EPISODE 6 – CONFIDENT NOT FLAWLESS

“Yes! He is a bloody thief! Ah! Lydia, I am pained. He faked being a gentleman and carried my bag for me as we entered the hall and he held on to it till he went to the gents and…”

“Wait, wait, wait” Lydia cut her short. “If I’m correct, you suspected this guy from the start; he weaved you through beautifully webbed lies, you unsuspected him and now he’s a crime suspect,” Lydia said and burst into laughter. 

“They are still playing you in this Lagos” Lydia continued giggling.

A sober Rumi stuttered “but you know fine boys”- Lydia chorused with her “are my weakness” and burst into another round of laughter.

“I’m just sad you had me so worried, I had called and called, no response. I even stopped by on my way home from my brother’s house to check on you, but you weren’t in by that time.

“You didn’t even ask how I got home. I begged the ticket seller to help me with her phone charger, deactivated my card, and used a bank transfer for the cab that brought me home. I had fifteen thousand naira in that purse, and I did giveaway just like that”

“Add the ticket money dear, add the free ticket money” Lydia teased.

Rumi rolled her eyes and they soon got gisting about her conversation with Nosizwe.

Lydia shared their conversation with Rumi, right to the last detail and their convictions were strengthened. They quickly moved passed the previous incident and began to forge a new plan.

“I really need to get a job babe,” said Lydia. “This whole jobless life is really stressing me out. So many false promises from my connections. I’m tired of this independent life and I’m losing it” she whined.

“Relax girl. I think you have been going about this independent thing all wrong, but that’s gist for another day. Now let us analyse what would work best for you. You need to get a volunteering job to start with. One preferably close to your house so that the burdens of preparations, and commute time doesn’t mess up your productivity. You know, work with people that help people and have the genuine interest of these people at heart, and well, for free too.” Said Rumi.

Lydia looked lost for a while. She wants…, scratch that, she needs a job, and her best friend was telling her to go work for free. Did the handsome thief steal her brain as well?

“Okay, I’ll explain better, because I can see you looking all lost and ready to pounce on me. I was speaking with my mentor the other day and we got talking about this. Volunteering is an attitude that prepares you to do for free what you will do for a fee”. Rumi started to say to non-interested Lydia.

“Listen babe, there is always something to do. There is always a place or someone around that needs someone to do some meaningful work for them, and some genuinely cannot afford to pay you what you deserve, but they can cater to your transport fares, feeding or give stipends here and there”. 

“What is most important is the attitude you carry. It is waiting for the big break but waiting well. Developing yourself and your outlook to the real world. Not everyone is ‘lucky’ to hit it big so soon and that is okay. It is in fact better, because you lay some core foundations and grow in ways you wouldn’t if you just suddenly arrive. 

It’s the engagement you need before employment so that all your life is not spent running from pillar to post for money that won’t ever be enough, no matter the amount. We all want to blow and have the best lifestyles but, we must pace ourselves and build the right way.”

“But you know I usher at events and write sometimes for that magazine. Does that not count?” asked Lydia.

“Well, how often do you get to do this? Sometimes, weeks and months pass by before you get any gig, and by the way, can you include ushering for funerals in your CV? 

You should not have a gap day, week, month or whenever, even if you don’t have a job. I mean, look around. It could be a school, company, NGO, something. 

You know that when I am not off modelling, I’m busy helping plan the next outreach for the NGO I work with. Last month we had a blood drive at a beach and the blood donated was given to children with cancer and other people that need it more. You don’t have to do exactly what I’m doing or copy anyone, but you must find something doing; something that works for you, something engaging and something that excites you”.

“I hear you, but you’ve still not told me how I’ll pay my bills. How will working for free put food on my table?” Lydia stressed.

“Now that you are not working, are your bills paid? Is there food on your table? I’m saying, what you don’t get in money, you get in acquiring and developing new skills, mental activation, and human interaction. You are blocking the gap in your Curriculum Vitae, so you will be able to respond when asked: “What did you do during your period of wait?” You’ll eventually find someone or someplace that needs your enhanced skills or be retained and paid duly. In every labour, there is a reward, and every effort has a commensurable profit. Besides, payday isn’t limited to thirty days or the end of the month”

“Wow! Thank you!” Lydia said.

“Yeah. See me rambling away. I have my mentors to thank for all this wisdom” she laughed.

“Do they know you were scammed last night, or that your ability to reason is suspended around fine boys?”

“It’s not your fault. If it was another person, won’t they pay for all these wise nuggets that I’m giving you for free? See your mouth” Said Rumi. 

“One last thing. The best way to find what works best for you is to find where your little effort produces the most reward, and where you’re most happy, whether you are paid for it or not”.

“Okay, I’ll speak with my project supervisor. We keep decent communication and she was good to me. I’ve always wanted to do research, and she might know one or two people who can be of help”.

“That’s it girl! Eventually, when we start making this money ehn, no one should even tell me rubbish, I’m ready for anybody. Thank God I can fight”. Rumi said gleefully in a semi-karate pose.

“Go and fight the boy that swindled you first, local champion” teased Lydia.

“You’ve overstayed your welcome, ma. Thank you for coming, come and be going!” said Rumi playfully.

They joked some more, and Lydia left to begin making plans with her supervisor. The last few days had been productive and for that, she was grateful.

“This is a copyright of Livingstone Research & Ideas, curators of The Confident Black Woman.”