Chapter 5: Showdown Before Layoff

He no even blink: “If person help you, no be to treat am? I help you, now you dey insult me? You no get gratitude at all! Make I tell you, if you no sign, I go call police—dem go side me.”

He raise hand, dey threaten as if police go dey interested for bukka matter. Some people for office don dey whisper, dey try hold laugh. E even bring out phone as if e wan dial police number sharp sharp.

Nobody expect say argument go reach police level, but now everybody stop dey watch the drama.

Receptionist just pause her typing, security man poke head inside. Everybody wan see how e go end. This one pass Nollywood film.

I vex too. “Make I understand: I borrow two thousand, spend five hundred treat you, now you dey demand money and threaten police?”

I talk with my own voice up small, make e know say me too get mouth. If dem wan carry matter reach police, make we all go together. I ready.

He shoot back, “Na so. Wetin concern you? If e pain you, call police.”

He snap finger, face strong. Even dey talk say if I no do am, na me go regret. E sure for him mind say e go win.

I just feel like mumu.

Na so I just keep quiet. This kain wahala no be my level again. Sometimes you go just pause, dey look person, dey ask yourself how you jam this kind character.

Why I even reason remove him name from layoff list?

I dey question my own soft heart. Why I even think say na my duty to protect pesin wey no get my interest at all?

Maybe our voice too loud, oga poke head out. “Wetin una dey argue?”

Oga head poke from glass office, face serious. The office AC dey blow cold, but sweat dey my back as I call names for layoff. Everybody dey freeze. You no fit play with oga for our office—him own temper dey quick rise.

My colleague rush talk, “Oga, this guy too shameless! He no get gratitude at all!”

He rush to talk, voice high. Dey form victim, dey try get sympathy for oga side. Small time, e even point finger.

Oga look us, surprise. He point me, ask my colleague, “Na him you dey call ungrateful?”

Oga eye dey sharp. E dey look both of us, dey measure the situation. You go know say oga na old Lagos man—nothing dey surprise am.

My colleague nod like say na correct thing.

He nod head, dey tap table as if oga no suppose waste time for judgment. Some people for office dey cover mouth, dey try hide laughter.

Oga just do small wicked smile.

The kind smile wey oga give fit melt stone. Everybody know say if oga smile like that, person fit enter problem. I just keep quiet, dey observe.

I don come early that morning beg oga make he no sack my colleague. Oga even talk make I write report why he suppose stay.

I remember say I write one page full, try explain say the guy dey loyal, dey help, even though he get small wahala. Oga just read am, nod, keep am for file.

Now, just some minutes later, na IOU for forty-five hundred I dey asked to sign.

See as life turn round. The same person wey I dey fight for, now dey use biro dey threaten my peace.

My colleague rush tell oga the whole story. As oga hear finish, he look me, smile wey mean plenty. “Truly, ungrateful people full everywhere.”

Oga talk am with deep meaning. I just bow head. I sabi say na him get final say.

E just tire for our wahala, close him door.

Oga no get time for long story. As door close, silence just fill the office. My colleague dey look me with hope, but me I don already move on.