My finals are starting in two weeks, but I can’t put myself together ,I concentrate. Jessica my girlfriend had just broke up with, she got tired of catering for my bills. But is it my fault? Before I lost my job I cater for her needs too. Now no job to make ends meet, my stupid Boss fired me last month, he said my accent was too thick, people can’t understand me when I attend to customers.

But what’s thick about my accent? Why can’t these crazy Americans understand simple english -Good afternoon, this Jefferson’s dry cleaning service, can I help you? After all, my childhood friend in Nigeria, Emeka said I now speak like the oyibo each time we talk on the phone, and here the oyibo can’t even acknowledge that.

No, this can’t be the America I dreamt about, 5 months since I came here and nothing good to account for, apart from the beautiful pictures of me at the empire state building and the statue of liberty I posted on Facebook, my friends now know I am now in America and wants me to send them “something”.

My siblings won’t understand how hard life is over here, How will it sound telling somebody in Nigeria you’re suffering in God’s own land?

Hmm, there should still be some money left on my card.

After showering and all dressed up now picked my card to go to the nearest ATM machine

“O boy make I enter bank, we go see later”, I said to my flatmate Segun.

At the ATM machine, here I was watching the machine smiling and telling me it’s 30 dollars I have left in my account.30 dollars?

Why me Lord?

Abi dey DHL juju to me from village??

How worst can things get today?

I grudgingly withdrew the 30 dollars, and gave a funny smile at the nice looking lady waiting in turn at my back .

With all the dress swag, white Ralph Lauren polo and my pair of Jordan sneakers, she must be wondering why a guy who appeared rich and good looking could be so broke.

Any way sha , that’s her trouble,for all I know today’s food is covered for.

I left the ATM,still wondering what to use the 30 dollars for. Should I just go get some burgers at Burger King or get some little food stuffs to cook. No that lazy Segun, will end up finishing the food.

Just I was still contemplating, my phone rang.

Hello, Yes, Yes, it’s Kenneth Okoro.
Ok,Yes, I will be there before 10:00.
Thank you very much.

Feeling so happy now, the day had just turned a new leaf before my very own eye.

I was just offered a job at the big supermarket I did an interview for some weeks back.Great, it’s just 20 minutes from my apartment, its walkable distance.

I rushed quickly home, change from casual to a corporate attire.It’s my first day, my dressing would have to compensate where my accent might try to bring me down.

On my way to work, I was whistling and singing O happy day, I have now mastered the New York’s map, all the short cuts through the city I know like the back of my hand.

It had rained overnight, everywhere was still wet. I took a turn to the left of the pedestrian road, before I could say Jack Sparrow, I was all soaked in mud.A red Chevy at full speed along the road just drove through a pool of water standing.

What the hell is this again? My shirt was now patterned with mud like a Kampala shirt.

The reckless driver, a white old man, winds down his car windows and was trying to apologize.

At this point, I was already yelling at the top of my voice, YOUR FADA DIA!!! Pointing my five fingers at him, and screaming WAKA WAKA!!!Bad belle people!

He was just looking at me confused.

I kept on shouting and pointing Wáka at him!

It took a few minutes before I realized I had gone pidgin by default.

Poor Old man, I wished he understood my pain.

*THE END


SOURCE:www.tlkdrum.com