GRACE TO GRASS
“Hello…”
Lilian exclaimed as she took her phone call.
It
was an unknown number.
“Good morning, dear.” an unfamiliar masculine
voice greeted immediately.
“Good
morning, sir…” she responded. “Please, who’s this?”
It was about some minutes past ten
O’clock on October 8, 2008.
“Please,
is this Okoro Lilian?” the unknown voice enquired amidst the suspense.
“Yes,”
she replied in a very low tone. “Please, who is this?” She reiterated
anxiously.
“Eh-eh-m,” the caller stammered. “Okay,
this is Mister Martins Adewale.”
The
name was relatively unknown to her.
“The
Human Resources Manager of Arise Group of Companies, Abuja.” He clarified.
“Oh,”
Lilian exclaimed. “Good morning, sir.” She exclaimed excitedly and
apprehensively.
Arise Group of Companies Limited was one of
the notable firms in Nigeria whose headquarters was situated in the country’s
capital territory, Abuja. It majored mainly in production of foods such as
garri, baking flour, condiments, wheat and corn flour. Lilian successfully
passed through both the oral and written job interviews of the company few days
back alongside other several applicants.
The 29-year-old lady was a graduate of Marketing
from the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State,
Nigeria. She graduated five years back, precisely 2003, after which she
participated in the Nigeria’s compulsory one-year National Youth Service
programme.
Mr.
Martins who happened to be the leader of the 5-man interview crew set up by the
company got her phone number from the Curriculum Vitae (CV) she tendered to the
manufacturing firm.
“Morning, my dear,” he replied. “Where do you
reside?” He added in a jiffy.
“Kubwa
sir.” She answered.
The aforementioned locality, which was one
of the major suburban districts in Abuja, was slightly near to the location of
the company.
“Okay, you are a resident of Abuja?”
“Yes sir.”
“Can you make it to our office first thing
tomorrow morning?”
Of
course, that was one of the most vital questions she longed to hear considering
how long she had spent in the labour market.
“Like what time, sir?”
“By 9am.”
“Yes sir,” she gladly concurred. “I can.”
“Okay,
till then,” he said. “Ask of me when you come.”
“Okay sir.” quoth Lilian, smiling.
He
cut the call instantly.
The following day being October 9, 2008,
Lilian who couldn’t wait to embrace the appointment arrived at the company as
scheduled at exactly 8:31am far earlier to the agreed time. When she got to the
place, she was told that the HRM, Mr. Martins was yet to be on seat, so she had
to wait till about some minutes past nine when he eventually arrived.
“Good morning, sir.” Lilian greeted elatedly,
head bent as she walked into Mr. Martins’ office having closed the door behind
her.
Lilian clad in black suit coupled with black
plain trousers, black plain shoes and a white shirt recollected the face she
was seeing having come across Martins on a few occasions.
“Hello
pretty,” Martins seated on his office chair in his white suit exclaimed
cheerily. “How long have you been here?”
“Almost an hour, sir.” she said, stood still.
“Please
sit down.” He urged.
“Thank you, sir.” quoth Lilian, majestically
sat on one of the chairs positioned opposite the host.
“You
are welcome.”
There
was a few seconds silence.
“Actually…, I invited you for a crucial
interaction,” he said. “That would be helpful to you.”
“Okay sir.” She tendered, nodding as she smiled
heavily.
Her
arms, which held each other, were placed on the table.
“You see,” he rode on. “I like helping young
girls like you.”
“Thank you, sir.” She appreciated, lowering
her head which was beautified with gorgeously plaited black hairs.
“Especially pretty ones like you.” He added.
She
smiled.
Lilian
who was naturally endowed, was obviously a dark pretty damsel that any man
would wished to behold. She was plump and average in height. Mr. Martins who
was in his early fifties picked interest in her during the interview exercise.
“Before
I proceed,” he said. “I would like to ask you a question.”
“What is it, sir?”
“Do
you truly want to get this job?”
Lilian, amazed. “Sir,” she said. “This
is what I have been looking for, for over four years now.”
“Meaning,”
said the HRM. “You can’t wait to have the job, right?”
“Yes sir.” She replied passionately.
He
smiled. “So,” he said. “Are you willing to do what is expected of you?” He
finally hinted.
“Like what, sir?”
“It’s a pity you are not familiar with the
tradition.”
The unsuspecting applicant remained curious.
Since the interview segment Mr. Martins
picked interest in her, he had been preoccupied with series of fantasies
regarding his foreseen emotional relationship with her. Mr. Martins was a randy
man to the core in spite of the fact that he was happily married with four
children. He was very good in playing games to assert the least.
“Meet
me at New Haven Hotel tomorrow by 10 am,” Martins urged. “By then, the picture
would be clearer to you.”
“Hotel…?”
Lilian shouted naively, deeply surprised.
“Stop acting like a kid,” Martins enjoined.
“This is what your mates do to get what they want.”
To be
continued, please.
FDN Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH)
- Owerri
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador
