I was too young to understand what was going on in the life of my father. He worked as a mechanic for automobiles. He wore a filthy rag when he left the house for work. It was incomprehensible to me. "Why does dad go to work in a soiled cloth?" I inquired of my mother. Martin's father wears a white shirt to work and returns home looking the same." "They both have separate jobs, so they wear different uniforms," she explained. They both come home with clean money at the end of the day. That is the most crucial factor." "When I grow up," I told my mother, "I want to work in clean clothing like Martin's father."
My father returned home one day with a shiny new Opel Astra. I wasn't aware of the backstory. I saw my mother leaping into the air, praising God. My mother sung and danced for days. Dad no longer wore filthy clothing to work. He changed into clean clothing, drove his new car out, and returned later that evening, still dressed in clean clothes. My mother informed me afterwards that my father had changed jobs. "He's no longer working in the shop where his clothes got dirty," she explained. He now works as a cab driver.
All of a sudden, I was proud of him all over again. I regarded him as Martin's father's equal. I didn't like it when he went to PTA in his work clothes while he was a mechanic. I decided to stop informing him about PTA meetings. I informed my mother and pleaded with her to accompany me instead of my father. My father drove his Opel to PTA one day, and I couldn't wait to show him off to everyone at school. His new employment piqued my interest. His new style of clothing warmed my heart, but I had no idea what had caused that transformation in my father's life, and I didn't wish to find out. I was a young lad in class six, attending JSS one. The reasons didn't matter to me. The only thing that mattered to me was the outcome.
By the time I was going to senior high school, dad had three more taxis. He slept more and went to work later when he felt well-rested. He told me what happened to change his life; “That car, I didn’t buy it. It was a gift from a White missionary I was working for. He brought the car to the shop whenever it developed a fault. He trusted my work so much he didn’t give his car to anyone to work on it. When the time came for him to return to his home country, he gave me that car. He gave it to me on one condition; that someday when someone is in need and they come to me I wouldn’t say no to them.” I asked, “Is that all? You didn’t pay anything for it?” He said, “No I didn’t. I will only pay for it in the future. When someone in need comes to me.”
I saw it in his deed. He always tried to help others. Even when he didn’t have it, he tried his all to give something to whoever was in need.
When I was at the university, I met Joan. The most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. She was in my course group. After lectures, we stayed behind and learned together. She was smarter than I was. She was always the one teaching me. Her beauty brought her problems. The boys wanted her. They always stopped her in her stride, asking her to be their girlfriend. She said no to them. She said she was in school to learn and not make love. She told me about the proposals she got. I encouraged her to stay stronger.
We were in our second year when her father died. She told me, “Adam, I’m finished. I doubt I can complete school. Who’s going to feed me? Who’s going to pay my fees? Who’s going to buy the books that I need?” I didn’t have answers. I had encouragement. I told her, “Just stay strong. You’ll only find help when you’re in need. Help will come. All it takes is time.” And then a Nigerian guy came her way. He was rich, bold, and handsome. She told me, “I may say yes to him. He said he’ll help me.” I asked, “Do you love him?” She said, “It’s not love we are talking about here. I’m in need. He’s here. He says he’ll help.”
She was owing school fees. She was perching with a friend because she couldn’t afford hostel fees. She was relying on me for sustenance. Life was hard. Then I remembered what my father told me. The promise he made to the white missionary. I went to him. I said, “There’s a girl in my school. Her father died and she’s on the brink of dropping out of school. Can you help her?” He asked,” Is she your girlfriend? You want to collect money from me to take care of your girlfriend?” I said, “Dad, you know me. I will never do such a thing. She’s my friend. She’s brilliant. She teaches me a lot of things. That’s why I’m asking for help for her.”
He said, “Bring her home. I want to see her.” When I was leaving he said, “You’re in the same class with her, right?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “That means you’re paying the same fees, right?” I said, “Yes Dad.” He gave me the money. He said, “I want to trust you. Send her my regards.”
We were learning one evening when I gave her the payment receipt. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She screamed, “Tell me you’re joking. How? Where did you get the money?” I said, “I told you help may come. I paid. That’s the most important thing. From now on you don’t have to worry about fees. I’ll pay.”
When we were in our final year, I took money for her fees and hostel accommodation. I even took pocket money for her. She was stunned. She asked me, “Why are you doing all this?” I said, “Because you’re my friend. I can’t watch you drop out with all this intelligence. We’ll go through together.” She thought I wanted to date her. She asked if I was shy to say it. She said, “Be bold. Tell me. I won’t bite you. Do you want us to date?” I said, “Naaa that’s not the point. You’re my friend and that’s enough.” She asked, “You won’t be bothered if you see me dating someone else?” I said, “I will be bothered. It will take your mind away from your books and from me. I don’t want that to happen.” Time moved. We completed school. She asked me, “Now what?” I said, “We go out there and kick ass. We need to succeed in life so we can also help others.” She still didn’t understand the whole thing until our graduation day. Dad was there. Mom was there. Looking at the height of their shoulders, you could see they were proud. My second class didn’t matter to them. What mattered was that their only son had completed the university. When we walked out, my mom and dad were already there waiting for me. I said, “Dad, here’s the girl.” He asked, “Joan?” I said, “Yeah, that’s Joan.” My mom said, “Wow, she’s beautiful.” My dad said, “Joan, I heard about your dad. Sorry about everything. Now that you’ve completed, go out there and make him proud.”
All this while, Joan was standing there looking lost. she was looking at me for answers. She said, “You told your parents about me?” I said, “Every money I ever paid or gave to you came from my dad. He heard your story and decided to help.” She didn’t know what to say. She started crying. She hugged my dad. Dad said, “It’s alright. It was given to us so we can give to others. It’s your turn now. Don’t say no when you can help. Don’t postpone kindness. Don’t say tomorrow when it’s possible today.”
She didn't stop weeping. "Thank you, dad," she said again. It appeared to be a father-daughter reunion. The kind of reconciliation with his father that the prodigal son had.
Joan returned home with her mother to express her gratitude. "You two look good together," her mother replied. You should ponder about marrying. Because of you, she's a better person. Allow no one else to enjoy the fruits of your labor." To be honest, I had no romantic sentiments for Joan. She had been like a sister to me after we had been together for so long. She didn't seem to have any feelings for me. If she did, it was because of the assistance I provided.
We each went our own ways, but we stayed in touch. She got a job at a bank after National Service. She had worked incredibly hard to rise to the top of the corporate ladder.I was at her wedding. My parents were there too. Her husband is a kind man who calls me “Akonta.” I was at the christening of her first child. A boy. They named him after my father. She was also at my wedding. She was at the christening of my three kids. We are a family now. We meet every year at my parents’ house to celebrate Christmas together. She has become the sister my parents couldn’t give me.
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