and powerful and always asking more of anyone they think is less than them.

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Philip Ebuluofor
15:07 Jun 12, 2023

Second nature to some. Here many cases like that. Thanks for reading.

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Graham Kinross
22:08 Jun 12, 2023

You’re welcome, Philip.

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