I closed late at work, as usual, with stacks of customers’
complaints left unattended. This is another unfulfilled day in summary. Famished
as I was, the only other thing that got my attention was the little boil
forcing its way out of my eyelid. It was drizzly, so it wasn’t hard to decide
what I was to have for dinner: hot aboki Indomie it is.
He was in the middle of a package when I got there. "Shall I go
for a package too, or the total package", I thought. The last time I went for a total
package, I wasted a ton of it. I will rather settle for a bite I can chew. As I
peeped to see how far along the sizzling pack on fire is, he caught my gaze and
regarded me with a warm salutation “Oga welcome”. The smile was the only other
smile I remembered after the few ones I gave when we just opened to customers
earlier in the day. Wait, did I even smile at anyone today? Maybe the other
day. I have been gloomy at work of late, zobo-red eye worn around most of the time.
“Which one you want”, he interjected. “Gimme one medium-sized
Indomie and two eggs”, I replied. “Tonight, I am not a man”, I thought, “neither
am I as hungry to consume and contain the hungry man size package”. He smiled,
got a cup and started the ritual. He is
always fun to watch, but not tonight. The smoke, stirred up by the soft weather
was drifted everywhere and wouldn’t lemme enjoy how he does his thing. With a pack
soaked up in hot water in a cup, he got another cup to mix the eggs and the
sauce. While doing all this, he chatted me up about work, asking if it was
good. The traditional “fine, thank you” came by reflex. This abokis can be nice
sha! Then I remembered another of my bachelor servicing mama-puts. That one go just bone like say somebody die.
She no dey even get change. This aboki
is far better than mama Sunday, walahi.
Instant noodle is the name; it wasn’t long before I was served.
I paid.
He deserved a tip, but the penny-wise being dwelling inside me inclined
me to collect my change. I was now set for where I packed my car. Then the
thoughts came: what motivates him? What makes him and keeps him happy at this
job? He seems to have it all. I went further to analyse how much interest he
could have made on my package. Maybe 50 Naira or a little bit more, or less. If
he is able to sell 10 of that, he could have made N500. 50 of that and he would
have made N2500? I get tips fatter than this on a very good day! Now that’s crazy. How does he sustain his family? How much does he save? Does he even own a car? Does his hajia wear Brazilian hair? Strings of questions queued in my mind unanswered.
I concluded it is not about how much the money is, it is about been
happy with what have, what you do at a point in time. It is not about driving the latest
car, or using the latest technology. With time and chance, you can attain whatever you desire, but
you gotta be content with what you have now! I mean, if some of us are asked to
trade places with him, we’ll just nag ourselves into extinction or something close. He may as well over-flex his muscles assuming he is a god, if endowed with that “riches you are not content with”. There is
always someone who has it better and someone who has it worse. Some of my
readers out there are already earning the armed-robber salary, so to say, and
we are never contented. Don’t get me wrong, I am not clamouring for you to be
complacent, or that you should not aspire for greater heights, but, hey, while
you are doing that, something tells me you ought to live a healthy life. Be satisfied with what you’ve already got. A bird in hand,
whether dead or alive, is worth more than ten thousands in the bush (except, of course, you own a poultry farm somewhere in the bush). Being content is a neurophysiological experience, whatever that means. *smiles*
Uncle Lao Tzu was at our place the other day and said “be content
with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realise there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.” You don’t
need more to be thankful, you just need to be more thankful. I have learnt a
new lesson, and I will be applying it a long time. The meal, by the way, was good as always,
you need to try it out sometimes too.
Great day awaits you!
You can engage me on twitter @bimbolanko
