No matter what storm you face in life, always remember that God really loves you and he will never abandon you. That has been the word that has been fueling me and also keep me moving even at life’s worst moment. The lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a strong hold in times of troubles. Those who know your name trust in you, for you have never forsaken those who seek you diligently.
Psalm 9:9-10 has been my watchword all along and I can proudly say that God alone had been helping me throughout the journey.
Samuel and I had gotten a petty job to engage ourselves in so as to raise money to further our education. Samuel’s Dream is to become a surgeon while mine is to be a become a lawyer so as to advocate for people and also fight for what is right.
Samuel worked in a cafeteria as a maid. He is in charge of washing the dishes and he also sees to it that the cafeteria is neat and well kept always. Sometimes, Samuel would work overtime and serve as a delivery man.
Me on the other hand, continued to hawk soft drinks in various streets in Lagos. I always made sure that I wake up as early as 4:30am so as to gets the best goods and ice to keep the drinks cool.
My selling point is mostly on the dreaded highways with heavy traffic or a crowded market. I do work for ten or eleven hours in a day depending on the sales made before Samuel and I will retire Into an uncompleted building where we squat with some Hausa bike riders. At the end of the day, I do gain a sum of three hundred naira or five hundred naira at times, depending on how much sales I made. Samuel on the other hand receives a constant wages of two hundred and fifty naira daily inclusive of feeding.
Things went on so well between Samuel and I. I never expected we could get along so well.
Days after days
Weeks after weeks
Months after months
Years passed so fast. Samuel and I had saved quite a lot of money which could possibly see us through our first and second year in the university. When it was time to obtain UTME forms, Samuel started acting irrational and his behavior towards me changed drastically.
Samuel would go for days without coming back home nor tried to check up on me. I’ve been to his place of work countless of time hoping to see him there but I was told he no longer comes to work and no one knows his whereabouts. All efforts to reach Samuel proved abortive until I saw him one day while hawking.
I almost couldn’t believe my eyes as I dropped the cooler “Samuel!” I yelled as I made to move towards him. “Where did you get all these?” I said pointing at the D&G T-shirt he wore and the Rolex oyster wristwatch he wore which would definitely cost a fortune.
“Samuel, where have you been all these while?”
“Where did you get money to buy these expensive things you had on?” I asked feeling like he owe me an explanation
Samuel responded “c’mon Timmy. Don’t create a scene right here. We are in the middle of the road” while trying to keep his calm amidst all my incessant pull on his clothes.
“Let’s go home” I said... and headed for where we used to stay together.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“I can’t continue this way” Samuel said, refusing to enter the uncompleted building where we once lived together
“I found a new work which will benefit us Timmy” he added “see, we’ve been working so hard all these years with nothing to show for it. We need to work smart” Samuel said trying to convince me to join him in the internet fraudster work he does now.
“While I was away, I’ve been working as well. I met some guys who introduced me to it. And I’ve made thousands from it in just a few weeks” he continued “you only need to chat with clients and do some stuffs” Samuel said
“Which stuffs?” I challenged, “which stuffs Samuel”
“You’re now into internet fraud and you felt the best thing for you is to introduce me to it as well?” I asked rhetorically.
“Whatever you call it Timmy, but you need to join me too.... let’s make some cool cash” Samuel said grinning wildly
“I can’t do that!” I retorted “it is illegal.”
Samuel hushed me with a cunning grin “don’t tell me about illegality or legality. I believe I am more of a specialist than you when it comes to things like this. And all I am trying to do is to change your life for good, and that’s all.” Samuel said while walking towards a bike parked opposite the building.
I could hardly believe my ears “Samuel what has come over you? Are you going to throw away all our dreams, for nothing?”
Samuel responded “it is not for nothing Timmy, we are driving at the same results, just in a different way. Remember, the goal is to be rich” he added “after all, you do say that you need to work smart, not hard” Samuel yelled
“Yes I said so, and that was not the kind of work smart I spoke about.... stop twisting my words” I replied almost instantly
Samuel was beginning to get irritated at my arguments “well, no problem. If you would rather labour and work so hard for something you could get easily, that’s your choice. I only wanted to show you the good life just for old times sake” Samuel retorted
“At least I will be satisfied that that it is the reward of my labour. I am not interested in your fraudulent good life and I am warning you, Samuel be carefu.....” Samuel has stormed off before I could even finish giving my advice.
YOU ARE READING
Reasons To Live
Adventure18-year-old Oluwatimileyin Turner had seen enough of the world to know that it was unfair. He's spent most of his life in the most dreaded parts of Lagos State, where men, women even children risk their lives on highways just to make a living--- an...
