EGO.....

EGO.. ....(episode 2 )


After five rigorous month,Adrian was got a job with an financial institution but as a marketer. Guess what? His salary was a meagrely sum of  thirty thousand per month and he was also given a target of  bringing customers that will grow their account by at least  two million. Tough right? But Adrian was more thankful to at least start from somewhere.

So next time he calls mama,he would have good news to share.
"Mama,how was your day ? Mama is about to start a new bout of complaints, but Adrian cuts her off.
" mama,that's not why I called, " he answered. " I just got a new job!
"That's good news my son" her voice is excited.
"God has finally decided to clean my tears and years of  suffering"  in all of these, mama never asked  how much he was making,she only asked where he was working and his job designation. And Adrian never gave it a thought if not for anything,he can be sending home something at the end of the month no matter how little.

And so by the 25th day of the his first working month, requests has started flooding in ranging from helping out to pay his younger brother school fees to money for upkeep, so that by the first week of the new month,Adrian was as broke as a dry desert. Thank God for his company staff bus. So the pattern began to form. Before the end of each month, Adrian must have spent his hard earned salary that so many times, he had to rely on his friend's goodwill.
 Slowly but assuredly, frustration started creeping in. He had planned to save up some money to rent his own apartment. But with the spate of things it wasn't going to be possible anytime soon. Six months into his new job, he was still wearing the only black suit he had, thank God for change of shirts and because of the company's dress code it was hard to detect who wears what.

One fateful day, Adrian receives a call from his parents about a debtor who was on their neck and according to the debtor "after all, they have a son who is working in Lagos. So if he could rally round to help pay the sum of fifty thousand naira, so as to avoid the impending embarrassment.
Sam,his roommate would meet Adrian starring into the space blankly.
" Ol' boy wetin happen, this wan you dey para like this". Adrian sighs and proceed to relate his predicament. Sam listens, empathic towards his friends situation. This was his advice to his friend.
"Before you came to Lagos, how was your parents and siblings faring?, he asked.
" fine,"was the reply.
"Ever since the demands started coming in,has anyone bothered to know how you manage after sending all your earnings home?
" no"
"What if I tell you to stop acceding to every of their whims? How does it sound to you?
Adrian clears his throat uncomfortably " you know I  would be seen as selfish if I say no to them, I'm being constantly reminded that I have a responsibility, that was why they made sure I went to school.
"Wow" was all Sam could mutter because it beats his imagination how someone could think like that. Sam tries one last time. " can I suggest something?.
"I'm all ears", said Adrian.
" what If instead of giving everything you own and even borrow, why don't you divide it in to two whenever they request for money?
"So how are they going to complete the other half? Adrian looks at his friend uncertainly.
Sam looks at his friend sadly " tell me before you were born,weren't they surviving? When you were younger,weren't they solving their issues? "You know," he continued slowly. "If you continue like this,you will burn out and after some time,they would move on to the next person. By then, you must have become a frustrated, wretched and bitter young man. How about you build yourself today so that you can take care of them comfortably tomorrow without pinching money here and there?. As a young man, this period is the most dicey time in shaping how well you will fare. If they see you as been selfish today, so be it. By tomorrow they would really enjoy the fruit of their labour."please take my advice to heart", he pats his friend on the back and then leaves him to ponder over what he just told him.

Do you think his desire to please his parents, would allow him to take this timely advice?  Watch out for the next episode!.