Chapter 1 Jason is overwhelmed

Life is just not fair. Jason thought as he stood close to the old wheel barrow. He had waited patiently as the small crowd surrounding the food vendor thinned. Something told him he had to eat something,I mean anything if he was to stay in the survival race.

Something about the young food vendor suddenly caught his interest. Someone had just called her on phone and she switched from pidgin to a clean English with very good accent. He listened listened with kin interest on the conversation that lasted for about three minutes. The caller was no doubt a friend from school who is presently doing well as a civil servant in NNPC. As she lifted her face this time, one could tell from her expression that for a split second, she tried to adjust back to her present condition. 'How much rice you want ' she asked in the usual street language

Jason responded in the same manner ' madam I no too get moni for pocket just put one plate of rice for me' From watching the other customers

realized a plate a plate of rice cost just #500 unless one one decides to enjoy extra luxury life, 'shaki' 'round about ',' kanda' or the more expensive 'tozo' .

'Na normal thing my brother if not wetin fine young man like you go de do for mama put, no bi Mr Biggs be that?' She pointed across the road and Jason who understood too well what she meant couldn't help gulping down saliva as he looked at the well known restaurant and imagined what it would feel like to just sit in there with a plate of cooked Jollof Rice and a bottle of cold drink. 'Abi you no bi graduate '? The woman's question jolted him back to reality from his dream world. ' of course, madam, I graduated from University of Lagos with a very good result, I em...he struggled to continue but before he could continue the woman went on " you de here as I answer call na, You no go believe am but that woman de earn up to one Million naira monthly but na my class mate. When we see school she no sabi anything, na for my hand she dey collect all materials we use. If no bi me why dey help am with assignments, she for graduate a third class instead of the 2-2 she made. 'Life is not fair ' he thought again

'Oh' he said as he rummaged through his trousers pocket. He removed ninety naira from his pocket,ten naira from his back pocket, four hundred naira from his shirt pocket and that was it. Everything he has on him is gone except for the one thousand five hundred and fifty naira in between his diary. He will at least drink satchet water with fifty naira and give his wife the rest to make dinner when he gets home.

He ate his food quietly occasionally looking at his wrist watch to see what time he has spent waiting for his boss' daughter to come out from the examination hall so he could drive her home. That was his new job for the past one week. He was grateful to God for this opportunity. His new boss after hearing his story was kind enough to offer him a driving job that pays a meager sum of forty thousand naira monthly.

His mind started off for the thousand time to the challenge he had gone through for the past eight months. He couldn't believe he had left the comfort of his former company's cafeteria to start dinning at 'mama put'

Who wouldn't be proud to be a part of Zarah Oil Nigeria. A company with about fourteen thousand employees in over two hundred and eighty branches in more than sixty countries. A company noted for its outstanding technological feats and first - class services. In the past fifty two years, Zarah had made adequate efforts world wide to retain it's leading role in the geotechnical, survey and geoscience disciplines and to continue to contribute to mankind's increasing prosperity and well being. The dissatisfied across the nations or at least those who are in positions to do so often move to places where the grass is greener still. Those who are forced to live or seek conditions where life may be slightly less menacing realize that even their life is not always easy and survival may still be a greater challenge. Many settle on the fertile slopes of volcanoes or in swampy deltas, where the only certainty appears to be an ample food supply. They ignore the risks of devastating earthquake volcanic eruptions or floods. One of Zarah's primary agenda is hence safety to the residents and of course their workers. To them, that guarantees the success of projects.

Jason heaved as he remembered the case of Mr Alex who has worked for Zarah Nigeria for seven years. Everybody referred to him as one of Zarah's best hands. He has worked with the HAC department for four years and when he was due for promotion, he was transferred to the Well Testing Project Department. He still remembers the statement made by the MD on the day of his award of excellence '...our clients home and abroad who have had the opportunity of working with Mr. Alex have recommended him to us. We know that the future of this company its progress lies in the hands of committed workers like Mr. Alex who will give the work all it takes and hold no reserve. Mobile, Total and Shell have constantly subcontracted most of their jobs to us only because they have worked alongside most of our staff in the past and have had nothing to complain about in terms our expertise '

For a moment Jason looked away from the MD and looked in the direction of the management. Their faces were blank and passive, you could never read their mind, only about two or three of them smiled their approval of the MD's remarks. Well, it is well understood. In less than one year in the company, he has heard the slogan that most of the junior workers used in addressing themselves. He was eating in the company's cafeteria one afternoon when James, one of the company staff who has been out on the field for about one month walked in. His colleague who was sitting right on the table next to him stood up, hugged him in excitement and amidst the excitement James said ' my brother, do everything you can to get to the top '. All the staff who were there for lunch burst into laughter ' Ah!! my friend' replied his colleague ' 'when you get there, do everything it takes to remain there... I mean stop who you can stop from getting there if you are to retain your position ', the laughter intensified. The two men shook their hands vigorously. Others laughed and made side comments at the remark while Jason sat smiling and watching the whole drama. In his few remaining years though, he was able to fully understand the slogan.

The MD finished by announcing Mr Alex' promotion which would warrant him being transferred to a new department with a salary increment which was meant to take effect three months after his promotion. Six months later,the increment was yet to reflect in his pay slip but within these six months, he had received two different queries, accusing him of gross incompetence and negligence of duty. The first query was unprofessional but the second was worse.