The man who leaves in the early hours of the morning, dressed in suit and tie…goes to someplace close to the market and changes to his Agbero (tout) attire, hairstyle complete as well. He goes to a place no one recognises him and does his hustle for the day.
At the close of work by 9, he finds an Eatery, then buys food to secure a place to change. He checks himself out in the mirror; he looks okay…another hard day at work.
His smile is grim, his look is hard; this is not the life he wanted, only a phase that is gradually boring into him…he has to get out soon.
He leaves the Eatery and heads home. He knows the people on his street and they know him too. He calls out greetings to them. Anyone who sees him see a well dressed young man, spent from a day at his 9-5, and they think to themselves; he works too hard. But it’s a good thought. Mama Chinwe wants her no-good son to be like him. Her eyes are wistful as she watches him pass by, they turn hard when they land on her son laughing with his street friends.
The man is home now, he doesn’t stay too long waiting at the door, his mother’s listening ears are attuned to him. With her arms outstretched, she receives him warmly.
“Omobolade my son, welcome home.”
***
This piece was formerly titled Unemployment 101 but as I went through it again, I figured Omobolade and the cast deserved a better title. Sometimes, what we see is much deeper than how it appears, I don’t know how else to describe it. The hustle is real, keep your head up!
✌
Brazen with Vanessa 