My dear, it has not been easy for me all these while. I had thought
about all these stuffs that happened. Was I wrong? Did I do the wrong
thing? Or maybe I was trying to avoid problems. But for me, I felt I did
what I did to avoid troubles and suspicions on my character.
Months
ago after my NYSC. I didn’t just want to stay idle. I wanted to get my
hands doing something, a job while I still searching for tangible job. I
got a job in a printing and publishing firm in which my take home
salary was N20,000 per month. “At least N20,000 is something rather than
staying idea for the devil to manipulate me.” The owner of the firm is a
Pastor and a very nice man. When I started work, he just came to like
me because of my dedication and hardwork, and another thing is that I
was a graduate working at the place. It was unusual to him and even my
humility as a graduate in doing that kind of work.
My boss gave
birth to three lovely children. All are girls. The first two are in
secondary school and the last one was still in primary. And the school
these three attend was not far from the firm. So after school, the three
come by the work place to their father while they spend some time to
the close of work and their dad would take them home.
Two weeks
when I started this work, I noticed that each time the eldest daughter
of my boss who I presumed should be 15 or 16 years (I never asked) and
in SS 3. Each time she was back from school, she has one kind of weird
body odour. I noticed it severally. Even sometimes in the morning if she
forget to take something from her papa. If she come the office I dey
perceive the odour that sometimes I go dey wonder if she even wash her
uniform. But looking at her from outside, physically, she would look
clean and very neat. But na the afternoon odour na im dey more
pronounced after all the sweating and playing for school. I am not
blaming her for that because the other two girls get their own too. It’s
natural that humans have body odour but the way we take care of it
matters. I believe that body odour can only be reduced but not
completely killed. So she’s a teenager that needs to start taking care
of her body. And I no know how I wan take confront her about it. I don’t
want to get into trouble, in as much my Oga is nice, let it not look as
if I was insulting him by saying her daughter has body odour. And it
would look good if a lady told rather than me a guy. I was just trying
to be careful because her papa na pastor and they (the girls) can be
saucy sometimes. Make dem no say I dey find another thing and I no want
insult. Though I and the kids are quit friendly most especially the last
one who often comes around me.
This particular Wednesday while I
was doing some work, the youngest one came to me to ask for something.
“Gush” the odour that I perceived was so mad that I asked her if she
washed her school uniform. She said she wasn’t wearing the one she wore
the previous day. And that she has about 3 school uniforms. As I dey
there na im the eldest one come meet me with her own too. Kaiii, I
thought of what to do. I am not blaming them. Its just normal. Even when
I was in secondary school, my school uniform dey smell too. So I come
feel say I go buy body spray, perfume for the eldest one because her own
be say na teenager. And their dad also had once complained that the
girls are very rough. That when one comes to their rooms, every were
would be dirty and unkept. Thank God say na big school dem dey go so dem
go look clean for outward.
Part of me asked me not to do
anything. That I should just ignore it since I wasn’t staying there
permanently. But another part of me suggested that since my Oga had even
taken me as his son, so the girls are like my junior sisters, it would
be good that I do something. At least N550 is not much to spend on the
perfume. And I wasn’t going to tell her that she has body odour. But
atleast if I give her the perfume, she would know what to do with it.
I
bought a perfume. At first I wanted to give it to her dad to give to
her but later I waved it out. She returned from school and she came to
check on her dad. It was unfortunate that her dad went out. Na there I
come give her the perfume. She come thank me wella. The other two dey
vex say I no give them anything. I promised to get them something some
other time because I do get them snacks before, but snack no do anything
that day. Na something tangible go make sense for them.
After giving the eldest one the perfume, I felt fulfilled. At least she would be using it on her body.
Two
days later was a Saturday. My Oga called me on phone and asked if I was
the one that bought perfume for her daughter. Na so I tell her “yes
ooo.” He said no problem that when we see on Monday we would talk on it.
I thought he was just impressed at least that I did something for his
daughter.
Monday came and I went to see him in his office. “What
is your motive towards my daughter?” was the first thing he asked when I
went to see him. I was shocked and surprised like a child. “shey I even
get motive!” I thought to myself. “Why did you buy her a perfume?” my
Oga asked again. I smiled. I was trying to choose my words properly. I
didn’t want to put it in his face that his child has body odour. I told
him that I just did it willingly just as the way he (my Oga) gives me
money sometimes. “You did it willingly? You want something from her?” my
Oga asked again. Chaiii, as he made that statement, I knew he was just
thinking another thing so I had to make my mind clear. Na there I come
begin explain to him say sometimes say her daughter if she come back
from school, say all the sweat wey don accumulate for her body go dey
react. There by springing up body odour. I told him that I didn’t want
to give it to her directly. I wanted to give it to him to give to her
but he wasn’t around. I also told him that the use of the perfume will
at least reduce the odour. Though I didn’t tell her but with what I did,
she would understand to use it. After saying, my Oga smiled. He said
there was no need of even giving it to him to give to her daughter, and
what I did was right. Na there her papa come dey talk say the girls self
no dey hear word. Say their room they scatter too much and she no dey
bath well. All was just complain. But after everything, he said that his
wife their was angry that a guy gave a gift to her daughter. And they
didn’t know my motive towards her. Na so me tell him say that her
daughter, I senior her with up to 9 years and so wetin I go dey find for
her body. He said he understands but her mom doesn’t and their whole
house had been boiling because of that issue. Me sef no know him wife. I
had never set my eyes on her since I started working there because she
doesn’t come to the place. I heard that where she works was a bit far
and she doesn’t even have time or whatsoever to be at the firm. After we
finished talking, I went back to my work. When the last girl returned
from school because she normally returns earlier than the others and we
were quit close. Na there the 10 year old come dey tell me say there
mama tell there papa make them sack me because I wan rape her pikin.
Just because of gift wey I give her sister. “Chaiii, na who come send
me! if I no I for no even buy the gift give the girl sef.”
She
(the one I bought the perfume for) came back from school but didn’t
bother to come to greet me as usual. She was just ignoring me. As time
went on, she was doing it. Na so I call the small one ask the small wey
dey always gist me wetin they happen. She said that their mom told them
not to be interacting with me. na the woman wey no even know me ooo. She
never even see me sef. I even learnt that she had been pressuring my
Oga to sack me or else she would report him to the church council that
he is trying to match make their daughter with an older person. And I
had even started noticing some changes in my Oga. His countenance to the
office had changed. It seemed the family issues had taken it’s toe on
him. I finally called the one I bought perfume for and explained to her
why I bought her the thing. I no tell her say she dey smell ooo but I
use sense explain to her. She even said her mom collected the perfume
and threw it away. She talk say her mama beat her well well. She even
talk say their house don turn to “fuji house of commotion.” Say her papa
and mama just dey quarrel for the house about the matter. After
everything, I thought it wise to resign. I was so pained because I was
learning something that was going to better my life and hopes to set up
my own sef when I leave.
When I told my Oga that I was leaving,
he begged me to still stay because of my attitude and my relevance. He
even asked if it was because of what happened about the perfume saga, I
told him it wasn’t. I told him that I had gotten a job some were. But I
never get any job yet. I was just doing it to let peace reign in their
family. Make the man get rest of mind. The thing pain the man come pain
me too. But the man feel say na the matter na im make me wan leave.
http://www.hovabuzz.com/frontline/1085-i-bought-my-boss-s-teenage-daughter-a-gift-and-it-cost-me-my-job-was-i-even-wrong
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