Chapter 9: Memories, Motives, and Old Wounds

Maybe na human feeling dey push am.

Mr. Jide no cut call till e reach.

"You dey feel bad? Why you no dey talk?"

I think tire, force some words out: "Abeg, look road."

"To talk to you still important."

I freeze, my heart just dey skip beat.

I hug my wrapper tight, fear say he go hear my heart.

Silence small.

Memory just dey flash for my mind.

I be one of the first people for this company.

But since all these years, never see am bring babe come meet us.

As he fine, gentle, get better body—anywhere he go, people go rush am.

How come he still dey single?

"Mr. Jide, you don date before?"

"No."

"E good. You do campus love for university?"

"No."

"Abeg, I no believe."

Mr. Jide laugh small: "Wetin you really wan ask?"

"Nothing. Where your hometown, e far from here?"

"You dey check my local government? Na here, e no far. You wan go see?"

We don reach that level?

I poke my head, sneeze, hide back under wrapper: "Mr. Jide, today your style different."

"Na so?"

E voice light, like say e dey happy.

Before, e just dey throw shade for chat.

Man heart, na deep well.

My wrapper dey soft, sleep dey catch me again.

"How far, why you dey slow like this..."

"No come again, I no get strength to open door."

Mr. Jide laugh: "Oya, I go rush."

Maybe na because I sick, I just dey talk anyhow:

"When you ask if I take medicine, I reply, but you block me."

"So I vex, I attack you."

"I no dey like this before. Truth be say, you be good boss..."

Mosquito buzz for room, I wave am commot. My head dey heavy, but my heart dey light small. At least person dey show me care.

As I dey half sleep, memory just flash back.

That time company never big.

Mr. Jide dey carry us old staff go business dinner.

We dey call am business dinner, but e no be like that.

Because he no dey let female staff drink.

Our work na just to fill seat, make other company no look us finish.

Later, one day, we get big deal.

All of us go celebrate.

As presenter, I talk well for table.

But the other boss no send me.

I know as e dey: he just wan make I bend toast am.

No wahala.

I tell Mr. Jide no worry.

Raise glass, talk plenty, finally make the boss smile.

But he come dey overdo.

Put hand for my waist.

The restaurant smell like fried plantain and air freshener, but my mind dey somewhere else.

Mr. Jide just pull me behind am.

Smile, lie say: "She dey react to alcohol, make I do am."

Other boss face change.

That deal spoil.

The person even hold us for mind, begin disturb us for market.

When company nearly die, Mr. Jide no fit pay us.

We few just sit for road side, nobody talk.

Everybody dey blame self.

Mr. Jide own pass.

I know say he dey blame himself say he let that man touch me, still no get better result.

Na why he dey look after me more.

So I use style ginger am:

"For this world, na normal people dey suffer pass."

"I join after school, youngest here, na you give me chance."

"Mr. Jide, if no be you, I for don suffer pass this."

We talk reach night, believe say better day go come.

Later, we really wait reach am.

Till now.

For company, benefit and holiday sure, Mr. Jide no dey cheat anybody.

Na why, even if dem hear sack, nobody curse am.

He deserve am—good boss.

Person like this, how I no go get small crush?

But pass that one, I no fit try.

He too dey gentle with everybody.

I dey fear say I no special.

As I dey timid, na only for my story I fit get mind.

There, I dey act like big babe, dey crush on am.

For real life, abeg, e no fit.

All these memories dey flow as I dey hear breeze blow outside window. My heart dey soft, my spirit dey reflect. Naija work life, na wah!