Come, you who are burden and heavy laden and I will give you rest

…………………………….Matthew 11: 29

 CHAPTER ONE

 It was a very sunny Saturday afternoon and all Tony wanted to do was stay at home, lie in his couch and finish the novel he started three months ago. Life as a banker was so demanding he rarely had time to do other things except work…today was different though, it was the first weekend of his annual leave and he didn’t have to go to work and he just loved it. Tony was reading John Grishams’ “The Client”…. he never ceased to be amazed at how deft Grisham was and he was sure he would be done reading in a day or two.

As he turned the next page, his phone rang…goodness how he hated distractions.

 ‘Hello’ he said rather irritably

 ‘Hello, Tony its me Simon’

 ‘Simon…sorry am not sure…”

 ‘I knew you wouldn’t remember…. Becky Adams gave me your number, we were in school together.”

 ‘My God! …….Simon Edosa?”

 ‘Yes o…na me o”

 ‘Where have you been?…..you were the last person I ….’

 ‘I know……. my brother, life has been hard for me o, am in Benin…..am supposed to attend an interview in Lagos on Monday so I thought to call you maybe I could stay at your place, I intend to leave early tomorrow…”

 ‘No problem at all……did Becky give you my address as well?’

 ‘No she said it would be better if I called as she wasn’t sure…’

 ‘Never mind ….do you have a piece of paper with you?’

 ‘Just a minute…okay what’s the address?’

 ‘No 6 salvation road Opebi, Ikeja…….when you arrive Ojota, take a bus to Ikeja then…..’

 ‘I know the place…its at Salvation bus stop isn’t it?’

 'You are right’

 ‘I cant thank you enough…we will talk when I come’

 ‘Okay I will be expecting you and have a safe trip here’

 ‘Thank you…bye now’

 ‘Bye’

 Simon…he couldn’t believe it…he hadn’t heard from Simon since they left for youth service…to think that he could have forgotten Simon, they were a trio back in university of Ilorin, He, Becky and Simon. They had graduated since 1994 and to think Simon was still looking for a job……or maybe he was just jumping to conclusions, he probably just needed a new job. …but Simon sounded like one in dire need of salvation…anyway why was he worrying his head, this time tomorrow Simon would be here and they would talk all day long…thank God he was on leave. With that settled he returned to his book.

*          *          *          *          *          *

 Simon had had his bags packed just after he called Tony, not that he had much to pack anyway, just the clothes he had carefully washed and pressed in preparation for the interview; the only other piece of clothing was what he was traveling in. He didn’t have a large or fancy wardrobe; he had high hopes for the interview, it was with one of the new generation banks; he heard how this particular one came first in staff renumerations, perhaps this was God’s way of rewarding his patience after 10 years of struggling in the unemployment market, he had done an intensive study on the bank; its history, their vision…he could even quote their mission statement, he knew every product they sold…he was so sure he would dazzle them with his brilliance, he couldn’t wait to get to Lagos. This was the final stage of the interview where he had to meet the managing director of the bank; he just knew this was it…he had that feeling his suffering was all over.

As he sat in the bus headed for Lagos, his mind went over the last ten years. It had been hell. He was the first of ten children and he felt like a failure been unable to cater for his younger ones. His younger sister had been fortunate to get a job in a bank and the burden of the family rested on her, he felt so ashamed he couldn’t help. All he had been able to get were sales executives jobs where he had to walk the whole of Lagos marketing products nobody wanted…. after three years of living on the meager commission he got from the few sales he made, he called it quits and returned to Benin, his hometown where he borrowed some money from his sister to buy a bike he could use for business, he didn’t give up, he kept writing applications hoping one day life would smile at him again and see where persistence got him…. he went over the interview in his mind; how he would impress the panel with his knowledge of the bank and his wonderful result. At last it was bye to okada business.

CHAPTER TWO

 “Let me know when you are ready” Otakpor said in annoyance ‘how long do you need to make up your mind, am only trying to help you, you came here on your own…I didn’t force you here, so please if you are not sure you want this let me know now because I ‘ve got work to do”

 “Come on Ota…what’s eating you…when I came to you for help I didn’t know you were going to suggest a juju priest…”

 “Then keep your insurance job and your tattered shoes and worn clothes…. If you are ready I will take you to the park so you can take a bus home”

 Kenneth was shocked at Otakpor’s sudden change in attitude; he had shown concern and seemed eager to help when he had come about an hour ago to ask for help. Otakpor and Kenneth had been friends for well over five years and they had been classmates in the university but had been out of touch since they both left for NYSC camp. Kenneth had got a job selling insurance policies and it was really difficult surviving on that. After two years of hardship he had run into Otakpor at a mart where he had gone to buy birthday cards for his girlfriend: Lucy, she had given him a 6month ultimatum to do something about his financial situation and that was why he had gone to see Otakpor who had made it real big; what he didn’t know was that otakpor’s wealth was not as a result of a successful import business as he had being made to believe. Juju…he had never considered it an option but now with poverty snuffing the life out of him and Lucy’s ultimatum he wasn’t sure what to do.

‘Okay…Otakpor…’he started

 ‘Are you ready to go home now?’… Otakpor responded still miffed

 ‘Come on friend…there is no reason for you to get so pissed off…okay tell me about this man’

 ‘Look I haven’t got time to waste talking about it….if you are game, we go, if not go back to your insurance job’.

After a moments thought Kenneth decided to give it a shot afterall Otakpor didn’t look like there was anything wrong with him…. he was the one who got snubbed because he reeked of poverty, he was the one with a girlfriend who had given him an ultimatum, he was the one who had aged parents and siblings to look after…what could possibly go wrong.

 ‘Okay I will give it a shot but on one condition…’

 ‘No conditions’ Otakpor snapped ‘you are either in or out’

 ‘Okay when do we go?’

 Simon had a lot on his mind after the interview…. he wasn’t quite sure which of the many options on his mind to take…as he got off at the bus stop just after the third mainland bridge he began walking back to the bridge…. he must have walked for ever because he began to see not too far away the many tall buildings that Lagos island is characterized with, but he was still some distance away…should he jump into the lagoon? It seems life had nothing but doom in store…five minutes into the interview he knew he wasn’t getting the job, why did they allow him go through all the stages only to ask him at the final stage to list five influential Nigerians who would give their bank five hundred million naira each within his first year of employment…the question he kept asking himself as he stared at them in disbelief was ‘if he knew any such persons why would he have gone through the stress of the past ten years’

‘Well’ the managing director said ‘do you think you can meet this target…the job is yours if you can…you can even start right away’

 ‘Am sorry sir, but am not sure I know any such persons but am sure I can add value to your organization. Um…. my credentials attest to that….’

 ‘Young man’ he continued patiently ‘we are quite aware of what your credentials attest to but what we want to know is what you can do for us…so do you need a minute or so to come up with five names…come on that’s not so many’

 ‘Am sorry sir…’

 ‘Okay have a good day gentleman …you will be hearing from us’

 ‘I bet I will’…Simon said under his breath and walked out of the room

Right now as he saw the dark waters of the lagoon…. it just seemed to remind him of the darkness in his life ….oh! How he wanted to end it all. Perhaps he should just stray into the road…no car drove slowly on the third mainland bridge and no sane person was expected to be crossing the road, he would just take the next car by surprise and just jump in front of it…no he didn’t have the courage.