Chapter Five
The newspaper kiosk was about a block from him. He approached a kiosk, selected one he thought included a wide selection of classified job ads and paid. Up ahead was a snack bar. Up front was a bold billboard with bright fluorescent, that said “snacks, drinks, tv lounge, fireplace. He pushed open the door, surveying it, upright chairs, TV’s Hanging from the walls, clean floor tiles, walls lined with table height refrigerators. It was filled with cold drinks. The decor and setting seemed like a living room in an old country club. The lighting was bright and cheerful, just what he needed.
He pulled open a rectangle refrigerator and got a drink, a lemon tangerine, surprised that there was no alcohol, but really unconcerned, he paid the cashier sitting at the circular desk about the center of the room and picked a seat, setting down his drink, he began looking through the newspaper, he went through the classified list slowly.
He picked up a pencil from the cup shaped transparent vase at the center of the table and began circling possible options. Clerk, Shorthand required, night front desk at a Guesthouse, — a clean diligent friendly person, gives attention to details, reliable and so forth, the add required applicants be able to start in two weeks. There were four locations requesting various shifts. Julius was almost elated; he had not touched his drink. he got up picked up his drink and newspaper and headed towards the phone hanging in the far corner of the wall and dialed the number on the advertisement.
He listened as the recorded message informed callers that this message was especially recorded for those calling to inquire about the open position. The message included the various shifts available and the various locations. Then it gave instructions to those interested, a phone number and the address to which their application process and interview would be conducted. Julius wrote rapidly, he hung up, called again and made certain he wrote all he needed then hung up.
He had worked up an appetite, and looked through his shelfs, taking out a can of corned beef, he opened the refrigerator and found a mixed bag of vegetables, corn, green beans, cut potatoes, carrots, he opened a can of corned beef, poured its contents into the Pot along with the vegetable, and in a few minutes, he was sitting with a plate, a few slices of bread and his lemon drink. Somehow his dinner seemed more exotic than it really was, he ate, listening to his favorite radio station, the D.J. seemed to be throwing out an on-air challenge to callers to identify the tune to a song he played if they guessed correctly and called within ten minutes of when the song was played. They got a surprise prize, either from the disk jockey’s sponsors or a signature prize from the artist whose song was played, and it seemed to generate a lot of excitement.
Julius finished eating and, in his excitement, he picked up the phone and dialed Leo Walhalli’s number,
‘This is Leo’, the voice on the phone said calmly after the third ring,
“Leo, it’s Julius, how are you sir’, Leo’s voice changed and became warm and friendly,
‘Very good, Julius, how have you been’,
‘Hard at work and doing well’, replied Julius. “Is Medinna well?
‘Yes, said Leo “Medinna and I are doing well’.
‘I need a second opinion, when can I meet with you, I will be brief, it won’t take too long’, said Julius,
‘One moment’ said Leo, after a brief silence Leo said, “How is Tuesday afternoon? ‘Tuesday would be great’, said Julius.
“Let’s, meet around 5.30′, you sound really upbeat Julius, I want to hear what this is all about’.
“Then I will tell you about it Tuesday afternoon, see you soon’.
Leo hung up as did Julius. Julius got up, went to his closet and picked out his uniform and the ironing board that came with his rental and began his daily routine for his next workday.
Susan picked up her oblong shoulder bag, then pulled her purse on her right shoulder and dragged her luggage with her left hand as she unlocked the tall roof to floor front door. Quan, her roommate came to the door, holding the door with one hand and holding her robe tight around her neck to shut out the cold wind from the street. A mischievous smile on her lips ‘thank god for rich uncles’, she said.
Susan rolled her eyes for what really looked like 360 degrees, then said ‘he is one of the most respected people in my family’,
“Sure’, said Quan, ‘I hope you have a great weekend, see you on Monday’.
‘Thanks’, said Susan as her cab pulled up.
Nugueriol petrochemicals enterprises was truly a silent giant; its real power lay in its ability to find connections deep in powerful places without the need to make public its route to such connections in places as big oil, pharmaceuticals, and research corporations. In the West Africa’s, in England and Europe, its name is largely unknown, yet it is hugely successful as its products have a solid supply fulfilments channel. Servicing companies at the top of their industries. Although it is called a petrochemicals company, it recently commissioned a second oil well.
Its products are used for final consumer consumption, and some of its products rely heavily on diesel, gasoline engines and aviation jet fuel. Its duplicity of roles, from producer, and manufacturer, to auxiliary and maintenance services, to supplier, gives it such synergy which delivers cost and efficiency, that its stakeholders are continuously surprised at the quality of its Return-on-Investment Ratios. It is continuously searching, solidifying, and consolidating its positions with major fulfilment channels, so its contract terms are not challenged for many decades into the foreseeable future.
Nugueriol Petrochemicals Enterprises possessed a list of talents and skills uniquely unusual for a company in its time and in that sector of the world.
Mr. Elunke Ajoso had been working for Nugueriol for almost 17 years, before that he worked as an intern trainee associate at the department of energy, fresh out of college, bright eyed and full of hope, then he had been fortunate enough to be transferred to work directly with the Minister, he felt like a son, did his very best and soon the minister noted and marked him as his personal aid. After two years the minister sent him to Nugueriol knowing he may not win the next election. Elunke was full of Ideas, young and good looking and the minister had deep roots, was respected and had relevant wisdom.
It was a successful partnership. But the minister was wrong, he won the next election and Elunke continued nonetheless to harness and strengthen the partnership. Then there was the civil war, and the country was in turmoil and the minister swiftly restricted Elunke to the capital city, where the war was reduced to a nightly radio news update, sometimes twice a day. Close to the end of the war Elunke was re-assigned to France with the excuse of the need to establish a closer relationship with ‘our foreign customers’. The minister resigned before the end of the war and established a residence and an office unusually detached from daily government events, and now had complete attention to Elunke and the affairs of Nugueriol Petrochemicals.
Dropping her luggage in a single motion Susan almost ran the few feet between her and Elunke,
“Uncle, so nice to see you’, Elunke got out of his seat a bucket cushioned chair, dropping the newspaper had been reading on the circular shaped table in front of him.
With arms opened wide ‘Susan! he proclaimed in a joyous tone, ‘Look how much you have grown, and into such a pretty young woman’, ‘how are you my daughter? “I am well uncle and very delighted to see you’.
‘Please do sit down, I am eager to hear all about your classes and about you’. she sat looking around. They were on the lower porch which extended onto the flower garden and a neatly trimmed lawn of a two-story building, beautiful and clean. “You must be tired and hungry? Susan said,
“No, I am excited and hungry; I may become tired after I have eaten’.
‘Then we should go eat, we expected you to join us for lunch’. She followed Elunke to the dining room behind the living room. She could see the chef a young woman from an open kitchen with rectangle kitchen workbenches with marble tops.
She approached the dining table, a tray in her hands held by two effortlessly steady hands, she placed the tray on the table placing the plates on the table one in front of Susan and the other in front of Elunke. She returned to the kitchen, which was divided by a thin wall rising slightly above the waist yet low enough for dinners to see almost everything done in the kitchen.
The chef returned with two cups and a bottle of grape juice and club soda, thoroughly chilled, she placed them on the table as Susan said, ‘thank you’.
Elunke poured about three quarters of grape juice into the cup and filled it up with club soda. He handed the cup to Susan saying, ‘I hope you enjoy your lunch’.
She raised the cup to her lips wondering what this combination would taste like, she grimaced as the drink touched her lips and relaxed enjoying the cool bubbly drink. She nodded to her uncle’s satisfaction. She began eating as he began eating. Susan said as she took a sip from her cup ”
‘How is Auntie? referring to Osunfulo Ajoso, her uncle’s wife who was equally fond of Susan.
“Fulo’, said Elunke ‘is doing very well, his fondness showing in the slight laughter in his voice. “Fulo, Nomis, Kele and Ellen are doing just fine. He said referring to his three kids.
The two boys Nomis and Kele and the girl Ellen. “‘Ellen started 1st grade, Kele is in grade five and Nomis is in grade seven, Eileen looks every bit his mother’, he paused to reach for a flat folder and took out a photo, it showed a little girl in a pretty cotton skirt and bright colored blouse, her head raised looking up to the camera’s lens, she was smiling, instantly Susan saw what her aunt had been as a child, it was as her uncle said, ‘every bit, her mother’.
She smiled ‘very pretty’, The chef appeared and took their plates out of the way replacing it with a mixed bowl, sliced fruits, a cup each of ice cream, she scooped up some of the fruit into her cup of ice cream, a cup the width of which was about 6cm and height about 5cm, ‘fat fruit bowl’, thought Susan.
Elunke said “I do the same all the time’, she looked at Elonke and saw he was already eating fruit with ice cream as she was about to do. The chef came to take the dessert bowl away and Susan got up following her with the cups and cutleries’ to the kitchen.
‘Oh, that’s very kind of you’, said the chef’, ‘but I get paid to cook and serve’,
‘Yes, I think I know that’, said Susan, ‘but you did such a good job, with Lunch and wanted to show my appreciation, thanks for a great lunch’. The chef took the cups from her saying in return,
‘Thanks for appreciating my efforts, your uncle needs you’, pointing in the direction of the dining room.
“Yes, of course’, Susan said and turned back to the dining room.
Elunke gazed away from the cup in his hand smiling, “Nileda is very sensitive about role and perception, ‘let me guess what she said, ‘I get paid to do this and you don’t have to worry?
Susan chuckled ‘something like that’.
‘She hardly has any need for extra pair of hands’. Elunke was getting to his feet and pointed at the bottles of ginger ale and sherry asking ‘can we talk for a while? She poured some ginger ale and added a tiny fraction of sherry and walked with him to the patio table out in the front lawn.
She took a sip of her drink looking around the garden ‘It is pretty and peaceable’,
‘True, he replied, a butterfly floated out in front of the table, touching the edge of the table, and settling on the lavender colored alpine rose bed, the plant shivering slightly under its wings, it sat there quietly its wings flapping in a balancing act, it lifted and floated further out, all in about thirty seconds, Susan’s eyes followed it for a while like a slow motion video, then her gaze shifted back to Elunke.
‘Uncle, I am so glad you brought me out here, I feel relaxed already, I could take on an entire school year after this’. Elunke’s deep throated laugh signaled admiration for a loved one who showed genuine gratitude.
He patted the seat opposite him, an inviting wave to her and she sat down. “So school is progressing as you expected?
Susan smiled ‘Yes, I will be in my final year next summer’.
“And this city London is agreeable to you?
Again, she said ‘Yes’,
“I am happy, it’s working out fine for you’, said Elonke.
‘My college years were so busy and filled with hope and anticipation…,’ his voice trailed off as though he suddenly remembered he planned ‘not’ to say what he was beginning to say. Which was in fact true. “But I don’t want to talk about myself today’, “Your roommate, you still have one to share costs?
“Yes Quan, she graduates the same year as I do, she is a great roommate’.
“And a boy? Elonke quizzed,
“Yes, Julius, you remembered him uncle’, ‘we both went to Ode high school,
‘Yes, the young man whom your father likes’, Elonke said,
‘But does not like for me’, Susan completed the sentence. Mr. Obanike Ajoso, Susan’s father, did not dislike Julius, in fact he liked him often joking and laughing with him, commending him often for good decorum and appearance. Obanibe gave Julius a Tie as a gift because said Obanibe “I want you to look like the respectable young man I know you to be’, as they prepared for a family friend’s wedding in company with Susan and her parents.
His feelings were completely different though when he heard Susan wished to pursue this friendship past high school, Susan never took her father seriously at first. She quickly learnt the meaning of the quiet sad gaze and the simple statement with the ring of finality was real and serious. With a deadpan serious frown on his forehead, almost as though he was hurt that he had been forced to make a decision that would hurt a loved one out of necessity. After a long-heated argument that had ended in Susan sobbing in half hysteria all night, Obanibe had said simply “it just cannot happen! and turned away, closing the door behind him.
Susan had sought help from her mother Euneb and her uncle Elunke which resulted in momentary relief but eventually she gave up on him ever turning around. “He lives in London now’, she said.
Elunke showed surprise. “Is he in school?
“He works and is saving for college’.
“I see. Are you still as serious about him as you used to be?
“Yes uncle, are you surprised?
‘Yes’, said Elunke.
“You wouldn’t understand’.
Elunke raised an eyebrow, and sat back in his seat, he thought for a while, “You know how I feel especially about you’,
She sighed and said “yes’.
“I cannot and do not wish to engage in a mutually painful discussion’, again, she sighed.
“Susan, I want you to know I speak for the family, your parents and myself, when I say, ‘you’ve got to break it off with this boy’.
Seeing that an argument would simply be a pointless repeat of old ifs and buts and why nots, she suppressed an uncontrollable number of heated objections and remained silent.
Elonke leaned forward, “I will help pay your last year in college, and make sure you get full scholarship for a master’s program, if you decide to proceed to a master’s degree program. And you can be sure you will have an internship slot when you graduate, but you have got to see things from our point of view, I implore you!
A thought suddenly jumped into her mind, wishing to avoid the pain momentarily she said “Tomorrow, what will we do?
Elunke smiled, ‘the theatre has so many new titles this season, you pick one and we shall go see it! Elunke rose to his feet and gave her a hug, ‘I am glad we had a chart, it has been too long, I want only your forward progress, nothing else’.
“I know, thank you uncle’. ‘You could do some shopping if you want, Nileda knows the town she can take you shopping. I have a meeting from 5 pm that may delay into the night’. ‘I will give you my check card’.
‘That will be wonderful’, said Susan.
“Very well’, said Elonke ‘enjoy your evening’.
Elunke had just deftly done what he had successfully done for 20 years at Nugueriol Petrochemicals, this was all an act, to obtain the desired result at all times.
Mr. Obanibe had called Elunke to ask for this meeting and to request he made sure this relationship between Julius and Susan was made as unattractive as possible. Said Obanibe “My daughter is not going to benefit from that relationship, if he found his way to London, it is not for the sake of Susan, the boy is not in our league’.
Nileda came out of the door linking the kitchen door to a coat room, wearing ankle length boots, long sleeve shirts, a pair of pants that fitted neatly up to the knees to cover the base of her boots, a light thin rimmed sunglass. Looking much like a girl on a vacation about town.
She waived to Susan, saying ‘if we leave soon, we would have almost five hours of daylight’.
She stood in the middle of the room, hands fixed to her waist, and called out to Nileda, ‘Be ready in a few minutes’.
The sedan, a Vauxhall, glimmered as Nileda approached and opened the door. Susan got in beside her sinking into the plush seats the light cream spotless seats, caressing and comfortable.
Nileda turned the ignition, it hummed and then almost went silent, the car rolled out onto the evening sun. They drove out and slowly the Nugueriol company residence receded as Susan waived to her uncle, who waived back briefly, a brief waive that indicated a busy man. Elonke went into the house and onto the next task.
This was clearly not London, yet the glamour and class in the decor, the smooth road, the glass doors and windows, the bright colors from those quaint town houses and family homes, the varied colors in the stores, the brand names… weaving through what seemed to be a apparel store she saw a man with a turban wrapped like an Indian, he was supervising a clothing supplier to move his stock into the storehouse.
He had turned away abruptly towards a candy store and a grocer, and they kept driving until the landscape changed. Their speed slowed, the stores were more lavish, windows taller, some office buildings lots of glitter. Soon Nileda pulled into a street parking spot.
“From here we shall walk, the stores are on this block and the next few blocks, we may not have to move the car until we are finished with shopping’. She turned to look at Susan “Are you all right?
“Certainly’, said Susan.
They looked through one store after another, window shopping on some, but trying dozens of clothes, dresses and purse combinations, shoes, dresses, scarves, hats and occasionally picking out one or a few. By the end of the second hour, they both felt slightly exhausted,
“Shall we stop for a drink? asked Nileda,
“Yes, that will be great’, replied Susan.
“We can drop the bags in the car’. Nileda pointed to a pub with wide transparent, tall front windows, a few tables close to street view, high stools perched on their side, sturdy high beams supporting floor to ceiling glass doors that gave out loud consistent chimes as the entry doors pushed open. and a loud decreasing cascading sound of a departing engine on exit. It was a pub that served all types of drinks except wines, with a section for cakes and desserts.
They found a table with a street view, ordered, and sat down. Their order came, Nileda raised her glass taking a long drink, the malt in her glass was half gone. Susan raised her glass and took a sip tasting it and, appearing to be delighted with the taste, tilted the glass halfway up touching her nose. She raised her left hand and wiped off the residue of the drink on her nose. The ginger beer in her glass was almost gone.
They requested a refill, “Do you like working for Elunke? asked Susan,
“I like my Job’, said Nileda, ‘Elunke respects hard work, and the pay is fair’.
“Are you at work all day?
“Daytime, yes, it’s like a regular job. Occasionally he has a large guest list for after hours and I have to request additional staff, but mostly daytime’. Same goes for other company staff who use this this house, I report to Elunke of course, why do you ask?
