My A Game

"Hello, good morning," I answered my phone after it rang the umpteenth time.

"John Solomon, always late to work. Don't bother checking the time."

I removed the phone from my ear and checked the time regardless, it was 7:50 am.

I jumped out of bed. "Good morning, ma."

"Keep your greetings. I planned to come to pick you up while going to work and seeing it's 10 minutes left, you are going to make both of us late."

"I'd love that, ma." After realising her kind gesture and not making her feel bad or be an ungrateful person. "I'll be ready in less than 5 minutes, ma."

She agreed and I quickly got ready. In 5 minutes I was standing outside by the junction of the road waiting for her, when she got there, I greeted her and entered the car and kept a serious face, looking away. And she drove.

"I know combs aren't expensive," she said.

"Ma?" I did not understand why she said that.

"If you want to keep your hair growing full, the least you could do is take care of it so you don't look like that." She pointed at my hair when we got into traffic.

My hair is usually full, with the sides trimmed lower than the top, keeping an afro hair cut but I forgot to comb it because I was in a hurry.

When we got to work, I took an excuse and hurried to the nearest barbing salon in Banex Plaza to get a comb and combed my hair and went back to work.

We had a very busy day that day, it was the busiest I've ever worked in a bank. It felt like all the customers chose that particular day to either make withdrawals or deposits or both. Halfway into the day, there was an uncomfortable pain around my upper abdomen, I hadn't eaten all day. I missed breakfast because my boss was waiting for me. The pain was so bad that the nearest pharmacy was my next stop, to get Gestid suspension and the next stop was the Chicken Republic beside Furniture House in Wuse 2 where I got myself a plate of rice and chicken, with bottled water.

When I was back at the bank, there were more customers than when I left and a colleague was covering for me. The manager saw me walk in and called me to join the customer service team to handle customer-related issues, handle all cheque-related issues and then back to my originally assigned work, as the teller.

My A Game had to be invoked to complete every task and not disappoint anyone and by the time multitasking was done, I was the only one left in the banking hall at the end of work hour, still tidying up work.

"There are only a few people I know who work late and hate to push works forward and I never figured you for that type, the hardworking type," said a feminine voice standing in front of me.

There was no way there will be someone still around after everyone had gone, except the security team, but none of them was a woman. So I rose my head to be greeted by an elegantly dressed beauty, Rachel. I quickly dropped my pen as soon as we locked eyes and adjusted my shirt and tie.

"Don't I look hardworking?" I let out an awkward smile.

"Nah... You look like the very unserious type.

"But I must say, a lot of us are happy to have you because you have the experience, however, some others think you are only acting because it's your first time here." Rachel placed her elbows on the counter and leaned forward.

"People will be people though. But in a way, they might be right and you are right also.

"I'm might not be a hardworking type and act unserious most times but I don't leave my work undone. No matter how long it takes me to get it done, I make sure I get it done, that's why I am still here."

"So, they are right that you are acting as though you're hardworking?" asked Rachel.

"No, not that. They are right because they are happy to have me and because I have the experience and no, I don't act to be hardworking."

"Why are you still here, did you forget something?" I looked at the wristwatch, and the time was almost 6:30 pm.

Maybe she forgot something and came back to pick it up, but she could have left it for the next day.

Rachel didn't answer my question, she walked around the counter and made her way inside where I was.

"Is there anything I can help you with so you finish up on time?

"You see, I've been outside waiting for you to get done so we can go hang out and I got tired of waiting and decided to come in to check what's holding you up."

I didn't know how to reply to what she said, I only looked at her, puzzled. She walked closer, took the papers in front of me and began to help out. I still wasn't sure if I should say anything but she made me more puzzled when she kept looking at me at intervals and smiling.

I stepped aside to let her work as my phone rang, I excused myself to take the call.

"Junior, how are you?" It was my mother.

"Good evening, mommy. I am fine I am still at work."

"Are they making you work late? Shouldn't you be home by now resting? Is it because you are a new staff they gave you more work to do?" She became worried I was still at work.

"No mom, not that. There was much work today and I didn't want to pile up more work for myself tomorrow, I have to finish up today."

"Okay, if that's the case. Your dad and I would like to see you, try to make time to see us, okay?"

"I hope there isn't an issue?" I asked.

"No, there isn't. Just make out time and let us know when you'd be coming. Take care of yourself and always remember to pray."

"Okay ma, I will. Take care of yourself too."

The call dropped.

I turned around and Rachel was already behind me, she was done with the work, she came along with my suit jacket and bag and we exited the bank.

"Junior doesn't sound bad for a mommy's boy," teased Rachel, and we both laughed.

We entered her car, security opened the gate and she drove off.

There were a couple of things in mind I wanted to ask her when I got into the car, but her continued smile didn't make it any easier.