CHAPTER FOUR: WITHOUT A JOB

In high spirits, Anuri arrived her workplace. It was Monday morning, the last week of May. She looked beautiful and poised in her white linen suit. She exchanged greetings with some of her colleagues and chatted lightly for a few minutes; then she left for her office. An official envelop on her desk caught her attention. Frowning slightly, she picked it up. She recognized her boss' handwriting on it, which bore her name. Anuri wondered the portent of this. Her heart began to pound with apprehension. With slightly trembling hands, she opened the envelop and pulled out the letter. It was hand written.

  Miss Uchechi,

 I inform you formally, to stop work this morning, not later than 10:00am owing to the new revelation I received about you. Your services will no longer be needed in this firm. Realizing that you are an ex-convict of drug trafficking, which you concealed perfectly, I can no longer trust you as my secretary. Collect your salary from the bursary and leave quietly.

   Joe Amadi,

  Managing Director.

 Anuri was numb with shock. She was sacked? Sacked?  Because she was an ex-convict? Her mind was momentarily paralyzed. She stared at the letter with unseen eyes. How did he get the news? Really, whose business was it if she was an ex-convict? Ex-convicts, were they meant to die? How were they expected to survive if they were shooed away from every business doorstep? If she had someone to help her with a reasonable capital, she just would have settled for a private business! She would just have become a caterer, a business that had appealed to her having learnt it part-time in the past.

 Indeed, Anuri was filled with anger. It was just unfortunate she had no one financially buoyant to assist her. Suddenly, she felt deflated and tears welled up in her eyes. What would she do now? Why are some human beings so myopic? What had she done in this firm that jeopardized its integrity? It's so said, she thought moving to the desk drawer. She removed her personal effects and put in a cellophane bag. She locked up the office and went to the firm's bursary. The bursar, Mr. Levi was aware of the order. He gazed at her concernedly. 'I am sorry about this, Anuri. Really, I cannot understand.' 

 Anuri smiled sadly. 'I'll pull through.' She handed him the office key and collected her salary for the month. Returning Mr. Levi's sympathetic goodbye, she left the office. On her way out, she met a couple of her colleagues. They enquired why she was leaving. She told them and they sighed in sympathy. Anuri left them. She did not want their sympathy. Was it not from within that Amadi got the news? She was truly fed up. Gossips, gossips, gossips, were they not everywhere? Even in the house of the Lord!

 She returned to her apartment, her previously high spirits dampened. She sat on her bed, staring into thin air. What next? What next? If she did not get another job soonest, she would be in a spot financially. The only money she had now was the salary in her hand and the few thousands from her savings, having used much of her money in buying home necessities. She remembered James. She did not want to trouble him. He had helped her so much. She would not inform him. There must be away out. She would hunt of a job intensely. God willing, she would get one. She was able to calm her nerves after this resolution. Life must continue.

 Two weeks after, her efforts to find a job was futile. Most of the vacancies she heard of had been filled. And from what she was seeing of Aba, it was more of a trading city than industrial.

 My money has dwindled seriously, she mused inside the bus on her way home form the market. If it finishes now, what will I do? I don't want to bother Brother James, Christ Jesus, help me…She rested her head on the seat base, closing her eyes momentarily.

 As if on cue, she heard a woman's voice say, 'my brother told me Golding Cosmetics Limited has some job vacancies.’ Anuri's eyes flew open and she slowly turned in the direction of the voice. Two women were seated beside her. The statement had come from the one at the extreme. 

 The other woman responded, 'really? I did not know.’ 

 ‘He told me three days ago. He said the vacancies have been on for almost two weeks now.’

 'What type of jobs are available? My youngest sister is presently out of job. She needs one hotly.' 

 'Vacancies for accountants, marketers, distributors, secretaries and factory workers.’

 'Oh, I must inform Theresa then. She should fit in the marketing department.’

 'She should send in her application form before the end of next week.’

 'Please Madam, where is this company located? I'm in need of a job too.' Anuri told them. They looked at her curiously. 

 The informant smiled slightly. 'It's off Factory road. Golding Cosmetics Limited. It is easy to locate. Send in you application letter before the end of next week.’

 'Thank you, Ma.' She felt glad. Hope, radiant hope hummed in her heart.

 The next day was misty and cloudy. The sky was pregnant with rain. Anuri dressed up around 9.00 am to visit Golding Cosmetics. Nothing would deter her. Moreover, she had her umbrella in case it rained. She wore a purple suit and encased her feet in glossy black shoes. She was cute.

 She arrived the company fifteen minutes later. Standing at the big gate, she surveyed the environment. She saw buildings and lorries. She told one of the security men her mission to the place.

 The starry-eyed security man studied her briefly, then opened the gate slowly. 'Come in.’

 Anuri went past the gate.

 'Do you see that cream coloured building on the extreme right?' He pointed at the building.

 'You mean the three storey building?’

 'Yes, the second floor is the personnel department. Make your enquires there.’

 'Thank you.' She moved off with definition.

 She found her way to the second floor of the building. She was directed to the personnel manager's office. There she met the man. He was of average height  and good looking. He also seemed good-natured.

 ‘Good morning, sir.’

 He looked up at her. 'Good morning. Come in, come in.’ 

 Anuri went into his office.

 ‘How are you?’

 'I'm fine, sir.’

 'Do have a seat.' He motioned her to the seat in front of him.

 She sat comfortably, facing him.

 'Mine,' the man gazed at her intensely. 'You have got beautiful eyes! They are peculiar.’

 She smiled. 'Thank you sir.' Indeed her eyes were amongst her beautiful body assets. They were truly beautiful.

 'Right, how can I help you?' He became serious. 

 'Sir, I came to apply for a job.’

 'Oh.' He nodded. 'What post do you wish to apply for?’

 'The secretarial post. I realize the firm needs a secretary.’

 He nodded again. 'Yes and a reasonable number have come for the post too. Luckily, the application forms are still available. You will obtain the form for a non-refundable fee of N500.00. You will fill the form, attach your curriculum vitae to it and submit them not later than a week from now. He opened his drawer and pulled out a form. This he handed to her.

 Anuri paid for it and enquired when the interview was scheduled.

 'It's been scheduled on the 25th of this month. You will find in the form.’

 'Alright.’

 'You will really have to prove your mettle in the interview for you to get the job. There is competition and the person for whom you will be his secretary is the Managing Director of this firm. Take it from me, he is very hard working, serious and efficient. He expects same from his workers else he fires the person.’

 'I will try the best I can,' she smiled. Seriousness and efficiency at work were her mark words. 

 'Return the form on time.’

 She got to her feet. 'I will. Thank you very much.’

 'My pleasure.’

 Anuri arrived home and changed into a simple blue gown. Her timepiece told her it was 12:30pm. She was not hungry so she ignored her food pots. Comfortably, she sat at her desk and brought out the application form. Meticulously, she filled it with the right information. Towards the end, she saw something that made her quiver with uncertainty. Ex-convict?  Yes. If Yes, indicate crime… No 

 Anuri snapped her fingers in dismay, dumbfounded. Was this a new style in job interviews? Why is it that Nigerians quickly learn policies from the West, which cannot but hinder progress? Won't ex-convicts be given the opportunity to pick up their broken pieces? She felt like crying. 'Oh…' she groaned in perplexity. What would she do now?  If she shaded Yes', which was the truth she may not get the job on that basis. And if she shaded 'No', which was false, the truth may finally come to light and she would be worse off. Anuri was torn between two thoughts. The devil and the deep blue sea, which would she choose?

 Almost angrily, Anuri shaded 'Yes'. If I lose the job on my account of saying the truth, then let it be; she told herself. If I shade 'No' and the truth comes up, trouble will come up and I'll be branded a liar as well as an ex-convict. She wrote down the crime for which she was convicted. In her application letter, she stated to an appropriate extent how innocent she had been although she had been found guilty. Who apart from her family would believe her innocence? She never knew this would crop up in the interview. Anuri's enthusiasm for the job waned. Well… I must conclude the journey, she thought.

 That evening, she sat at her small verandah, watching her neighbours and their children. The children about six in number played merrily in the sand. From time to time, their mothers hushed them. Anuri's immediate neigbhbour, Mrs. Linus popularly called mama Chisom sat at her verandah too, washing some children's clothes.

 'Do you know I nearly lost my handbag at the market today?' she asked Anuri with large eyes. 

 'Eehe? How?' Anuri was surprised.

 'I went to buy some clothes for the children,' the woman began, dropping a soggy clothe in the bucket. 'I was so engrossed in choosing the right ones that I did not realize when my hand bag, bearing all my money, principally food money slipped off my shoulder!’

 'Eh?’

 'I'm telling you! The funniest aspect of it was that when I found none of the clothes satisfactory, I left the place without knowing that I no longer held my hand bag!’

 'Oh, this serious.' Anuri sounded amused.

 'Very serious,' she concurred. 'I went to buy okporoko at another shed and bargained for one. When the seller agreed to my price, I turned to open my handbag. Lo, it was not there!' she exclaimed, demonstrating. “I almost ran mad. 'Oh my goodness,' I cried loudly turning about. 'Where is my handbag? Ha! Where is my handbag?' I wailed, truly agitated. I left the woman's shed and ran back to the clothes shed. I felt deep within me that I had lost it there.”  Mrs. Linus paused for breath while Anuri listened raptly.

 “When I arrived there, I asked the woman frantically if they had seen a black handbag. They all said no. My agitation increased. I began to upset the pile of clothes, breathing heavily. 'I'm finished, I'm finished o, my bag, my bag!' After a few minutes of frantic searching, the owner of the shed hit me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw her laughing softly. In her hand was my black hand bag!”

 'Oh!' Anuri laughed throwing back her head.

 'Anuri, you cannot imagine the joy felt. I just hugged the woman tightly, thanking her profusely. How they laughed at me. She told me that she had found the bag amongst the clothe. That she was sure the owner will come back. And when I did, she intentionally left me to search for it. I thanked her again and again before leaving. How relieved I was and how tightly I held the bag.” She ended, releasing the laughter she had been checking.

 Anuri shook her head in amused marvel. 'You were very lucky.’

 'Lucky no be small. If I had not found that bag, what would I have told my husband? The grief would have tortured me. All the food money gone! We would have stayed hungry this month.’

 'Just thank your stars. Losing one's money can be very painful especially when you don't have another in the house.’

 'Exactly.' Mrs. Linus resumed washing her clothes.

 On Monday morning, Anuri submitted her application form, letter and curriculum vitae. She prayed her efforts would not be in vain. Yet she did not take it to heart. The interview day eventually came and she attended. Many others came too. The place was a beehive of activity. Anuri wondered whether she could get the job with her bad record. She brushed the thought aside. She would do the best she could and leave them to conclude. During her interview, she answered questions excellently. The issue of her being an ex-convict came up and she was asked about it. Anuri told them to a reasonable length how it all happened. Her interviewers maintained an objective exterior so she could not tell whether they believed her or not. She was asked to type with others for test of accuracy and speed. Anuri was the third to submit her paper and within the space of time given. Leaving the company premises, her fingers were crossed.

 The twenty sixth of June came quickly. Anuri went Golding Cosmetics Limited to check the result of the interview. She went to the notice board and searched critically for her name, her heart beating wildly. Other applicants were there too, peeping at the notice board with furrowed eyebrows. There it was! Her name had appeared.

 She gasped as joy and happiness filled her being. 'Thank God!' She had got the job of the secretary to the Managing Director, despite her criminal record! 'Thank God,' she whispered, stepping back.

 'Is your name in the list?' a young woman asked her.

 'Yes.' She nodded. 'And you?’

 The young lady, about twenty-four years of age smiled happily. 'My name is there. I will work in the accounts section, what of you?’

 'I'm to be a secretary to the C.E.’

 'Okay, that's good.’

 Anuri collected her appointment letter from the personnel department. She read through it confirming her employment by the firm.

 She was to report to the managing Director's office on the 1st of July for work. Her monthly remuneration was named. She was comfortable with it. The personnel manager signed the letter.

 'Oh, Good Lord, thank you,' she breathed, walking away.