Must Read: Loss Of Dignity

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Loss Of Dignity

ONE WEEK LATER

**********************


Emeka had gone to the bank to purchase his post-ume form, he
got to the bank at about 9:00am. He decided to leave home very
early in the morning hoping to be attended to quickly, on getting
there, the place was a beehive of activities as people littered the
nook and cranny of the bank.
“where did these people come from?, do they even sleep!” emeka
thought to himself.



It was his first time of going to that particular branch of the bank
so everywhere looked strange. He walked up to the customer
care centre and met a fair chubby lady.
“good morning ma,” he said as regard courtesy.
The lady was seated alone typing something into a computer
system. Emeka had greeted her for the fourth time but got no
reply, he thought the lady could not hear him so he tried to be
audible and made to greet for the fifth time, just then, she
answered without looking at him.
“how can i help you?” (hun! Personally i think that statement is
disrespectful, coming from a trained customer care personnel the
right words should be “how may i be of help?)
Emeka suddenly lost his ability to speak.
“erm…emm, i’m here to purchase a post-ume pin” he finally
said.


“which school?” she asked still concentrating on whatever she
way doing.
“universty of nigeria, nsukka.” emeka blurted.
“we don’t have it!” she said bluntly.
Emeka was disappointed, he had gone to virtually all the branch
in the town but they didn’t have it. Now he had to travel all the
way to UNN when he could easily get it done there in lagos.
Just then, a female banker who was standing behind a counter
beckoned on Emeka signifying him to come. She had overheard
their conversation. Emeka walked up to the banker behind the
counter while the customer care lady looked at her scornfully.
(honestly speaking, they should start doing sensibility training on
most of these bank customer care staffs, it’s called customer
care for a reason, not customer despise. maybe not all, but
majority of them i’have met lack self-respect and manners, most
especially the ladies admist them)
Emeka got to the stance of the lady behind the counter.
“good morning!” she said.
“good morning ma,” emeka replied.
“i overheard your conversation with my colleague, which school
post-ume pin pin do you want to purchase?” she enquired.
Emeka replied her then she swiftly typed some buttons on the
keyboard of a desktop computer.
“we have it, just make yourself comfortable, i’ll be with you
shortly” she said pointing to an aluminium chair where
customers usually sit.
Ten minutes later, it was done. She printed out the pin voucher
and handed it over to Emeka.
“thank you very much, i really appreciate” emeka acknowledged.
“you’re welcome, and thank you for choosing ****** bank.
Emeka stepped out of the air-conditioned bank as nature’s
unfriendly breeze saluted him.
Thirty minutes later, Emeka got to Kaydee’s Cyber Cafe after
boarding public bus three times and a bike. The Cafe is located
at the end of his street. Kayode knew Emeka very well as he
usually goes there for any computer work he wanted to do.
Kayode complained of network problem so Emeka had to wait.
Ever since a telecommunications mast fell in lagos, major
strategic areas had been having fluntuating network wahala.



Emeka literally slept there, he was hell-bent on getting the form
done that day. It wasen’t suprising though because Emeka had a
kind of optimistic personality.
Segun woke Emeka from sleep as the network was restored.
Segun is a salesboy working with Kayode. Kayode had alot of
pending works given to him before Emeka came but because
Emeka had been there for long he decided to do his own first.
Soon enough, the post-ume form was finally printed. Emeka paid
for services and made to leave. It was already afternoon, he
heaved a sigh of relief as the scorching sun escorted him back
home.
***********************
He treked down the street to his home, on getting to his
compound he discovered that nobody was home, not even a
single soul. He smelt something fishy, the house was always
crowded on saturdays’ but that day it was silent like a grave
yard. He thought robbers had invaded his home so he tiptoed to
the entrance and opened the door slowly.
“SUPRISE!” They all chorused in unison.
He was dead shocked as his spirit literally flee from his body.
His mother stood behind a customized cake heading the lead as
they all started singing him a happy birthday song. Emeka had
totally forgot that day was his 19-year birthday. Chiwe ran to
hug him and then gave him a birthday present.
He went to meet the dignitaries as they began exchanging
pleasantries. It was a house party, his parents hired one of the
most popular DJ’s in town, “DJ THUNDER” The DJ had started
playing “shake your bum bum” by Timaya. The house was filled
with guest both the ones he knew and the ones he didn’t. The
whole neighbours were there, even his father took a day off from
work to celebrate with his son. There was plenty of food and
minerals to eat and drink, some people had started devouring
chicken laps already.
Suddenly a gate-crasher barged into the house, it was like an
earthquake had just occured, people’s heart skip ten bit in a split
second, the music magically stopped as everyone turned to look
at the intruder. She was smiling sheepishly at the door, clad with
tight leggings and spaghetti top. She was dressed to kill.



It was Aunty Bimbo