Art By Sarps

The Morning Ride

“Good morning, Ma’am, how do you do? I’m starting the trip. I see we’re headed towards Nima, is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct”, She replied.
“Okay, Ma’am, kindly alert me at any point if you need something. Enjoy your ride”.
She thought to herself, “Now, who is this Uber driver who speaks so well? I am intrigued!”

She smiled at him through the mirror and went on to read her devotion. “I hate having to leave home early, but I’m left with no choice as my precious car decided to give up on me again! I should probably start claiming a new one”, she thought.

Asha caught herself stealing glances at her driver. His English was excellent, he was well dressed, and he had a few books in the passenger seat pocket. Oh, and he didn’t even call for directions to her house! She dares say he is a graduate. Maybe, a side hustle? Or his last resort, considering the increase in unemployment these days. “Let me start a conversation with him. The books would be a great start”, she thought.

***

“Dear Lord, thank You for a new day and for strength. Lord, please send pleasant and respectful customers my way today. And I receive grace to drive well and safely. And above all, fill me with Your patience! In Jesus’s Name, Amen.”

Junior whistled his favourite hymn, How Great Thou Art, as he opened his Uber Driver App to check if there were any requests. And there was one! He accepted it and then headed out to the car, all the while trying to figure out if Asha was a male or female. “Lord, please let them be a nice person regardless of the gender”, he prayed aloud after a moment of his ‘guess the gender’ game. Junior continued whistling, then switched to humming and then to singing. He shuffled through the three sounds all the way to Asha’s house.

He saw her standing outside her house when he was less than a minute away. “She’s pretty, now let’s believe she isn’t one of the proud ones, shall we?” He said as though he was talking to someone.
He reached her house, and she entered.

“Good morning, Ma’am, how do you do? I’m starting the trip… I see we’re headed towards Nima, is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct”, Asha responded.
Oooh, that’s a sweet voice, he thought.
“Okay, Ma’am, kindly alert me at any point if you need something. Enjoy your ride”, he said after he regained his composure.

“Thank You, Lord! What a joy it is to get pleasant passengers in the morning – it sets my mood for the day,” Junior prayed silently.

Junior is an entrepreneur. Well, more like an investor now. He started his first business selling his favourite homemade snacks to his friends. His mum was so proud that she’d make him keep all he got from it. Her only conditions were that he would pay a tithe out of it, take another 10% for himself and then save the remaining in an investment account she opened for him. He started to enjoy business, although he had always wanted to be a lawyer. He studied business in High School, went to college to study Law and became a lawyer. His interest in business didn’t die, especially with his father running several of them. So, he went on to get a degree in business for his Master’s. His first actual business was a firm to help aid startups. Now, he simply invests his money in startups, gives advice, goes for meetings and his side hustle, Uber driving. Oh, and handling the legal affairs of his father’s companies.

***

“Am I allowed to borrow one of your books?” Asha asked, hoping he wouldn’t simply say yes or no.
“Which one would you like to read?” he asked.
Uh-oh, she forgot she had to actually look at them for her plan to run smoothly. “Umm, which do you recommend?”
“How about you pick a genre, then I suggest the title. Is that okay, ma’am?”
“Yes, yes, that works fine.”
“So, I’ve got two of each – Christian, self-care, fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Which is it going to be? Drumroll, bam bam bam!” Junior laughed.
“That was quite a drumroll”, she said amidst laughter. “Now, looking through these titles, it seems I have read all but one. So, it looks like we’ve got a winner.”
“Let me guess, The Winning Race. It is a great book, albeit not popular. Most of my passengers are captivated by it. I read it a couple of years ago for the first time, and each time I need some inspiration and grit, I pick it up. And that’s like every day. He smiled and went on. I could literally tell you what is on each page, but then you wouldn’t need to borrow it again, so let me not. But let me advise you, do not start reading when you’re bored at work or during your break – you won’t be able to put it down, and your boss may just not be too excited about that. I wouldn’t want to be the reason you lose your job”, Junior said.
He looked through the mirror as though awaiting a response. “Yes, boss!” she said with a salute, and they both burst out laughing.

He is fascinating. There is something I cannot quite place my hands on. He is handsome, has a warm smile, speaks eloquently, and is respectful. And he has books in his car! Which Uber driver in this our Ghana would do that? I strongly believe….

“Ma’am, there seems to be traffic ahead. Do you mind if I use an alternate road?” he interrupted her thoughts.
“No, I don’t mind at all. And you can call me Asha, please. Let’s reserve the ma’am for the older ones, shall we?” Asha said with a smirk.
“Yes, ma’am, sorry Asha”, he smiled.

About 10 mins away from her office, Asha realized she didn’t know how she’d return his book to him, plus she hadn’t even asked for his name!

“Sir, what’s your name, please?”
“Junior, Ma’am”, he said with a grin.
“Oh, we’re back to ma’am?” – she questioned.
“Well, you called me Sir, I only returned the favour”, he grinned wider.
Asha laughed. “How do I return your book to you, or does it get a new owner?”
“You do not have to return it”, he said.
“Thank you for the offer, but I must insist”, she quickly replied.
He chuckled and responded, “My plan is to encourage more people to read by gifting them with books. But if you insist on returning it, we can agree on a date of pickup now, then, I’d leave my contact with you. You’d let me know the place and time of pickup and that’s it”, Junior responded.
“That works, maybe I could discuss it with you as well. That is, if you do not mind”, Asha said, smiling and patting herself on the back inwardly because her plan worked out way too perfectly, beyond her expectations. She saw him smile and nod in agreement through the mirror.

“Can I have the number, please?” she went on.
“Sure”, he rummaged through the compartment in the middle of the car and handed her a card. “Here you go, Asha, looking forward to that discussion”.

She smiled and got out of the car. He ended the trip, and she paid and walked away. All the while, she was excited about her new friend, if she could call him that. She, too, was looking forward to the discussion, more like looking forward to seeing him again.
She glanced at the card he had given her. “Okay, he’s got to be a graduate of some sort. A personalized card for an Uber driver in Ghana!” she said to herself as she walked to her office.

Bruce, The Almighty 

As he drove away, he prayed silently, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for a wonderful first passenger! According to Your Word, I declare and believe that I will get even more pleasant passengers for the rest of the day. I receive it done unto me, in Jesus’s Name, Amen!” 

Junior checked his phone for any new requests, but surprisingly, there were none. Hm, where do I head now, he wondered. Let me go to the office and finish reading through those proposals, he thought to himself.

He set his location on the map and started to move toward Teshie. His mind wandered aimlessly as he drove – from business to his father and his siblings. Hmph, I miss them; I should call them tonight, he noted mentally. And then, his mind wandered to Asha and his morning trip. 

She was riveting, she appeared quiet and reserved, but she didn’t act like it. Such a deceptive look! She was pretty and sounded smart. He remembered how she stole glances at him before she mustered the courage to ask to borrow a book. He wondered what her look of seemingly admiration and interest in him was. Lord, let it not be another case of “Bruce, the Almighty”, he prayed silently. “You’re wondering who that is, right? Well, allow me to fill you in.”

“Bruce, the Almighty” was a young, pretty intern my firm hired as my secretary for the 2019 summer period. Elaina, my secretary, was on maternity leave. I really didn’t want to replace her long-term, so I chose the intern route. Baaba Bruce was a bright and collected lady. She was assertive and firm – that was my favourite trait because she could use it to keep my schedule clear once I mentioned I wanted it that way. She was a go-getter – I liked that till I found out I was one of her targets. 

She was head over heels in love, or better yet, in “infatuation” with me. I was blind to this, although it seemed everyone was in the loop. I presume she was just hardworking and wanted me to notice, so I retained her, although sometimes, it did cross my mind that she had a crush on me. On the last day of her internship, she walked into my office. 

“Sir, thank you so much for this opportunity to work with VISO Global. It is every mate of mine’s dream workplace, and here I am. Thank you, Sir”. She stepped forward, stretching her hand towards me as though reaching for a handshake, but instead, she stole a hug. The next thing I know, she is trying to kiss me. I have never moved so fast in my life! I pushed her back and then hit the security alarm, and security rushed in. They took her away, and I was relieved! And that was how Bruce Almighty came about! Someway somehow, everyone knew about her obsession with me except me! 

Agony

“Oh, what a day it has been!” Asha exclaimed. It seems like there was a memo sent to everyone – “Need Asha Day” – everyone needed her for something. She barely had time to even enjoy her lunch break. She was glad it was over, and she could finally catch her breath while waiting for an Uber home.
“The book!” she exclaimed. She had totally forgotten about it in the hustle and bustle of her day. “It’s a good thing Milly left early today. I get to ride solo and dig into the book”, she mumbled. Milly is her colleague who lives along her route home.

She allowed her mind to linger on the thoughts of Junior a while longer.
He is genuinely interesting; there is something about him I cannot quite place a finger on. He isn’t just an Uber driver, and I firmly believe there is a lot I could learn from him. He just has that aura of intelligence and smartness around him. And yes, he is fine, too. I can imagine the kind of friendship we would build together; she giggled at her own thoughts.

Her Uber finally arrived, and she quickly checked the details and hopped in – it was getting late fast. She didn’t want her mum calling her all the way, so she immediately shared the trip with her. She could bet with her life her mum would stare at it every second until she was home! If she isn’t engrossed in another cantata with her father, that is. How she loved them!
She took the book from her bag and started to read.

“Madam?” the driver called out to her, but she didn’t hear him because she was lost in the book. “Madam, we don reach o”. “Ei madam!” he shouted, which jolted Asha back to her reality. “We don reach”, he repeated, a bit irritated.
She looked out the window and asked him to drive to the mustard painted house; she couldn’t understand why the map always ended in front of her second neighbour’s house. He got there and stopped. He showed her the bill, she paid and walked towards her house. She couldn’t wait to be in her room peacefully so she could enjoy the book.

“Good evening, Mum. Good evening, Dad”, she greeted her parents as she walked in. Daddy was massaging Mummy’s scalp while they watched one of those old Cantatas – no one could keep up with their titles. It seemed they watched something new every week! They barely responded, which was her cue to sneak up to her room before they noticed her presence.

Indeed, she could not put down the book, so she cut off her sleeping time to complete it. She had so many questions, which made her want to message Junior, but she constrained herself and waited for morning. She lay in bed, mulling over the book and the valiant author, Vince, till sleep caught up with her.

Vince Siso Snr lost his parents and siblings to an accident by their neighbour. It was around 6pm on a Thursday. They were on their usual stroll to the bus stop to meet Vince after school. He was preparing to write his entrance exams for Secondary School, so he stayed longer for extra classes; his siblings returned about 3 hours earlier. The neighbour drove into them as they strolled down the streets – he was returning from the bar, drunk as usual.

Vince got to the bus stop and was surprised his family wasn’t there. This is highly unusual, he thought to himself as he began the 10-minute walk home alone. About 3 minutes into his walk, he heard shouts for help; he froze for a second. He felt a sharp pierce in his chest, the same one he felt 2 years ago when Firo, his brother, hurt himself severely in school; he knew instantly there was something wrong with his family. He ran as fast as his feet could take him. He saw a crowd about 5 houses from their house and blood splattered on the road. He pushed his way through the crowd to where the people lay. And he saw them. His family. Blood. Bones. Tears. He screamed. And he saw their neighbour’s car, with blood on the front. He screamed even louder and attacked Mr Fye, the neighbour. A taxi arrived. Another taxi arrived. One of the neighbours, Mr Edo, had gone to get them. They gently carried them into the cars. Vince sat in one with his siblings, while the neighbour sat in the other with Vince’s parents.

Mr Edo stayed with Vince through the night as the doctors tried to save his family. Vince just cried, wondering if his family would survive. He finally dozed off after 2 hours. Mr Edo was relieved because he feared Vince would cry himself sick.
After about 4 hours of seeing them, the lead doctor walked to Mr Edo with a solemn look. The mother and Didi, his sister, were dead. The father and Firo were still fighting for their lives. Their chances were slim. Vince was still asleep. The lead doctor came again an hour later – the father was gone. Vince woke up as the doctor turned to leave. He asked the doctor how his family were doing. He stared silently and shook his head, and Vince ran to the doctor. The doctor held him tight and allowed him to cry. He understood the magnitude of what Vince was going through. As Vince cried on the doctor, another doctor walked toward them. She tapped the lead doctor and shook her head in the negative. Firo was gone. He lost everyone in one night.

He was 13 years.

Asha, Again?

“Dear Lord, thank You for a new day and for strength. Lord, please send pleasant and respectful customers my way today. And I receive grace to drive well and safely. And above all, fill me with Your patience! In Jesus’s Name, Amen.”
Junior prayed his usual prayer as he opened his Uber driver app. And there was a request!
“Let’s see who we’ve got here”, he said. “Ooh Asha, again! How is that even possible? This is the first time I am getting a repeat customer”. He was shocked to his bones. 
“I have roamed particular areas with the hopes I’d get a repeat passenger: like that lady, Abbie who left me intrigued and crushing on her”, he said to himself. 
“So, Holy Spirit, what is this about? I don’t think it is merely coincidental”, he pray-asked. He picked up his stuff and headed for the car. 

Junior truly believed there was a reason he was meeting Asha again. He remembered praying and asking God to use him to impact the lives of his passengers daily. Whatever they were going through, they should be better at the end of their trip than at the beginning.
“That’s what I prayed for anyway”, he said, as though to calm his nerves. He prayed till he got to Asha’s home; he needed Holy Spirit to give him something on this Asha situation. He got nothing, but he knew better than to worry. 

Asha entered the car almost immediately after it stopped. 
“Junior, I was elated when I noticed it was you! I have a bazillion questions…”
“Good morning to you too, Asha. How are you doing?” Junior interrupted. 
Her face flushed with what looked like embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry, Junior. Good morning, I’m well and sleepy, thank you for asking. How are you too?” she responded. 
“I’m amazing, thank you. You stayed up all night to finish the book, is that right?” Junior asked. 
“Yes, I did. I couldn’t read at work, so I started on my way back home, and indeed, I didn’t put it down until I was finished. It is such a good book, with many lessons. I do have a lot of questions. Although I believe it is only the author who can give me the answers, is the offer to discuss still open?” Asha asked. 
“With your enthusiasm and eagerness, I doubt there would be a discussion. It would be more like you schooling me! But yes, the offer is open. Whenever you are ready”, Junior responded with a chuckle.
Asha laughed and responded, “how on earth can I school the owner of the book? It is impossible!” They both laughed.
Asha continued, “we could start the discussion now, we still have some time, about 40mins, if the traffic situation is as it is on Google Maps”.
“Okay”, Junior paused and went on. “I will be in charge and ask the questions, is that fair?”
“But but, I have questions too, Asha began then she saw the smug look on Junior’s face in the mirror and shook her head with a smile. Okay, fine, let’s do this”, she said.

“What was your biggest takeaway from the book?” Junior asked. 

“That’s a hard one to answer”, Asha said. She thought for a while and said, “my biggest takeaway would be never give up. I know that sounds cliché but hear me out. For one, Vince could’ve ended his life at an early age when he lost everyone in his family, his father, his mother and his siblings. He was completely forgotten by his extended family so let’s just say he lost them as well. He felt like the most insignificant thing in this world and was severely depressed. He had no one to talk to, no one to care for him; how he survived only God knows. Yet, he achieved so much in honour of his parents and siblings. He didn’t let the anger within control him; he controlled it and allowed it to push him closer to God. I can only imagine how hard it would have been, considering he knew who had caused the death of his family. How do you even treat someone nice when you know they killed your family, although it was a mistake? Justice was not served, there was no trial, and he was free”.

She paused briefly, thought for a while and continued. 
“I have my entire family around, I am cared for, yet it gets so hard sometimes. The odds are in my favour every time, but I still want to give up and have given up sometimes. Look at Vince; he went on to achieve a lot – a Fortune 500 company with over 1000 employees spread everywhere in the world, he built a school, an orphanage, the first rehab facility in Ghana and a hospital – and he did this with little education because he had to drop out. He only got the chance to go back to school after achieving most of this. Where did he get all the knowledge from? Vince is a different kind of person. He is a true example of beauty from ashes. He built an entire empire from nothing, and back then, there was little technology to have helped him. So really, what’s my excuse for wanting to give up? I have been educated, I have easy access to technology, the internet, and so many resources at the tip of my fingers. What can I make out of it? I can’t just waste all of this. Vince had so little, yet he achieved so much. I have so much, and I have achieved so little. The irony. Maybe, having little is a blessing sometimes. So, my biggest takeaway – pause, take a break when necessary, but never give up.”

“Whew, that’s another book on its own!” Junior exclaimed, feigning boredom.
Asha flushed red and started to apologize.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I said so much.” She noticed Junior was laughing. “Wait, are you messing with me?” she asked, faking anger.
Junior stopped laughing and said, “well, yes and no. Yes, it was long but very insightful, and I enjoyed it. And yes, we could definitely write another book with all you said. But no, I am not complaining. I am your student for today, so let it all out.”

She laughed. 

Junior continued, “unfortunately, we are less than 5 minutes away from your office, so that would have to be all for today”. Asha’s look fell, and Junior noticed. He continued, “you have my card from yesterday; send me a message and let me know when you’d like to continue the discussion. But please, at least a day’s notice would be greatly appreciated. I did enjoy your biggest takeaway, though; very thought-provoking. Thank you for sharing, Asha.” 

“Thank you, Junior. I’d message you. I assume you live around my house”. Junior nodded in the affirmative, so she went on, “is it okay if you pick me up each morning for work?”. He paused briefly and said, “we can work something out. I’m not always around, but we can discuss that next time.” 

She paid him and got down. “Have a good day, Junior”, she said and turned to walk to her office with the biggest smile plastered on her face.

Impressions

“This is by far the best waffles I have had”, Asha said in between bites. “I have been seeing this eatery but never thought much of it. Its appearance is so deceptive!” she exclaimed! 
He smiled and said, “that is everyone’s first thought of this place, and it says a lot about how the human mind operates. What does this remind you of, Asha?”
Asha looked up from her plate, with her fork midway from her mouth. She looked at him with the funniest look he had ever seen as she dropped the fork – it was a mix of surprise, confusion, anticipation, and maybe, just maybe, he’d say, interest. He burst out laughing, and that caused her to intensify the look. 
He apologized for his outburst and explained, “that look was way too funny. I couldn’t hold back the laughter. Please, forgive me?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Please, please forgive me”, he said again while attempting to make puppy dog eyes.
She laughed, “Fine, I forgive you. And the thing about appearance. A wise man said, and I quote: Sometimes, most times even, appearance dictates people’s reception of you. So never have a bad hair day, it can cost you your dreams, end quote”.
She rolled her eyes as she ended, making him laugh. 

“I see, I see, someone studied the book! And yes, that is it. Although I am not complaining, it is often empty here. I believe they are missing out on lots of money because they refuse to do something about their appearance. So many eateries are filled up daily, and their food is nowhere as good as Piwol’s. If only they would invest a little in their appearance, and it doesn’t have to be any huge amount, just enough to make it look decent out here. Although appearance can be worlds apart from who you are, it is the first point of connection to people – they give you a chance because you pique their interest, or they don’t because you failed to. It pays to invest in your appearance a little bit more. Sometimes, the danger is identifying the thin line between looking good and feeding insecurities”. 

Asha nodded in a way that said, go on. 

“I dress to feel good and comfortable and for the occasion. Some people simply dress to follow trends and to look like someone else. Sometimes, they are far from comfortable in these outfits. Usually, they hope they’d be accepted and, hopefully, initiated into some circle they admire and are dying to be a part of. And they begin to lose themselves in the appearance of ‘influencers’. Unfortunately, this acceptance and initiation never happen, or it is short-lived. Point is, dress for the occasion, and be comfortable and confident in it”, Junior said.

Asha sighed, “a few years ago, I’d spend lots of time online, looking for what the popular people were wearing, and I’d go to the ends of the world to get it. And the reason? I was trying to get the attention of the popular guy on campus. I was never comfortable in any of those things, but I did it just because, and it didn’t end well.”
“The less original you are, the harder it is to keep up. And when that happens, you may still lose out on your dream”, Junior ended. 

They enjoyed the rest of their breakfast in silence. The more time he engaged with Asha, the more bedazzled he got. He thought she was smart, intelligent, and open-minded and was always eager to learn something new. And that was the key to success, in his opinion. 

As they headed to the car, Asha asked him what else he did aside drive an Uber.
“‘Tis so kind of you to think I have another job”, he joked. 
Asha’s eyes widened. “Wait, that’s all you do? Okay, where did you school and why Uber?” Asha asked.
“Even kinder of you to think I’ve had some formal education”.
Asha did that hilarious look again, and he laughed. 
“Okay, I’m just messing with you. I am a Harvard trained lawyer; I work with my father’s company as the Legal representative. Why Uber? Well, it is a nice way to relax before and after a long day of reading contracts and whatnots – it requires little to no mental effort. I get to meet new people, and who doesn’t like extra money? I have some time-bound plans, so every extra penny is welcome.”
“Mmmmm, that’s interesting”, she said. 

The ride back was relatively silent, and Junior wondered if he had said something wrong. A few minutes away from her home, he decided to find out.

“Asha, are you okay? You’ve been strangely quiet”, he asked. 
“Yes, I’m okay. Been doing some thinking. I took a trip down memory lane about my time on campus and my attempt to get a boyfriend. It changed the trajectory of my life. Although I love what I do as a product manager, I’ve always wanted to do industrial psychology. I missed out on that because of my appearance. And knowing you, and you working as an Uber driver even though you have a stable job makes me think about the limits I have placed on myself. Maybe it is time to change my appearance and dream again”.
“This is a good start, realizing and accepting there may be a problem. And the good thing is that according to a wise man”, he paused and looked at her, and they said together, “it is never too late to dream!” 

They had reached her house at this point. She smiled at him and said, “thank you for a wonderful time. I had fun. I am still waiting for your response on being my personal chauffeur to work.”
“Thank you for coming out with me. I can pick you up on Monday, but I’d be out of town for the rest of the week. I’m sorry. When I return, I can pick you up again. Is that okay?”

“Yes, that’s fine, thank you. Talk later”, Asha said as she got down from the car.

The Elephant In The Room 

It has been three months since Asha first met Junior. Asha decided to apply for some jobs after one of their conversations. She realized she could do more and even earn more. That way, she could save faster and get her Master’s degree. 
A month had passed since she began applying for new roles, but she was yet to receive a call from anyone. But she didn’t give up because she knew there was better out there for her; she was done settling. 
Six weeks later, she was called by one of the companies she applied to, the one she least expected to hear from. She had to take an online aptitude test, they said. Fortunately, she passed the test and was called for an in-person interview for the second round of the hiring process. She prepped so hard and well. It was for the role of an in-house therapist. Although not entirely what she wants to do, she thought this would give her the chance to learn even more about employees and their working environment. A building block, she called it. 

She requested to get some days off work during the interview week, and it was granted. She spent most of the time at ole Piwol’s. She had come to love its deafening yet comfortable silence and free Wi-Fi. She researched and read all the blogs on the company website and every news article she found on the CEO and his company. She even began to analyze the employees by checking their LinkedIn profiles and Instagram and Twitter for those she found. Unfortunately, her employee research was cut short by her mother’s call. She needed some help at home, so she packed up and headed home. And she forgot to go back to it before the interview date.  

 *** 

“Do I really have to cut my trip short for interviews?” Junior said out loud to himself in his hotel room, partially hoping someone would say no, but he was met with silence. Junior travelled shortly for work but added a trip to his brother’s apartment in Paris since he was in France. He had planned to stay for an extra week. Unbeknownst to him, the HR department had scheduled interviews for some new roles at the firm. Truthfully, he had forgotten about the interviews amidst his excitement to see his brother. And per his father’s request, he had to be present for every interview. And now, at 10pm, he was looking for the next available flight back to Ghana.
He made a mental note to look through the candidates’ profiles and resumes that were attached to the reminder email once he got on a flight. 

He had breakfast with his brother the following day and headed to the airport to catch his flight. He got there 30 minutes before boarding, so he decided to catch up on his messages. Asha had messaged him, asking if he could chauffeur her to an interview on Friday; she was so excited about it. He would love to but wondered if the time wouldn’t clash with his own set of interviews. He responded.
He went on to look through the candidates’ resumes and then moved on to confirm the interview time. What were the odds! Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be able to pick Asha up for the interview because it clashed with his. He made a mental note to inform her. 

Junior got back to Ghana Thursday night and was quite exhausted. Asha had messaged him again, finding out if he’d be able to pick her up. He called her to tell her he won’t be able to pick her up because of the time. She agreed, only after he accepted that he owed her lunch for not picking her up on such an important day. 

Junior did not want to risk getting to the office halfway through the first interview, so he left home a quarter after 6am. He planned to continue his slumber on his office couch, but that was soon forgotten when he met a pile of proposals waiting on his desk. 

At 10am, the interviews started, and Junior was impressed with the two candidates who had been interviewed. There was one more to go, and he couldn’t wait for it to be over. He was looking forward to lunch. Not only because he missed breakfast but also because he couldn’t wait to hear all about Asha’s interview and the company, which she stubbornly refused to mention. After a few discussions with his colleagues about the second candidate, they called the last candidate in. Junior was putting down some notes to share with his father later, so he had his head buried in his book.

“Good morning”, a voice said as the door shut behind her. I know this voice, Junior thought to himself as he completed the sentence he was writing. He raised his head in the direction of the voice.
“Junior?” she exclaimed, forgetting the rest of the interviewers. The other interviewers looked between Asha and Junior with confusion. She stood still for a while, trying to compose herself. 
“Hello, Asha. You’re welcome. Kindly take a seat”, Junior said calmly, trying to mask his own surprise. He acknowledged that he rushed through the candidate’s resume but to miss Asha completely? How did that happen? Lunch would be two times great!

How they both failed to recognize the elephant in the room was a question on its own.

Secret’s Out

“First things first. How come you didn’t tell me you were the son of the famous Vince Siso Snr? Who keeps such a secret?” Asha asked as soon as they got out of the office building.

“And who keeps the company they are interviewing with a secret?” Junior responded with a smirk. “And how is that even the first thing? You don’t want to know how you did in the interview? Nothing about it?” Junior asked, surprised.

“No, Junior. The other candidates don’t have that opportunity, I don’t think it is fair. And please, don’t hire me because of our friendship. Let it be….”

“Be rest assured, Asha. I really have no say in who is hired. The HR staff and department heads do that. I only sit through the interviews because my father asked me to – he wants a detailed report of how things are done and he wants me to do it. It puts his mind at ease that there is a legal mind on the panel to avoid any wrongdoings”. Junior paused and looked at her and went on. “Yes, I ask questions a few times, but that’s it. I don’t make the decision, so if you’re hired, when you’re hired, it will be solely based on merits”.

“When? When I am hired? So I was that good huh?” Asha asked cockily.

“Now, look who is interested in interview feedback”, Junior laughed. “My lips are sealed, madam ‘it’s not fair’”.

Asha rolled her eyes at him. He shook his head and feigned hurt.

They sat in his car and headed to lunch. He thought it would be nice to take Asha somewhere more fancy because it was apparent she put a lot of work into preparing for the interview.

The ride to the restaurant was relatively silent as they were both lost in their thoughts.

Asha couldn’t help but wonder about Junior. She respected Junior even more now, and her interest level had been piqued beyond reasonable limits. He is the son of the great Vince Siso, the heir apparent and yet, here he is working as an Uber driver. He is one of the nicest and most caring people she has ever met. No iota of pride, or rudeness. He is the epitome of humility and love. He nullifies the theory that rich people’s kids are some of the most uppity people you will ever meet. He is selfless and seeks to help others. She wouldn’t be here today if he hadn’t been kind to her and agreed to discuss the book he gave her. She would still be living her mediocre life, thinking she was doing the most. Whew, thank You, God.

Junior’s mind was filled with the events of the morning. Asha’s interview went on smoothly. Junior was beyond pleased when the interview ended. Because when he saw her surprise as she entered the room, he was concerned for a moment, hoping his presence wouldn’t affect her negatively. And it didn’t! It was as though he didn’t exist until he asked a question.

His colleagues were all pleased with her when the interview was done. Although the other two candidates were equally good, Asha was more assertive and spoke eloquently. And there was something about her that made them fall in love with her, yet they couldn’t place their hand on it. His mind was filled with the interview and Asha. He knew Asha was impressive, but he couldn’t help but wonder if his colleagues were pretending because they learnt he knew her. He brushed off the thoughts and turned towards Asha.

A Toast

“It makes sense why the ride has been silent”, Junior muttered.
He thought of ways to startle Asha awake when he was about 5 minutes from the restaurant, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it when he saw how peaceful she looked.
A part of him was looking forward to a somewhat empty Pancakery because they were pretty early for lunch, although he knew not to hope too much. Pancakery was in the heart of the business district, so it was the go-to restaurant for all the businesses nearby for their meetings and lunches. So it is nearly impossible to find it empty, even on the weekends, because the business folks brought their partners here. He knew Asha would like the food and the views Pancakery offered, but he wasn’t so sure about the crowd. He gently called Asha to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered on the fifth call, and he was glad he didn’t have to resort to shaking her out of her slumber.

“Have I been asleep the whole time?” She asked, a bit too conscious of herself.
“Most of the ride”, Junior responded with a shrug.
“Oh I’m so sorry, Junior. I didn’t realise how tired I was”.
“It’s okay, Asha, your snoring was bearable and you didn’t drool so we’re good”.
She facepalmed herself. “I snore too? I’m so embarrassed.”
Junior laughed at her. “I’m starving, let’s go.”
She looked towards the restaurant. “No Piwol’s today? Are you fighting with them?”
Junior chuckled. “We can get dessert from Piwol’s, if you want. This is my little way of saying congratulations on your interview. I am proud of you”, he said as he made a sweeping gesture towards the restaurant. “And no, not that you were ‘that good’”, he said sarcastically. He looked at her before going on, “this is for taking the step to developing yourself and getting closer to your goals”.
Asha was stunned; no words came out when she tried to speak. For a full minute, she sat stunned.
“Okay, madam. I am starving, are you coming?” Junior asked.
“Yes, yes, I am sorry. Thank you, Junior” was all she could manage.
They walked in silence.

Asha was overwhelmed with emotions; no one had done something like this for her. A part of her felt she was a fraud because she didn’t think she deserved all the kindness Junior showed her.
Junior wondered if he had said something wrong that had gotten Asha offended and quiet. He hoped he hadn’t ruined their lunch even before it started.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Siso, you’re welcome. Ma’am, you’re welcome”, the security greeted as they entered.
“Hello, Tim, how are you? How’s your wife and the little girl?” Junior asked.
“They are fine o. The girl is growing into a fine woman just like her mother o. It is like she didn’t take anything from me.”
Junior laughed, “I’m happy to hear that. I should come and visit soon. Let’s talk tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, Sir. I will call you”.
Asha wondered how Junior knew the man.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Siso, please come with me”, a waiter said as he led the way to an empty table for two.
“Mart, how are you?”
“I’m well, Sir. How are you too?”
“Ahh, as usual, tired but I’m good. Thank you”, Junior responded as he pulled out a chair for Asha to sit.
Asha was in awe of how Junior seemed to know the staff and treated them with respect and dignity, and it made her feel less of a fraud.

The waiter handed them the menu and left them to decide.
“What will you have, Asha?”
“Umm, give me a moment, please”.
“Take your time.”
The restaurant served only three-course meals, so he understood why it was taking Asha a while to make a choice. There were lots of options to choose from.
“Would you want me to make some recommendations?” Junior asked after a while.
“Please, do”, Asha responded with what seemed like a relief.
“I usually order their option 1 – chargrilled spicy chicken wings, herb roasted chicken and rice with honey glazed carrots and profiteroles for dessert. I have tried option 3 as well – vegetable spring rolls and samosas, spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce and a variety of homemade pastries for desserts. It wasn’t as good as option 1 but I loved the variety of pastries. My brother’s favorite is option 10 – Prawns/Shrimps cocktail, Chicken Pad Thai and the fruit cake for dessert. I want to try something new today. I am looking at option 6 – Cheesy Brisket Garlic Bread, Traditional Roast Pork Ribeye with Yorkshire pudding, served with potatoes and salad, and the chocolate-lemon curd tart for dessert.”
“Then I will take option 1 since it is your usual. I am trusting your judgement.”
“Yes ma’am, I’m sure you will enjoy it”.

Mart came back with a bottle of Junior’s favourite champagne, Harvey Nichols Non-Alcoholic Chardonnay. He knew to bring that whenever Junior didn’t order any drinks, and he took their order and left.
Junior took the champagne and proceeded to pour a glass for Asha, but she stopped him before he could.
“I don’t take alcohol, Sir”, she said.
“And you think I do?” he placed his free hand on his chest and feigned hurt. “I don’t take alcohol either. And even if I did, definitely not in the middle of the day or when I am driving”.
“I’m sorry, I assumed. It looked too fancy to be non-alcoholic.” She smiled wryly and allowed Junior to pour her a glass.
“It’s okay”, Junior said as he poured himself a glass and raised it up. “A toast to Asha.”
Asha looked at him quizzically, but he held his position till she complied. “A toast to me.”
“I thought you were going to leave me hanging”, Junior said after taking a sip of his champagne.
Asha laughed. “What was the toast for anyway?”
“Again, I am proud of you. It’s been a little over three months since we met, but you’re already here taking bold steps because of some little things I have shared with you. I believe in you and I am privileged to know you now because soon, it will be hard to get to you. You are going places”.
“Junior, thank you so much. I truly am grateful for all you have done for me since we met. The words you have shared with me, the experiences and the resources, especially, The Winning Race. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that book. I wouldn’t have thought to apply for another job and start working towards grad school. That book has changed my life, and like you, I will keep reading it, especially when I need a reason to move on. And this gesture”, she paused and looked around, ‘it is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you, Junior”.
“You’re welcome, Asha. My Uber driving has yielded a great success story and I couldn’t be more happier”, he said with a smile.
Asha excused herself to use the washroom. Junior used the opportunity to order some food for Asha to take home.

When she returned, they continued in friendly banter till their starters arrived.

“Enjoy your meal, Sir, Ma’am”, Mart said.
Junior waited for Asha to take a bite of her chargrilled spicy chicken wings. The look on her face was all he needed to know she would enjoy every bite.
“Okay, Junior, this…” she looked longingly at the meal, “this is divine!”
Junior took a bite of his cheesy brisket garlic bread and was glad he decided to try something new. Each spice hit just right, not too little or too much, and the cheese made it just perfect.
Mart cleared the table when they were done and told them their main meal would be ready in 5 minutes.

“You seem to know the staff here. You come here often?” Asha asked when Mart was out of their hearing range.
“Well, I used to come here a lot with my father for business meetings. They call here the business hub because there are always business meetings going on here. Now that I am handling mostly the legal affairs, I don’t do meetings as often. And years ago, during the weekends, my dad would bring the whole family – my mother, my brother and sister – to spend some time together. Often, he’d have a meeting scheduled as well. He hates spending his weekends away from home, but on the onset of the business, it was necessary. So bringing all of us was a way for us to bond and have family time”.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Junior as he recalled the events of his earlier life. His siblings were now both outside the country for school, so they hadn’t done this in a while. It was just the two old people sampling hotels and countries and sending them pictures now. How time flies.

“That must have been nice”, Asha said. “My father also hates spending his weekends at work, so even when he was in dire need of a job, he turned down about 5 of them because they wanted him to work on the weekends. Our weekends were mostly spent in our backyard, playing. Sometimes, it was football, other times, volleyball or ampe. When we were tired, we would go inside and continue with board games or a movie. We made sure to finish all our homework on Friday night, so we didn’t have to think about it again till we were back in school”.
“That sounds fun. How many siblings do you have?”
“Three, two brothers and a sister.”
“That’s nice.”

Mart brought their main meals, and the aroma caused them to drool. Junior could hardly wait for Asha to take her first bite before taking his. And again, she enjoyed it. They devoured the meal in silence because it was too good to allow anything to interrupt their savouring of it. When Mart came to clear the table, Junior told him to hold on with the dessert. They weren’t ready to wash the taste of the meals off their tongues just yet. They resumed their conversation and went on and on. A call from Asha’s mother interrupted them, and that was when they realised they had been talking for 57 minutes after their meal. How time flies when you’re enjoying yourself. Asha’s mother wanted to know how the interview went because she hadn’t heard from her.

“I have to get you home before she comes for me o”, Junior said playfully. He signalled Mart to bring the dessert.
“Oh please, come for you? I am a big girl o”, she chuckled. “But yeah, she will definitely come for you”. They burst out in laughter.
“Wow, that was very calming”, he paused. “Thank you, milady,” Junior added sarcastically.
They enjoyed their dessert, Junior paid, and Mart escorted them to the entrance with the extra food for Asha.

As they walked to the car, Asha asked about Tim, the security man at the entrance. “You seem to know Tim a bit beyond this restaurant”.
“That’s true. I came here one day, about 2 years ago, and he wasn’t his usual bubbly and chatty self; he looked downtrodden. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that his wife had just delivered their first child, and the baby had some complications. She needed surgery, but they didn’t have the money. He had requested an advance salary, but that would have been just peanuts considering the surgery’s cost. So I helped him out. I visit them from time to time, his daughter is such a beauty and the most pleasant companion a tired person could ask for”.

Asha smiled.

Done With You!

The car was filled with laughter throughout the 42 minutes drive to Asha’s home. Asha was a delight to be around.
And just as Junior expected, she refused to take the extra food.
“Okay, Asha, this isn’t for you. It is for your mother, for not coming for me for keeping her little girl”. He paused. “If you will not give it to her, I’ll go with you and give it to her myself”.
“Junior, you’re just annoying. Give it to me, I don’t think I want you to go through the stress of meeting my mother and father now. They will keep you in there for more than an hour with all their questions”.
“Finally”, he muttered.
“Pardon? Did you say something?”
“No, no, I didn’t”, he smiled at her.
“Okay. Thank you once again, Junior, for lunch. I enjoyed myself.”
“Thank you for coming with me. You’re a pleasant company.”
“More than Tim’s little girl?” She asked.
Junior laughed, “Well, for a man who isn’t tired, yes. I don’t know about when I’m tired but I’m pretty sure I’ll choose her”. Junior said, slyly.
Asha feigned jealousy and turned to walk away. She stopped, turned around and said dramatically, “I am done with you.”
They both burst out in laughter.
They said their goodbyes, and Junior headed home; he needed to sleep.

A few minutes after he left Asha’s, he heard his phone ring and saw it was her.
“Hello Asha, did you leave something in the car?”
“No, Junior, my mother would like to talk to you”.
“Oh okay, why do you sound like you’re about to faint? Relax, Asha.”
“Okay, Junior, I am giving it to her.”
“My son, Junior, thank you oo! Thank you, God bless you. May you never lack o, for thinking about me. May your barns overflow daily o. Heh, God will bless you, my son”.
Junior listened quietly, smiling. She reminded him of how dramatic his own mother could be. When she was done, he responded. “Amen, Ma, God bless you too.”
“Mmmm, my son, when are you coming to visit us?”
“Ma, you will see me soon. Asha will let you know”.
“Okay, my son. Bye-bye.”
“Bye, Ma.”
Asha came back on the line, her voice still nervous. “Okay, Junior. Thank you, we’ll talk later.”
“Relax, Asha. Talk later.”

Asha’s mother went on and on, quizzing her about Junior. She couldn’t believe he was just a friend because he had bought her food. “Unbelievable, just unbelievable!” she muttered to herself.
“Mama, believe me, Junior is only a friend. That is all there is to our relationship. He bought you food because he is just a nice person. Your daughter is not cheap o”, Asha said to her mother, almost exasperated.
“Oh, Afia, I know you’re not cheap; Papa did a good job raising you to know your worth. I’m just waiting for you to bring your man home because you’re not growing any younger o,” her mother responded. Her voice tinged with the same sad-like emotions she remembers from when her sister was single.

“Ewuraba, you’re not growing young o. You’re now 26 years old and you claim you don’t have a boyfriend. When are you planning on marrying? I want my grandchildren before I die o. Eh, don’t rid me of the joy of grand parenting – to hold your babies, and watch them suckle at your breast, to feed you and pamper you in the first few months as you get a wing of motherhood. Ahh, I can imagine how happy Papa will be! Ewuraba, please ….”
“Mama, it is okay. I get the point. Keep me in your prayers, and I’m sure God will send a man my way. I cannot go and propose to a man. They are not proposing to me either, so unless prayers, Ma”, Ewuraba, Asha’s older sister, responded, visibly frustrated and tired of her mother’s nagging.

Asha remembered it just like yesterday; she sat next to her sister, laughing heartily. And now, it was her turn to deal with her mother’s nagging. “At least there is no younger sister to laugh at my predicament”, she said, barely audible, to comfort herself.
“Afia, what did you say? I didn’t hear you”, her mother asked.
“Nothing, Mama, I am going to my room now to get some rest. I am tired”, Asha said as she walked to her room.

Junior thought to check up on Asha when he got home to find out how things went with her mother. He hoped she didn’t get into any kind of trouble.
Asha answered the phone on the third ring, “Hello, Junior. Are you home?”
“Yes, I am. How did it go with your mother? I hope you didn’t get into any trouble because of the food?”
“Yes, I did. Now she thinks I have some sugar daddy who is getting me expensive food. And is even insinuating I am sleeping with him and possibly many other men.”
“Oh, Asha, I am so sorry. I didn’t intend to cause any problems for you. I am coming there right now to talk to her. I am sure that will change her mind. Give me a few minutes, and I will be there.” Junior quickly got off the couch and took his car keys.
When Asha heard the keys jingling, she started laughing heartily on the other end of the line.
“Asha? What’s funny?” She kept laughing. “Asha?”
“Junior, relax. There was no trouble, I was just messing with you.” Asha said amidst laughter.
“Really, Asha? Why would you joke about something like this?”
“Well, I am learning from the best.”
“And who might that be?” Junior asked as he dropped his keys and sat back on the couch.
“The gentleman I am talking to now.”
“I see. Well played, Asha, well played. Just remember, it takes two to tango”.
“Okay, now that sounds like a threat. I was only playing.”

“Well, I will also be only playing then”, Junior responded.
Asha sighed, realising she had started something she was going to regret.

“Anyway, I am glad there was no trouble at home. I was calling to find out how it went because you sounded so nervous on the phone, like you had been caught killing somebody”.
“Oh no, I wasn’t nervous”.
“Yeah, right.” Junior started mimicking her, and his voice sounded like a baby shrilling.
“Stop it, Junior, I didn’t sound like that.”
Junior mimicked her more and then burst into laughter. Asha joined him.

“Junior, thank you once again for lunch today. I had fun, and I enjoyed the meal. And thank you for pushing me further to pursue my long-buried dreams.”
“Okay, Asha, enough with the thank you’s. You deserved it. And I am proud of you”. He paused briefly. “When you get a response from the recruiting team, you get to choose a restaurant for a celebratory lunch or dinner. Whatever the response.”
“Okay, Junior. That won’t be necessary. Today was enough.”

“I wasn’t asking you, milady, please and thank you.”
“Umm, Junior, I still don’t think it’s necessary, today ….”
“Asha, if you absolutely want to protest it, just say you don’t want to go, and that is fine.”
“Okay, Junior.”
And there was silence.

“Asha, I will talk to you later. I am going to get some rest now. And I think you should too. You prepared hard for the interview, and I believe you didn’t sleep enough.
“Mmmm, yes, I could use some sleep now. Talk later, Junior”.
“Later, Asha”.
The call went dead.

Jinxed

The weekend went by quickly, and it was already Sunday evening. The perks of having his father as his boss was that he could always pop into his parents’ home and have meetings. Earlier in the day, when he closed from church, he had passed by his parents’ and briefed his father about the interview. His father was impressed by all the candidates, and he couldn’t pick a favourite one. That was until he checked his email.

“These candidates all sound qualified and equally good. I don’t think I can settle on a favourite this time.”
Junior silently thanked God that his father didn’t add the usual question he’d asked after every interview.
A moment passed, and his father called him. “Junior.”
“Yes, Dad?”
“What do you think about them, who would you choose if you had the opportunity?”
I jinxed it, he thought to himself. “It is a tough call. Just like you, I thought they were all good and equally qualified. They all seem to have a diverse background which is a plus. However, I know one of the candidates personally. From my knowledge of her, I would choose her. Not because she is a friend, but because out of all three of them, she had the highest score on the aptitude test, she was the most assertive and confident one. She asked the most unique questions – she asked about the company’s culture and how employees were supported during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“I just looked through the report the recruiting team sent me and I want to choose one Asha. She has read my book and quoted me!”
“Well, that’s the same person I am talking about, too”, Junior laughed; he had totally forgotten about that.

One requirement of all employees during their orientation period was to read ‘The Winning Race’. They were to choose one work ethic they would live by during their employment tenure at the company. Many businesses in the country and abroad have adapted the work ethics outlined in the book for their company. Universities required their business students to read it, so it was only right Vince Snr added it to the processes of his own company. He only started doing this about 5 years ago. It was a tough decision because he didn’t want to appear arrogant, as though he was the only one who knew the best work ethics in the world. But the more companies and universities adapted his ethics, the more compelled he felt to add that step to the orientation. He didn’t want to give the impression he didn’t believe in his own values. And if anyone would be honest, they have had better employees and results since they started that practice. Junior believes it is because the employees are allowed to choose an ethic themselves, compared to it being imposed on them. It gives them a feeling of being a part of the process. And each employee’s chosen ethic is written down in their files. At the end of each year, an employee whose work reflected their selected ethic gets a special bonus added to the general bonuses.

“It seems they also made similar notes like you did – she was assertive, confident, knew the little details of the company and asked questions around them. The others seemed to have the skills and qualifications but not her curiosity. She is their final choice,” his father paused.
“Junior, what kind of relationship do you have with her?”
“Dad, she is only a friend. She was my passenger a few months ago. She asked for one of my car books to read, and she settled on ‘The Winning Race’ and we became friends after that”.
He paused; his father searched his face as though looking for something more.
Junior went on. “No, she didn’t get any inside information from me. I had no idea she was applying to the company, and I was equally surprised when she entered the room”.
“Okay, son. I only wanted to be sure.”
“I know, Dad and I understand.”

“Honey. Junior. Food is ready, come and let’s eat.” Junior’s mother shouted from the dining area. Junior and his dad glanced at each other; Junior started packing up his work files quickly as his father headed for the dining area. His mother detested them working on weekends. They had snuck up to the study to quickly discuss the interview when she went to the kitchen. They had to exit the study just as fast to avoid her wrath. They enjoyed lunch, and Junior left them.

The Special Friend

For Asha, Sundays were for relaxing and preparing for the week ahead. After church, the family would have lunch together. Sometimes her sister, Ewuraba, her husband and their son would join them. Those were her favourite Sundays because even though she fought with her sister every chance they got before she married, she missed her dearly. And she didn’t want to bother her now that she was married, so she kept her distance as much as possible. A few calls and texts here and there. And her two-year-old nephew, Kojo, was a delight.

Today was one of her favourite Sundays. After lunch, they all got together to watch a movie, and Kojo was in his playpen doing his own thing till he fell asleep. After the movie, the men went to the backyard, and the women went to the kitchen to catch up on life and prepare dinner.

“Ewuraba, has your sister told you about her friend?” Asha’s mother asked.
“Oh no, not again.” Asha muttered.
“Which friend is that? Do you have a boyfriend now, Afia?” Ewuraba asked excitedly.
“Don’t get excited, Madam. There’s no boyfriend. The man Mama is referring to is only a friend. She thinks he is more than that because he got her food”. She paused to take in her sister’s reaction. “Can you imagine?”
“Oh, Mama!” Ewuraba said amidst laughter. “But that isn’t a good reason to assume he is her boyfriend. Or is there something else she isn’t saying?”

”Ewuraba, it was not just any food o! It was from that expensive restaurant. What is the name mpo? The one in the business district. You know it, eh?” Her mother responded.
“Pancakery?” Ewuraba asked.
“Aahuh, yes yes, that is it. Now do you understand my concern?”

”Ei Afia, is that true? And you’re sure he’s just a friend?”
“Ewuraba, not you too. He is only a friend. There are still a few nice men out there who treat their friends well, okay? And he happens to be one of those.” Asha responded.
They continued to tease her, and she realised it was better to not try and defend herself. So she let them be. At least her mother had not told her father, and she was grateful for that because he was the biggest tease she had ever met.

She went up to her room after her sister and family had left. She started preparing for work, and she found The Winning Race in her bag. Her mind went back to her interview prep and the interview itself. It was still hard to believe Junior was the son of Vince Siso Snr, although she could see an uncanny resemblance between the two now. Her disbelief was mainly rooted in his behaviour and character. He easily debunked the theory of rude, selfish, rich kids, which made her happy for some reason. It’s been only a few months since they met and became friends, but she was excited about what lay ahead of them.

She had been excited to apply to TRW because although their recruiting process was short, they gave you a month to prepare and start work if you were hired. And luckily, she only needed to give her current employer a two-week notice before resigning. She had drafted her resignation letter in faith on Saturday. If the TRW website is accurate, she should know her stance by 12 noon tomorrow. Part of her wanted to hand in her resignation immediately she got to the office, but her logical part was resisting that. She didn’t want to be jobless and be a burden on her parents. Images of the period when she completed her National Service and was job hunting flashed through her mind. She cringed and decided to wait till she heard from the recruiters.

Asha had forgotten about her car being at the workshop. When she remembered, her mechanic kept giving her stories after stories. So, she decided to sell the car because there was always a new issue. She spoke to her dad, and he agreed to handle the mechanic and get it sold. She was looking forward to getting some cash to add to her savings and investments. She was looking for a way to complete graduate school debt-free. She knew it would be challenging, but she would at least try.

Asha messaged Junior to check up on him and find out if he could pick her up for work. Junior agreed; his morning was free.

His First Love

“Good morning, Junior, how are you today? How was your weekend?” Asha asked as she entered Junior’s car.
“Good morning, Asha, I’m well, thank you. My weekend was great, spent part of with my parents, and I received some good news as well. And I got enough time to rest also”. He looked over at Asha. “What about you?”
“I am well too. My weekend was good but filled with lots of teasing. My sister came over yesterday. And my mother went on and on about how a certain man bought expensive food for her.” She chuckled. “Well, it was great seeing my nephew and playing with him again after months, so I guess that was good compensation”.
Junior laughed. “It looks like she isn’t going to let this food thing go, huh? I’m glad it is all fun and games though and you didn’t get into any trouble”.
Asha smiled.

“So, have you thought of where you would like to have lunch after the news today?” Junior asked.
“Yep, I have, actually. I’d like to go to Piwol’s.”
Junior turned to look at her, surprised. “I was really hoping you wouldn’t choose Piwol’s”. He paused and took a deep breath before going on. “Asha, allow people to do nice things for you, you deserve it, and it wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
There was an awkward silence because Asha didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t want Junior wasting any more money on her at these expensive restaurants, but it looks like she hurt his feelings. Junior broke the silence.

“Okay, Piwol’s it is! It’s been a while I went there anyway. I miss the quiet and good food!”
Asha laughed, “here I was thinking you no longer liked Piwol’s.”
“Hah, that is impossible. Piwol’s is a favorite and will always be. Do people forget their first love?”

Asha laughed. They continued in their banter. About 10 minutes away from Asha’s office, Junior brought up the interview.
“So, how are you feeling about the results?”

”Hmm, to be honest, I’m not sure. My feelings are all over the place. One moment, I am hopeful and ready to hand in my resignation letter as soon as I get to the office. The next moment, I’m wondering if I was good enough.” She paused. “But mostly, I am grateful for the opportunity to have gotten that far in the process, and even if I don’t get the job, that’s okay. We will look for other opportunities.” She smiled at Junior. “Won’t we?”
“Of course, we will. There’s no way we’re allowing mediocrity to our space”.
They both laughed as the car came to a stop.

“Asha, let me know how it goes when you get a reply from them. And let me know when we shall go for our lunch.”
“Thank you, Junior. I will call you.”
“Have a good day.”
Junior headed to the office.

Whispers Of Love?

Asha’s morning was quite busy, yet she couldn’t get her heart to stop racing nor her mind to stop thinking of a thousand and one reasons why they wouldn’t pick her. She couldn’t wait to hear back from TRW, and for once, she wished she had allowed Junior to give her feedback after the interview – at least she would have an idea of what to expect.

“Aargh! Can all these thoughts stop already?” She asked her reflection in the bathroom when she took a break.
She entered a stall, sat on the seat, took out the cute notebook she often has on her at work and began to write down some counter-arguments for why she would be picked. And that definitely helped her calm down a bit.
Before she returned to her desk, she messaged Junior.

“Mr. Vince Siso Junior. I hope this message finds you well. My nerves are all over the place. Anxiety is killing me. The suspense is off the roofs. Kindly put aside everything I said about being fair to the other candidates. I need inside information on how I did during the interview, from Mr. Vince Siso Junior, the head of the Legal Team at TRW – not from Junior, my friend. Please, do not pass my message by. Looking forward to hear from you. Regards, Asha Afia Quinn.”
Asha hit the send button and then headed out.

She felt her phone vibrate just as she was about to enter the shared office she used with her colleagues.
”Hello Junior? What do you have for me?”
She stood outside the office, on the corridor and answered the call. For some reason, many people had decided to use that same corridor at this moment. No one knew who she talking to, but the looks on her face made them wonder if she had just received a call telling her the cookies she stole and hid had been found. At the end of the call, she leaned on the corridor walls because her wobbling knees could no longer hold her up. Tears of joy rolled down her face. She didn’t check her phone before answering and assumed the call was from Junior. It was the head of recruitment from TRW. When she gained her composure, she called Junior.

“Hello?”

“Hello, who do you want to speak with?” He paused briefly. “Junior, your friend or Mr. Vince Siso Junior, the head of the Legal Team at TRW?” He ended with a chuckle.
“Well, I think the head of the Legal Team at TRW, Mr. Vince Siso Junior, would be better for this call.”
“You have reached him, kindly proceed.”

”I am wondering why you’re still on this call, actually. I expected to reach your assistant because you are busy drafting a new contract for the new in-house therapist.”
“Oh wow! It looks like somebody’s nerves and anxiety has been calmed down now. Congratulations, Asha. I am truly proud of you. And again, I am blessed to know you at this time because I’m not sure I can get a hold of you when you become a celebrity o.”
“Oh please, Junior! Celebrity from where? Abeg, free me!” Asha said amidst laughter. “And thank you, Junior. For pushing me to reach for more. I am forever indebted to you.” She paused. “On that note, I’d like to take you out for lunch or dinner when you’re free. My way of saying thank you”. She smiled. “Check your calendar and let me know by close of day. Thank you.”
“Huh? No, Asha, that isn’t necessary. You do…”

Asha interrupted. “Pardon? Is that rejection I hear coming up? Somebody isn’t taking his own advice, huh? Allow people to do nice things for you, Junior. You deserve it and it wouldn’t hurt anyone”, she ended with a laugh.
Junior laughed, “that’s a good one, Asha, that’s a good one.”
“Well, I learn from the best. So, I’ll be waiting. Please and thank you.”
“Okay, Asha. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Bye.”

Asha went back to the office and saw her colleagues crowded in one spot whispering enthusiastically about something; they all hushed when they saw her approach. “That’s weird”, she thought to herself. Then it occurred to her that she was probably the topic of their whispering. “Well, I can’t be bothered; I’ve got things to celebrate.” She went to her desk and continued to work.

Office Wahala

“Asha, why are you doing this?” Ms Akoto asked, her voice laced with sadness.
“Ms. Akoto, it’s been a great experience working here. I have learned a lot but I believe it is time to move on to new things.”
“You know you’re the most efficient employee in this department. Is it something I did? Or some…”
“No, Miss. This is my personal decision, stemming from my own reasons. Nothing to do with you or any of my colleagues.”

“Aaah, wait. I think I know why, the promotion. Because I didn’t nominate you for promotion last year. I know you are better than Ama, whom I nominated, but it was just because she had been here longer. That’s all. She’s nowhere near as good as you. I will nominate you this year, Asha. Please, rethink this decision.”

“Oh, Miss Akoto. I didn’t even know this, and no, I wasn’t expecting to be promoted last year because it was my second year here, and I knew there was a lot more to learn in the role. Thank you for letting me know about your culture and values.”
Asha paused and shook her head.
“You know, you have given me more reason to go ahead with my decision. What’s the point in being here if progress is based on what someone says and not on merits? Regardless of what I do and how hard I work, if you or someone else is not pleased, I will remain stagnant. That’s not right. Something needs to be changed.”
Asha paused, giving Ms Akoto time to think about what she had said. “This is my resignation letter and my two weeks notice.”
Ms Akoto reluctantly took the letter.
“Thank you for the opportunity to work here for the last three years. It’s been a great learning journey.”
“I am sorry, Asha. You are a great team member, and I know you will excel in your next role or whatever you set out to achieve. All the best, Asha.” Ms Akoto said solemnly as Asha walked to the door.
“Thank you, Ms Akoto.”

Asha was beyond disappointed in Ms Akoto and the other department heads. She wondered how many of her colleagues had been passed up for promotion just because the head had a favourite or someone they preferred more. This is definitely not the environment she wants to be in. She was grateful for the last three years but even more thankful for the next three years and more that lay ahead of her. She started thinking of ways to bring this to light or help her colleagues in this company and elsewhere where they were facing similar situations. She immediately jotted this down in her notebook to think more and find a solution.

Her last two weeks in the company were mostly a blur because the company’s rules didn’t allow her superiors to assign her any new tasks. She was to focus on bringing everything she worked on to completion. But for Asha, there was really nothing to be done because she was already done with her assigned projects. And unfortunately, what she feared the most happened before her two weeks were up – she became the centre of the office gossip and the plague no one wanted to be around. Even Milly, her after-work buddy, had deserted her. On her last day, the security man, Mr Fofo engaged her after work.

“Madam, how are you today? I hear say you dey lef we eh. Na true?”

“Yes o, Mr. Fofo. My time here is up.”
“Ei Madam, so who go bring me food small small? Thank you o, for all the things you fi do for me. God bless you, madam.”
“God bless you too, Mr Fofo. I am sure God will send somebody to take care of you again. Don’t worry.” Asha said with a smile, tipped him and stepped outside the gate.

Fortunately, her Uber had arrived – she was glad to be not returning to this place again. She spent the ride home putting down ideas to improve fairness in the corporate world. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was definitely worth trying, so she wouldn’t give up. She’d keep trying till there was a breakthrough. She had to try.

Asha’s two-week break before starting work at TRW was spent alternating between sleeping, reading, trying new restaurants with Junior, coming home to her mother’s questioning looks and utterances, and exploring more ideas for her latest project, making the corporate place better. Junior had been of tremendous help in this regard. Although she hadn’t got a concrete plan yet, she had made significant progress.

What’s Next?

The orientation week was a breeze, partly because she had read ‘The Winning Race’ cover to cover two times already.
The in-house therapy role was a new role they had created because the board realised that, although not drastic, the performance of employees had dropped after the COVID-19 pandemic. So they felt it was necessary to get an in-house therapist who understood the value and culture of the company. They believed it would be better that way and help the therapist understand and know how to help them. So in the interim, she was working under the HR department.

Asha majored in Psychology and took business admin as a minor for her undergrad. She was fortunate to intern in a company as a personal assistant to a product manager during her undergraduate years. He was a good man. Instead of allowing Asha to be just his assistant, he taught her everything he could about being a Product Manager within the time frame. And when the period was over, he enrolled her in a three-month online crash course to study product management as his gift to her. He believed her psychology background would help her stand out in the field. And it did. Since then, they have been in contact, and she goes to him whenever she has challenges. She thanked God for him daily.

A year after starting her role as an in-house therapist at TRW, it was time for her first development program. As part of TRW’s value of developing employees, every employee was enrolled in a development program each year. They could learn a new course, earn a certification, intern in a different department or one of their sister companies for three months. Asha’s boss suggested she enrol in an HR certification program to improve her skills and even get more opportunities in their department. She thought it was a good idea, so she did it. Unbeknownst to her, her boss had planned to resign to pursue other interests. And he nominated her to fill his role because of her diverse background. She was grateful. She still worked as the in-house therapist till it was filled.

Junior was beyond proud of himself and thankful to God for the opportunity to impact Asha’s life through Uber driving. His father was impressed daily with the strides Asha kept making each year in the company. The atmosphere had changed for the better because Asha put the employees’ mental health first and brought some balance to the policies they set as a company. She had made many changes to the interior decor of the space because she believed colour and ambience affected people’s mental health. One of her favourite things about working with TRW was that there were few restrictions – her department had a considerable budget. Once she explained the likely outcome of what she suggested, she was often allowed to execute it.

Junior offered to take her out for dinner when she was promoted. Sampling restaurants had become a regular thing in their friendship. And as usual, Junior didn’t mention where; he simply told her to be ready by 7:00pm, and he’d pick her up. Her mother had given up trying to force Junior on her as a boyfriend because she realised Asha and Junior had no plans to pursue that path. But today, when she saw Asha dressed, she couldn’t help herself but bring it up one more time.

“Ei Afia, the way you’re always going out with the man, are you sure you’ll get a boy? No one will approach you o. Yooo.”

“Oh Mama, I thought you were over this? Junior is my friend, and that is that.” She paused. “Keep me in your prayers, and I’m sure God will send a man my way. I cannot go and propose to a man, and they don’t seem to be proposing to me either, so unless prayers, Ma.” She repeated her sister’s line to her mother, making her mute. Junior came in when he arrived and greeted Mama with his usual gifts in hand.

The Stranger

Junior mentioned his name to the waiter at the restaurant, and he led them to a table. Asha noticed a gentleman already seated at the table, and she wondered who he was. The man embraced Junior, and they exchanged pleasantries. They seemed very cordial, so she deduced this was definitely not about business.

“Asha, meet Aya, my younger brother. Aya, Asha.”
“Hello, Asha, nice to meet you. I have heard many things about you,” Aya’s lips curved into a smile, revealing an almost sparkling set of teeth. He stretched his hand for a handshake.
With one of her biggest smiles, Asha took his hand, “Pleasure to meet you, Aya. I hope everything he shared was good.”
“Of course, they were, Asha! I will allow you to reveal your own behavior”, Junior said with a chuckle.
Asha rolled her eyes at him.
“Ahh see, you have started”, he said again.
“Junior, leave the beautiful lady alone.” Aya said, smacking his brother’s arm.
“Asha, I know you’re wondering what’s going on here. I have another engagement tonight, but I still wanted to celebrate. My dearest brother, Aya, offered to keep you company while I attend to other businesses. And I didn’t tell you because you wouldn’t have agreed to it. Forgive me, please?” He ended with his puppy dog look that always got Asha laughing.
“So, does that mean you owe me another dinner?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. “Oh great, we’ll agree on the date next week then”, she ended with a massive smirk on her face.

Junior sat with them for a few minutes while they shared some drinks and chatted. He left after about 15 minutes.

Aya and Asha began talking. She learned that Aya had completed his Master’s degree program last year in France and worked there. He was in the tech industry, developing software and nice automated stuff. They conversed freely, as though they had known each other for years. And Asha found him even more interesting than Junior. They enjoyed their meals and dessert. Most of the evening was spent getting to know one another. They didn’t realise how late it was till Junior called Aya. He was wondering when he was going to be home. It was past 10:00pm. Aya settled the bill, and they headed to the car park. He dropped Asha home, took her number and left.

Immediately, Asha called Junior.
“Junior, why have you been hiding your brother from me till now?”
“Hello, Asha. Looks like you had fun.”

“Of course I did! He is such a sweet soul!”

“It sounds like I am being replaced so soon.”
“Errr no, Junior. You have a special spot in my heart, that no one can take.” She paused. “Your brother though…” she said dreamily
“Okay, Asha, I don’t want to hear all the things my brother has done to your heart. I am glad you had fun.”
Asha heard a door opening. “Yie, is that him? This conversation stays between us, Junior. Thank you, byeee!” She hanged up quickly.

Aya called her to let her know he was home. They thanked each other for a good evening and said goodnight.

Aya went on and on about how great his dinner was to Junior. And he thanked him for letting them meet.

Aya was home for a month and a half, and he saw Asha at least once each day. He had relieved Junior of his role as her personal chauffeur to and from work. On days he couldn’t do one or the other, Junior resumed his position. He was glad he had thought to introduce Aya and Asha because Asha had developed this glow he didn’t know was missing since she met Aya. She was more excited than he could remember, and her drive to do better had doubled. The only thing that annoyed him was that at work, whenever they were on break, Asha couldn’t stop talking about Aya and at home, Aya couldn’t stop talking about Asha. They made him want to find a woman for himself, and it drove him crazy. But all in all, he was glad that Aya, his baby brother, was growing to love a fine woman as his best friend, Asha. This was definitely his best Uber-impact story of all time.

Aya and Asha’s relationship grew over FaceTime when Aya had to return to work in France. Aya learned how valuable Asha had become to his father’s company and didn’t want to rid them of her till she was ready. Besides, his dad’s dream was that all his children worked in one of his companies. He believed they were the best people to carry out his legacy; no stranger would do it better than them, he would say. Aya had tried to be the rebellious one and work elsewhere, but that changed when he met Asha. He had spoken to his father about relocating to Ghana and working in the company before he left. His father was ecstatic because he never expected Aya, “his only rebel”, to return home so soon. With his education and work experience, he couldn’t be given any role less than a manager. So, his father suggested he shadows him till they find a permanent position for him.

He waited a week and turned in his resignation letter when he returned to work. He started putting things in place to relocate to Ghana, and only Junior knew about his plan.

“Miss Asha Afia Quinn, please report to my office during lunch. I’d like to have a brief meeting with you.”, Junior said on the other end of the phone.
“Yes Boss, I will be there!” Asha responded, trying hard to hold back her laughter.
A few minutes later, Asha was headed to Junior’s office. She wondered what this summons was about. Her mind drifted off to Aya. She missed him a lot, and it didn’t help that he and Junior had very similar facial features.
“Boss, I am here.” Asha said with a salute when she entered Junior’s office.
“Sit down, Miss Quinn.” He paused. “I summoned you here because I have received some complains that I am not happy about.” Asha’s eyes opened wide with her signature look of shock, confusion, interest and whatever else was in there.
Junior was trying terribly hard not to burst out laughing. He went on. “Somebody said he told you he’d be away for a couple of days because of work and due to the location, he may not be able to talk to you for a couple of days and you were sad about it.”
He paused and looked at Asha to see from her face if she was following, but she looked just as lost as before. “You don’t know what I’m talking about?”
Asha shook her head, still looking confused. Suddenly, her face lit up. “Herh, Junior! Really?”
Junior burst out in uncontrollable laughter. Asha stared at him for a while, then joined him in laughter. He managed to compose himself.
“Well, I didn’t want to go straight to the point, that your boy is abandoning you for the next few days. That won’t be nice, it would almost sound like mockery.” He said with a smirk.
“Are you mocking me now?” Asha raised her eyebrows at him.
“Oh how can I mock my own best friend?”
“So you just called me here to mock me eh? Junior, your time will come o.”
“No, no, that’s not it.” He rolled his eyes. “Aya has tasked me to take you to dinner tonight because he isn’t available. So when we close, I’ll take you home to get ready while I also go and get ready. Then I’ll pick you up to go.”

Asha remained silent when he was done. He looked at Asha, kinda willing a response out of her. He waved his palm in front of her bringing her out of her reverie.

“Aya really tasked you to do that? He is the sweetest. I can’t believe it.” She paused and wiped a tear from her eyes. Then stretched forward to hug Junior. “Thank you! Thank you! I will wait for you downstairs when we close.”
“It must be nice.” Junior said, shocked at how Asha’s spirit had been lifted up when she heard Aya had planned something for her.
Asha stuck out her tongue at him and said, “see you soon.”

He called Pancakery to double-check his reservation for the night before returning to his work.

The Last Supper

“Afia, akwaaba o. How was work?” Her mother greeted her as soon as she entered the house.
“Work was fine, Mama. I’ll be going out shortly, so I came to get ready.”

“Aahn I know already. A lovely dress was delivered earlier for you. I put it in your room.”

“Really? Did they say who it is from?”

“No o, he just said he was asked to deliver it to Asha.”

“Thank you, Mama. I am going to get ready now.”

Asha was dumbfounded when she saw the dress spread out on her bed and a box of her favourite sweets – kube toffee, nkatie cake and Kitkat. She pulled the note tucked in the side of the box and read it. Tears streamed down her face gently. She was overwhelmed with emotions. Aya had really gone the extra mile to make her feel okay with his absence. She grabbed her phone, left him a message, and then went to get ready.

When Junior arrived, she was ready and waiting for him in the living room. Her mother couldn’t stop gushing about how beautiful she looked, and Junior didn’t help the matter when he came in and joined her mother. Asha’s mother hadn’t stopped thanking Junior for introducing her to Aya.

“Aren’t we going to be late, Mr Always on Time?” She asked him, rolling her eyes.
“Well, there shouldn’t be any traffic, so we should be fine.” He responded with a chuckle. He turned to her mother and waved her goodbye before heading for the door.
The ride to the restaurant was full of their usual banter, mostly of Junior teasing her about some glow she supposedly had. Asha teased him back about how he needed a girl in his life because he was growing old.

“How is Pancakery this empty? This is odd.” Asha stated, surprised. There were about just four cars in the 200-capacity parking space, which was highly unusual for Pancakery.
“Well, it happens a few times in the year, and tonight seems to be one of those days. Let’s go.”
When they entered the restaurant, it was dimly lit with candles, and rose petals were strewn along the path.
“This might explain the empty car park. A private event.” Junior said to her just before a violin-like sound filled the air.
Asha turned to Junior with a questioning look. He shrugged.
After about a minute, she recognised the tune – the same sound Aya plays for her on their FaceTime calls. He composed it himself a couple of years ago, he said.
She looked at Junior again with an “I’ll kill you” look.
Junior just smiled and took her arm in his, and walked ahead.

The sound got closer as they moved, and the silhouette she had seen from a distance became clearer. It was Aya. He wasn’t on a work trip. He was right here, a few meters away from her. Playing the violin for her. Serenading her. Tears began to fall again. Her feet were planted on the ground, although she wanted to run toward Aya and hug him forever. She remained in her spot and enjoyed the sound. When the sound ended, a screen lit up behind Aya as he went on one knee and brought out a ring. The words displayed across it made Asha’s knees wobble. Junior was still next to her, so he held her from falling.

“Asha Afia Quinn, will you be my girlfriend?” Aya asked.
She only nodded, and Aya walked toward her and embraced her. He held her till she stopped crying, wiped her face, and went on one knee.
“I’m not sure I got your response the first time, so let’s do this again.”
She chuckled.
“Asha Afia Quinn, will you be my girlfriend?”
“Yes, Aya Kojo Siso, I will be your girlfriend.”
He slipped the ring on her finger and then hugged her again.

Exactly two years later, this scene happened again, but this time around, they planned it properly and got cars to fill the parking lot so Asha wouldn’t suspect a thing. And Aya was the one who drove her there. And the significant difference?
Aya was asking Asha to marry him.

Over the two years, they had grown beautifully together. Asha completed her Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology. She was now the head of HR and mental health matters in YISO Global. Aya was now the CEO of one of TRW’s newest branches in the country and a Board Member.
Junior was now the head of the Legal Department in YISO Global. He had started a law firm to handle mainly pro bono cases for the less privileged in society. He was still driving his Uber and handing out books to passengers. And Asha was still badgering him about the absence of a girlfriend in his life because he was turning 37 the next month.

THE END!

P.S: Kube Toffee = Coconut Toffee; Nkatie Cake = Peanut Cake/Brittle