NYSC is almost over and it seems like every one seems to know what is happening next for them, this thought was uppermost in Nkechi's mind that day. I mean, I have no clue what I am going to do next. Should I go to school or should I find a job. She shook head and laughed, "Get a job?" this was asked aloud, "Even if I decide i want to get a job, What kind of job can I get? The only things I seem to be interested in don't seem to be money makers!"
She ran her hands through her her and sighed deeply, getting up and strolling into the bathroom where she sat down on the rim of the bath tub to think. Ok, Nkechi what are you good at? I love to read, so I can edit books. I can write or so I think... but what kind of careers will such passions afford me. I mean what sort of a living can I make with such passions. Even if I say I want to go back to school, that will have to be next year so I have a year at hand and I refuse ...
The phone rang at this point, interrupting her thought flow. "NKECHI!", Tara screamed so loudly that Nkechi winced and had to pull the phone away from her ears. Oblivious to this Tara continued screaming over the phone, "YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT, MY ADMISSION JUST CAME THROUGH NKECHI I AM SO EXCITED I GOT INTO PRINCETON!!!! WOOOOO! I'M DOING MY MASTERS AT PRINCETON!"
Nkechi's heart sank a little even though she was truly glad for Tara. "Oh my gosh Tara, I'm so glad for you. Wow! It worked, It really worked. That's all you, Ok? All you!" Another person who knows what to do with her life, Lord, What is going on?
"Haba, Nkechi what do you mean all me? After all you and Habiba were the ones that kept reminding me to get my application in on time and all that, you were always there! Anyway it paid off I GOT IN BABY!!!!" The girls fell into fits of delighted laughter at this outburst from Tara. When the laughter had died down some, the girls chatted for a little while while, making plans to meet up for a while the next day after work and celebrate, the Tara said something about preserving her credit and got off the line.
She let the phone slide out of her hand and used the hand to wipe across her face sliding to the floor of the bathroom as she did that. "Nkechi", she called her name aloud, "Nkechi, Nkechi, Nkechi", her voice became a sort of groan at the back of her throat. What are you going to do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do?
She stood up, caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and smiled brightly at herself. "Darling, it's obvious that you will not solve this problem tonight. At least you realise you got a problem. Here's what we are going to do. We chew on this issue and think seriously about what we need to do. Time is running out but It hasn't run out yet. Realise that you cannot be like everyone and move on. That doesn't mean you don't keep trying to figure out your corporate essence. Keep your head up babe. You won't regret. You might be a bit of a late starter, but you will make it. You have to ... failure is an unacceptable variable for you". She winked in the mirror after this self lecture, smoothed out her hair and sauntered out to rejoin the cocktail her parents had thrown in order to celebrate her finishing her service year all the while smiling to herself as she considered the irony of celebrating the end of a phase of her life when there seemed to be no new phase to step into.
Lovely story. Doesn't sound fictitious to me. Reminds me of me! If Nkechi is just like me and people I know that went through that phase, she will keep thinking till NYSC ends and she will discover that her plans to make it requires an effort beyond what she's used to doing.
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