C5 WHAT ABOUT YOUR SALARY?

Omoyemi got home from the day totally worn out, he dropped the bag containing his dirty clothes on a table, when Dan who has been waiting for him saw him come in a sport shirt over jean trousers he was surprised.

And he asked, "What happened, where is your suit and where did you get what you are wearing from? Omoyemi sat down heavily and said, "I saw hell today!"

"Hell?what happened? Is it on your way back home or when you were going in the morning?

Omoyemi rolled his eyes and said, " Dan you are too fond of asking ten million questions at a time without waiting for answers "

Dan cuts in and said, why will I not ask ten million questions at a time, I know the way you left home this morning, see the way you returned and on top of this you said you saw hell! Please tell me what happened? " He came and worriedly sat beside him, looking at his mouth.

Omoyemi said, "If you will keep quiet I will tell you what happened. Dan said I am already quiet, tell me what happened.

With this Omoyemi picked his story from the moment he set his eyes on Itunu and her baby in the bus.

He talked about the rain and moved on to tell him what happened at the bus stop. He did not forget to tell him how helpful Itunu was in stirring up a courage needed to go the way he was to the office.

Finally he told him all that happened in that office and how his uncle called to informed him that his mom collapsed and was rushed to the hospital this morning.

When he mentioned the issue of his mom, been from the same village Dan knew his mother very well because he was very closed to Omoyemi since their childhood days; he was alarmed to hear that mama collapsed!

But when Omoyemi told him that he has sent the money needed for her treatment and his uncle had called to informed him that the doctor has been on her case and she was responding to treatment, Dan breath a breath of relief.

They talked for a while about all that happened to Omoyemi, Dan was very thankful that the girl did not crushed him to death while her ruthless car was in that reverse.

When he mentioned this Omoyemi said, " I wish to God that something will bring me across that demonic girl again, I will crush her stubborn skull with my hands"

"If I am there when you meet her I won't watch you fight a girl because it is not a proper thing for a decent guy to do. By law it is even not right for you to engage an ordinary man in a fight been a mixed martial art expert."

"So it was right for her to attempt to crush me to death? Dan replied him and said, " I do not say that what she did to you was right , what I am saying is that two wrongs cannot make a right. So I won't let you go wrong to right a wrong"

"Then you will have to fight to stop me if we come across that demon" Omoyemi said this hotly and Dan knew he was deeply hurt by what that girl did.

To kill the matter the only thing he thought to say at the moment was, "Well I thank God there is no way you will meet the girl again because her kind cannot be found around this place and you don't stay in Lagos where you can easily come across her. Even if you meet her will you still recognise her?"

To this question Omoyemi said, "I agree with the fact that I may not meet her again, but that I won't recognise her I disagree with that because as I am talking to you now it is as if I am seeing her face afresh; her face is etched in my memory!"

Dan said, "Anyway, let us drop her matter, I left some spicy noodles and fried eggs for you in the oven, go and take your bath, eat and let us go to work"

Omoyemi looked at him somehow and Dan asked, "Why are you looking at me that way, are you not going to work?"

"To me that is no more work" Omoyemi answered irritably and added, "I am sick and tired of been tossed and ordered about by my mates who thought they are better than me just because their parents are billionaires, but who are set of dumb fools! I am done with that job. I will use the one month I have to wait for the new job to watch over the health of my mom"

Dan answered him with this question, "What about your salary, have you forgotten they will pay our salary today, I believe you won't dash them your salary just because you are tired of the work you will no longer do after today"

"They can keep it, I am really sick of facing the insults of those rotten babies who thought they are real men of the world"

Omoyemi said this and Dan moved closer to him again and begged him,

"Omoyemi please don't do so, that is twenty five thousand naira we are talking about, even when you are tired of working for them, but you have worked for this money and you must go and collect it, I won't allow you to dash them your sweat; please it is just this night, endure it"

Omyemi closed his eyes in pain when he heard the words of Dan, when he open it he said "I totally don't feel like going to that place tonight, but truly that twenty five thousand is my money, for it I will endure going to that place this one more night"

"Thank you" Dan said and added, "I am also tired of working there, but I have to continue to endure their insults because only politically connected people and very brilliant people like you can get a job better than this in Nigeria nowadays"

"Don't worry, when I start working in this new place I will find a way to bring you in"

Hearing his promise Dan said, "I trust you, but before you will get me into that place don't make me hate this one to a level that I won't be able to endure it again with your attitude"

Dan is a good childhood friend of Omoyemi, he is a person with very good spirit, if not, jealousy would have driven a wedge between them a long time ago because he is in no way a match for Omoyemi's brilliancy.

They entered together for the interview which Omoyemi saw its conclusion today, but Dan was one of the first set that got dropped and he never because of that misbehave towards Omoyemi due to envy.

He continued to believe the best of him and to encourage him. On the other way round, Omoyemi always look for a way to pull him up and make sure he stands wherever he stands.

This he did over and over while they were in the college, though he came out with first class from the college and Dan came out with ordinary pass; yet he talked him into coming to Lagos with him, with a promise to pull him with him into any place of good employment that will open to him.