THE GIFT OF A GIFT

So this is the normal gist for my early morning encounter from my home to the office.  I decided to take the popular danfo rather than the BRT bus because since fuel and public life returned to normalcy, it is easier to walk into waiting danfo rather than wait for one initially.

So the normal Indian hemp trappings and the inability to stop for all the stops intended and the other boring news which I will save you from listening to as I jump right into my real gist. Oh, not to forget, the driver refused to go through the notorious Maryland bus stop as usual, because of the traffic light and despite begging's from his conductor (the guy that collects fare in the danfo) not to use the fast lane (listen to his reasons: We no carry staff o! Meaning there's no Uniformed person in the bus: Also meaning when you have a uniformed person i.e a policeman or military man in the bus, you are immuned against being arrested for violating traffic laws, going through one way, killing a pedestrian and so on (ehm, you can remove the last option if you believe I am lying).

So I boarded the bus, lo and behold, I saw a young lad from my area who profusely greeted me as if I was the governor of my state. Looking back now, I can say this was the same guy that never saw me as a worthy elder to be recognized in the comity of elders (in my area, that is). He used the word "egbon" severally and that made my head swell... hehehehehe

Let's back track a little. While he was growing up (I should remember when we had his naming ceremony cause his family live next street), I was much younger too but at least I saw him run in pants down the street, played football with his peers on the street and so on. All of a sudden, you know he starts to grow into his teens and he begins to separate in his mind the older ones worthy of his greetings and salutation. Because I didn't go all out fighting and stabbing people, smoking hemp and womanizing, I immediately became the older guy he would readily ignore.

That was fine by me. But he just didn't understand how I still manage to pop up on the street and hold out my own amongst the very rough guys he respects so much. I hung out with them sometimes  and that's the only time he strenuously greets me because he needs to greet them too.

Trust yours truly, I know how to deal with recalcitrant like him. I just totally ignore him and act as if he totally doesnt exist. Oh, that pains a lot.

So fast forward to now. What changed? He started growing up I guess. He left his bad friends and needed to start making money and at every places he turns up in the area with a need for a job, he finds me either pulling the string or knowing the person that will pull the string.

Now, what did I do? I didn't pull my full weight. I allowed them give him the job if the decision was mine to make. Because I already heard from reliable source that he is good at his job. MERIT! That's is all that matters to me. If you are my mortal enemy, you can have the job if you are good at it. If you are my best friend, no you can't have that job if you are not bad at it. Harsh philosophy right? Sorry!

So, realizing that, he quickly made me his friend and would go all out to do whatever I say. Not because I can destroy him but because though I can bar him from the goodies I decided to help him. I gave him a gift that gave me a gift. The gift of having a younger one in the area that can go all out for me (I hope I am not in dream land). Now we are cool, it doesn't use to be like that.

The truth is that; I now have unlimited access to his loyalty, unlimited access to his time; unlimited access to his goodwill. Who knows, he might be the one to help me tomorrow. And to add, I always pay for his fare, every time we meet in a public bus, every time.

N:B. OK, so this is the point I am supposed to advise you right? You know what to do already jor. Please leave comments and share. Ciao!

I am enjoying this ASA's song so I feel you can listen to it too