Errors of yesterday

Hook-up, make friends, create and manage groups, online clubs, find and reunite with classmates, coursemates, old Friends. Holla! Chat and more...
Comment
User avatar
Horlar626
VIP VIP
 

May 24th, 2021, 12:24 am

It started as a harmless visit, a former subordinate trying to show appreciation and gratitude to her boss who was particularly helpful in stabilizing her emotions and normalization of filial differences at her home, during the short time she worked at the company as a temporary staff.

Before long, the visits became more frequent, with growing intimacy during all successive visitations, although none of them expected the cordiality to progress beyond a platonic gesture. The boss, James Alatise, was the Managing Director and Chief Executive of ABC Insurance Company Ltd while Joyce was the temporary employee

James retired from Federal Insurance Corporation at Abuja after serving for several years and decided to settle down at Ibadan to set up his own insurance company, ABC Insurance Company Ltd. He had a happy home: a beautiful wife and four equally beautiful, charming and intelligent daughters. He had built a tasteful house at the GRA part of the ancient city for his post retirement comfort and settlement of his family. When he finally relocated, the wife, still in paid employment as a school teacher, remained at Abuja, but visited home twice a month to take care of their new home and her husband.

As for Joyce, she had been a bosom friend to Ajoke who came from a humble and modest family background Both of them grew up as children in their neighborhood and remained close all through their secondary school days till they found themselves together again at the polytechnic. Ajoke was admitted to read Marketing while Joyce was in the School of Vocational Studies, studying Town Planning. After successfully completing their National Diploma studies respectively, Joyce opted to proceed with her Higher National Diploma program immediately but Ajoke decided to search for employment to gather some working experience.

Through the assistance of one of their lecturers, she secured an appointment as a sales representative with ABC Insurance Ltd. She was diligent, hard-working and focused, and contributed immensely to the progress of the Company.

On completion of her own HND program, Joyce needed to wait for about seven months before going for the compulsory national youth service corps program. During this interregnum, she offered to assist her mother in the running of her patent medicine store, a shop the latter opened to supplement her earnings from the Local Government Commission where she was formally employed as an Audit Assistant.

Joyce’s father was an Architect, a disciplinarian to the core, and had brought up all of his ten children from three wives in an environment that engendered moral values, hard work and spartanism. Joyce was the fifth child of the family, second from her mother, beautiful and attractive. She was particularly loved by her parents whose desire for her was to become a town planning professional and a responsible housewife. Although she had difficult time warding off amorous advances from her numerous admirers, both within their residential area and in the school, she remained chaste and shunned any act of promiscuity. She had thoroughly imbibed the tenets of excellent home training provided by her father.

When the drudgery of staying at the mother’s shop everyday was becoming unbearable, she decided to find a temporary job at any of the medium-sized companies at Ibadan where they lived, in order to ameliorate the effect of boredom. On one occasion, she went to visit her elder half-brother, Kunle, at the hotel where he worked as the manager. Joyce had earlier sought his assistance with temporary employment. Meanwhile, on that same day, James also brought some business associates to the hotel for relaxation, to round up the day’s activities. Kunle related quite well with James, a regular customer. After the usual rapport, Kunle introduced his sister to James, and requested his assistance for job placement. Unfortunately, James had no vacancy in his company nor could he recommend her to any organization where she could be hired.

After a few more trials of job searching and frustrating negative responses from prospective employers, Joyce gave up. She was at the mother’s shop one afternoon when Ajoke unexpectedly surfaced to pay her a courtesy visit and market life insurance policies. They embraced and hugged each other and tried to recount old memories. Joyce expressed disappointment at her inability to get a job and chronicled her unrelenting efforts including the failed attempt with Managing Director of ABC Insurance Ltd. Ajoke was surprised, given the extensive contacts possessed by Joyce’s father, but still promised to assist. Shortly thereafter, Ajoke left.

Not quite long, there was a job opening at ABC Insurance Ltd. James’ secretary was due for a maternity leave and the company needed a temporary replacement. Ajoke approached the Administration Manager on behalf of Joyce who was contacted accordingly. In the meantime, Joyce had greatly improved her computer skills, using the available spare time to attend various programs. She was invited to take an aptitude test which she passed. Following that, she was requested to report for an interview and, upon an impressive performance, was employed as a relief secretary. At the interview session with James, there was a memory flash back, an intuitive feeling of having seen the girl before but when he could not recollect when and where and under what circumstances, he gave up but then asked: “Haven’t I seen this face before?” “Yes sir”, Joyce replied, “at the hotel when I went to see my brother, and he told you I needed ajob”. “That’s right What a coincidence. I apologize for not recognizing you right away and my inability to help at that time. In any case, all is well that ends well We are happy to have you around But I must stress that our work here is very demanding and requires people who are industrious and self motivated”, James concluded. “I will do my best to cope sir” Joyce responded.

She performed exceedingly well on the job, even assisting in other departments where she could ably do so. She possessed a likeable personality that radiated to all her colleagues. She was quite affable and this quality endeared her to a lot of people within the company and beyond, like their customers and suppliers.

Having done the job for about five months, it was time to resume for national youth service corps program and had to leave the company. The short period of her employment seemed like several years. For her diligence and devotion to duty James instructed that a befitting send-forth party be held in her honour to mark her contributions to the company’s activities and her departure. Joyce attended the party with her fiance, Timo. The get-together was warm, lively and enjoyable. Several farewell speeches were made, commending her pleasant disposition and wishing her well in her future endeavours.

At the exit disengagement meeting with James, she expressed deep gratitude for his benevolence and other parental care during her brief stay at the company and inquired if she could stop by in his house at a subsequent date, with her intending husband, Timo.

James had no objections. As promised, on a Thursday evening, after confirming that James was home by telephone call, she came, alone; Timo was not available to accompany her for some reasons. Incidentally only James and his house help were in. The outdoor service of a nearby eatery was contacted to bring some snacks. She was entertained and left after spending a couple of hours.

Quite a number of other subsequent visits were made, prior to her to Kaduna where she was posted for her national service, without any incidence. However, on this rainy day when the weather was very cool, she visited again and both of them were alone in James’ apartment. After the usual pleasantries, the atmosphere became charged romantically. James’ wife had not been home for several weeks because the students at school where she was a teacher were taking exams and she needed to remain at Abuja to conclude the marking and grading exercise.

Gradually and unobtrusively, James and Joyce began to reach out for each other, switching sitting positions and holding hands with little or no protest from either side. It was difficult to determine who initiated the move, but caressing soon commenced, arousal ignited, official barriers broke down, serenity of the environment conspired, self-control evaporated and without prior intention, they were criss-crossing beyond the forbidden boundary. At the end, it was a mixture of pleasure, sadness and anxiety. It was first time for the girl. She became confused. The father must never get to know that she would not be met intact on her wedding night. And in order to pre-empt unavoidable temptations during the national service period, the parents were arranging for her to get married before going for the NYSC program but she demurred, acceding to consummate the wedding only after the service year. The fiancé agreed with her time table. ‘

Meanwhile, preparations for departure to Kaduna were at advanced stage and two weeks later, she traveled to her station. By mutual consent, further visitations to James ceased though they spoke on telephone. Two months into the service year, she started to experience dizziness and general weakness. She presumed it must be a malaria attack and procured some OTC drugs for treatment. When the symptoms persisted after three days, she contacted her doctor who ordered for a medical test. The result was devastating.

Two months old pregnancy. She was flabbergasted. But how? Just an innocuous, stray and awkward attempt? She had heard of married couples who engaged in almost daily and vigorous conjugal expeditions, and yet the women never conceived until several years after. She refused to believe the result and went to another medical laboratory which confirmed the same thing. It was a disaster. She sobbed and wept. She became suddenly withdrawn and remained agoraphobic for several days. Her new friends were wondering what might have happened to an otherwise lively and active lady bubbling with excitement and vivacity at the orientation camp.
Then, she became remorseful. What a demonstration of asininity. She could not just figure how everything happened so fast. How could she have been so naïve? Now, how would she break the news to her father the disciplinarian, her fiancé the quintessential, her friend the confidant and finally, her former boss the accomplice?

She called her friend, Ajoke and persuaded her to visit Kaduna for comradeship and sight-seeing. Ajoke agreed and on the night of her arrival, Joyce poured out her heart out but omitted James’ part. Abomination! How will she say it? That em..em.our boss… She banished the thought instantly. Finally, she declared her intention to terminate the pregnancy. Her friend was full of sympathy, but expressed no opinion on the decision. She presumed Joyce’s fiancé, Timo, must be the expectant father of the unborn baby. However, within her, Ajoke questioned the rationale for wanting to abort the pregnancy when the duo could easily fast track their marriage arrangements. But Ajoke also knew that her friend could be resolute and unyielding when she had made up her mind on a sensitive matter like this. Whatever may be the motives driving Joyce, Ajoke would stand by her on any decision taken on the issue. After all, what are friends for.Ajoke returned to Ibadan on the third day

At the point in time, Timo was also carrying out his national youth service assignment at Oyo town but regularly visited Ibadan where his parents resided. Timo, Joyce and Ajoke had been friends before Timo started dating Joyce. They all remained in contact. On one week-end, he decided to visit Ajoke at her parents’ house where she was residing. Both were happy to see each other. Discussions ensued, ranging from current political events to the deteriorating quality of life in Nigeria, an outcome of various inconsistent government economic policies. Finally, she asked: “why are you afraid of becoming a father?” Before he responded, her telephone rang.

Noting that it was Joyce on the line, she put it on the speaker and sad “Gist me, my babe, what is the latest development? I have a surprise for you”. “Ugh, surprise sha?” responded Joyce. Anyway let me update you, the exercise was successful but very painful. I lost so much blood to the extent that I thought I was going to die. But for your work schedule, I actually wanted to suggest that you stayed behind to give me the needed moral and other support.

After the evacuation, I was very weak. I plan to come home at the end of the month when I hope to have fully recuperated. What is happening at your end?” asked Joyce.Ajoke replied, “I am sorry about that. Not much is happening here, and, guess who is with me, Timo, can you imagine, since all these days. Or are you the one hiding him from us? I put my phone on speaker so we can all chat”. Alarmed, Joyce asked, “Which Timo, my own Timo. Is he still there with you? Oh my God. You have killed me.” Instantly she collapsed and the line went dead. “Hello, Joyce, are you still there? No response. Some of her fellow youth corps members who had her screamed rushed her to the nearest hospital, where she gave up the ghost. Timo and Ajoke waited for her to call back, all in vain. Timo asked Ajoke, “What is she talking about?” Ajoke was dumbfounded. What a price to pay for errors of yesterday.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/05/err ... yesterday/
flag.jpg

Please share...

the sun is rising :thnk: :thnk:
User avatar
TitanKenneth
VIP VIP
Location: New York
 

June 10th, 2021, 4:03 am

A novel?
Follow me on facebook "Titan Kenneth".
https://mobile.facebook.com/profile.php ... speed_dial
Comment
  • Information
  • Online

    Users browsing this section: No members and 0 guests