Cycle

“You see this life eh? Never you underrate anybody because tomorrow is pregnant and you will never know what it’s pregnant with.”

I listened to my boss say this parable to his friend and other of his employees, including myself. I noticed he started with the proverbial words the moment his wife drove into the office premises.

How it all started.
I had an employer who was more like a friend to my colleagues and me. He was always advising us, gifting us and wanting us to be better.

My former employer has had his fair share of life’s experiences, and he doesn’t hesitate to share with us when the need arises.

On this particular day, he had given his wife money to make us lunch as we had numerous activities packed for that day and we required good home cooked meal to eat to our satisfaction.

We were at the office after executing one of the day’s activities, my boss’s friend was around as well, and they were both seated outside the office.

We finished sorting out some items for our next outreach program, then we joined my boss and his friend outside. It was a general chitchat until his wife drove in. As she approached us with a cooler of food, my boss started narrating a part of his life.

Let us call my boss Peter, his friend Justice, his wife Mabel and my colleagues; Happiness, Prince and Jude.

“Peter, my guy, your eyes have experienced some level of suffering in this life. I know when you start speaking in parables like this, it’s story time and one or two lessons must be learned.” Justice teased Peter.

Peter burst out laughing and then continued, “you know I love talking about my ordeal, I did not become made overnight you know. I suffered, I saw hell, I was constantly humiliated and ridiculed. There were people who thought I will never amount to anything, but God shamed them and I shocked them.”

Peter paused a bit took a deep breath, exhaled sharply then continued, “it will never be well with poverty”. We all burst out laughing, as Peter kept saying between each laugh that it’s not a joke and only people who have never experienced poverty will see it as something to laugh about.

Mabel got to where we were, we all greeted as she handed the cooler of food over to Happiness and they both entered the office to sort out our food.

As they left, Peter continued, “do you know that when Mabel and I started our relationship back then in secondary school, her sisters kicked against it and reported us to their parents simply because my parents were poor?”

“Wow! You and Mabel have really come a long way o guy, secondary school?” Justice questioned in amazement.

“Yes secondary school, and although I was a lady's man, it's remarkable how Mabel, given her background, loved me effortlessly.”

“And the love is still there,” Justice added with a smile of fulfillment.

“Yeah it is. Even when her father summoned me back then, it was my boldness that made him approve of our relationship”.

“Wow! Summoned?”

“Yeah, I was home one morning when armed security men came to our house. They requested to see me and everyone was scared.

My mom was crying and screaming my name, asking me what crime have I committed. I was confused myself and I just followed them.

I thought they were the police until we got to Mabel's compound and I saw her sisters with her mom. Not only that, but I looked around for Mabel, but she was nowhere in sight.

Furthermore, I was asked to sit down and not long after, Mabel's father came. That was the first and last time I saw him, he had a very intimidating look but I wasn't scared.

He asked my name and who my father was, I told him and then he asked what relationship I had with his daughter Mabel.”

Peter paused and chuckled lightly as he turned his head both ways. By now we were all hooked to the story and urged him to continue.

“I looked him dead in the eye and told him Mabel is my girlfriend”

“What? I knew this your boldness was inborn. You weren't scared the man will lock you up because you were doing something with his daughter?” Justice was just as stunned as the rest of us, but he was our spokesman for the story.

“Scared? Why should I be scared? I was 17 years old, and she wasn't a baby herself. We were both in the same class, so why would he lock me up?” Peter questioned oozing some level of authority. Just then, Mabel called us in for Lunch, and we all went to the conference room to eat.

We were in-between meal when Peter's cousin/employee Prince, asked about a boy who grew up with Mabel in her household.

Mabel responded and informed that the boy was doing so well and has several thriving businesses to his name. Peter took a bite off his beef then responded to Mabel, “that's the same boy your mother treated so badly and framed, causing your father to send him back to the village.

Today, you see how the table has turned? All the people your mother kept pulling down and underestimating that they won't amount to anything, you see how successful they all are today?

All the wealth that your father acquired from the government making your mother to feel like she was God, where are they today? Has your mother not calmed down and fast realized that the world doesn't revolve around her?

Today she can't even visit our home in my presence, the same boy she said will become a thief and rot away in prison.

Well, is life not beautiful?” Peter ended with a smirk.

Mabel got so cold as she slowed down on her meal, she didn't utter a word and I could sense she was uncomfortable.

After our meal, when Mabel left, I was curious and asked my boss what happened to Mabel's father's wealth, and he said, a useless son happened.

After Mabel's father died, Mabel's brother, who's an only son, started selling off all their properties, including the house they grew up in.

“That's the same boy the mother was bragging about, that he will become the governor.” Prince chipped in.

“Yeah, governor indeed… The idiot left her homeless and penniless, forcing them to go back to the village. Mabel got lucky she stock with me and was patient even when I went abroad.

Today, among her sisters, she's the only one living the life she had while she was a child and younger.”