Chapter 9: Code, Destiny, and Closing Old Files

As we wan finish, I joke, "Dr. Kamsiyochukwu, you no ask me any technical question o."

I dey expect am to bring out laptop, begin dey quiz me like interview. But the man just dey smile.

He smile. "Those your Github projects with 50,000 stars dey talk for you already. I don see your code. Our team really need person like you."

See ehn, the way he take talk am, e sweet me. I dey reason say, "Na who dey check my Github stars?" Sometimes, good work dey speak for itself.

Chai, see levels.

I dey form hard guy, but my chest dey swell. For Naija, we dey too look outside, but this one dey appreciate local effort.

"You dey flatter me. But abeg, one last question—you dey always employ people from online?"

I dey try confirm, make e no be set up. I dey laugh as I talk am, make e no too serious.

He just laugh.

Him laugh loud, even the waiter look our side. "My brother, the world don change. If person dey serious, you no go hide am for internet."

"No be so, but na destiny. As we dey here today, na destiny. If we fit work together, even better."

See talk.

I dey remember all those Sunday school lesson wey pastor talk say, "God dey order steps." Maybe na this kind thing dem mean. My spirit calm down.

Musa always dey do like say na favour company dey do us by paying salary, make we dey thank them.

For Palm Grove, every bonus dey come with condition. But here, person dey value me for what I fit do, not just my labour.

The gap between people big pass the gap between man and goat.

If you meet correct person, you go know. Some people dey this world, others dey for themselves. Na lesson be that.

When I join Palm Grove Tech, team—just ten people—do small welcome for me.

I still remember the meat pie and Fanta dem buy for me that first day. Everybody smile, but na only for that first week. After that, work swallow all of us.

As I dey add new colleagues for WhatsApp, one stranger send friend request. I just accept.

For my mind, I dey hope say na one of the team leads or HR. But the username strange.

"Manager Musa say make I ask you, why image library version suddenly no dey compatible?"

No "Good morning," no "How far?" Just straight to the point. I laugh. New people dey rush answer, no sabi say Naija get code of conduct.

I quick realize—na the rookie Musa just hire.

I go check LinkedIn, see say the pikin just finish school last month. I reason say, "Na wa, see as dem throw am inside wahala."

No greeting, no intro, just throw question anyhow.

I dey imagine as the boy dey sweat for neck, dey press keyboard like say na bomb wire. But even then, you suppose get small respect.

And now, as Palm Grove Tech no dey pay me again, whether version dey compatible or not no concern me. I no owe dem after-sales support after dem sack me, abi?

I dey reply in my head with one proverb: 'If you no sabi road, no follow am for night.' But I just delete am.

I smile, move on. No time to dey play support for free.