John Badmus stared despairingly at the ceiling in his bedroom, it was 10.am , by this time last week he would have been in the office flirting with the Customer service officer whilst he waited for his colleagues to join him downstairs so they could head out for marketing, this was not how things were supposed to pan out.
The shrill ringing of his Iphone on his reading table jolted him back to reality, he glanced at his phone which was ringing for the umpteenth time with no desire whatsoever to answer, he was not interested in telephone conversations that would remind him of his current situation , he did not want people’s sympathy which in some cases had been laced with amusement, he remembered when he was clearing his table on the last day of work he overheard two of his colleagues whispering “eyaa no more freshest boy, how will he cope with his big boy status?” one whispered stifling laughter, “maybe he will use fine boy to eat now since no more 24th for him , nonsense spoilt brat.” He felt like a knife had been plunged into his back, this were the same people that used to worship him for freebies like popcorn and ice cream anytime he returned from his “marketing” runs now less than an hour from receiving his termination letter he was a nobody this must be a bad dream.
TWO YEARS EARLIER .............THE JOB BEGINS.
John could not contain his excitement, he had just received a phone call from Gold Bank to come and collect his Offer Letter, he barged out of his bedroom, “mama!” “mama he yelled” a thin frail middle aged woman with a wrapper tied over her chest came in, “Odion! What is the problem?” she asked frightened, “oh oh Mama i have told you to stop calling me Odion, call me John na people might hear” john scolded grabbing her and pulling her to a seat, “anyway guess what? I got the job i don arrive oh!” His mum screamed so loud the neighbours gathered “Finally o God has done it for me, finally” the woman sang , raising her voice and dancing round the small tight parlour, there was a lot of jubilation and excitement when the news filtered out 18 months after youth service John Odion Badmus has finally gotten a job, “maybe now i can stop having heart attack whenever i hang my sons jeans on the washing line to dry , he will have money in his pocket so no more pick pick” one neighbour muttered hissing and walking back towards her room.
The training period was like a party for John, he was so excited at the prospect of meeting so many new faces but he didn’t care for the training classes, one time the class governor asked him where he was sneaking off to after lunch , john lashed back “have i not graduated what do i have to learn here again abeg” he retorted dashing off to join some of his friends who had suddenly doubled in number since he received his offer letter, the Branch attachment was a breeze, he had already made up his mind to join marketing, he loved the way the marketers looked sharp as they got into their various pool cars , he loved the fact that they came and left the branch as they pleased, he was not too concerned about the intricacies of the job , he figured if he looked as sharp as they did and socialized well he would get the accounts he needed, “ ol boy you be sharp boy you will go far in Marketing” Musa the office assistant in the Branch he was attached to remarked as they walked back to the office from lunch , “see how that waitress dey rush serve you for that Amala joint as if you be Bank manager, you get serious swagger sha” John Nodded giving the guy a firm hand shake he was the freshest boy in this place now and he was ready to take over the town, he had the looks and the swagger to convince all this customers to give him their money, he was convinced he would go far in marketing , he was born for this, he peeped at himself as they walked past a Honda CRV parked by the corner, looks...check, nice suit...check, sharp shirt...check , he felt sorry for all those his colleagues taking notes when facilitators were lecturing and asking questions at the Branch, Fresh boys don’t let people know they are novices, they make their own rules.
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