Rags to Riches? continues

2. The Boss

I had been in the city for a whole month now and my savings were beginning to dwindle. My chances of finding work looked very bleak. Mugaga’s land of opportunity was no where to be seen. There were so many strong men competing for the jobs and even though I went out everyday to construction sites, markets and even the bus and taxi park, a job continued to elude me. Mugaga was not helping either. He worked at night and spent most of the day sleeping! He offered to introduce me to his boss, but said I should wait until there was an opening for someone like me.

It must be difficult being a guard, I thought. When did Mugaga get time to be with his friends? Come to think of it, I had not met any of the friends Mugaga always talked about when he visited the village.

Then it happened! One Friday morning I felt especially light headed as I walked to a construction site near the University. It was in the air, the light morning breeze complemented by the warmth of the rising sun. I was going to get a job today! Even the song of the early birds was a testament to the fact.

A very large hostel was under construction and the guard had informed me the day before that they were hiring labourers. I was one of the first to arrive at the site and the guard of yesterday pointed out the boss. I walked over to where the boss was sitting reading a newspaper.

“Excuse me sir,” I spoke softly, kneeling down at a respectable distance from his feet. “I have come about the job of labourer.”

At that moment a large burly man came out from behind some building materials and joined the boss.

“Gwe, genda, genda! (You, go away!),” he shouted on seeing me, waving his large hand. He was the sort of person that gave credibility to the theory that we descended from apes!

“Leave him,” I heard the boss say as I scramble to my feet preparing to run to the gate. I quickly dropped to my knees again.

“He thinks he can be a labourer!” The boss told the ape man and they laughed.

“Young man, do you know anything about gardening?” the boss stood up and walked over to me.

“Yes sir,” I answered, my head bowed in humble respect. Just the way my grandfather had taught me to address an elder.

“I had my own garden in the village, sir,” I added trying to be a little more like the city folk who talked whether they were spoken to or not.

“You are hired!” the boss said with a sweep of his hands. “You will set up flower gardens over there.” He pointed to an area in front of the large building. “Bosa will show you what to do and give you the tools you need.”

“Thank you sir,” was all I could mumble in response. My heart leapt with joy as I rubbed my sweating palms on the seat of my trousers. I had a job!

“You will work everyday except Sunday and I will pay you 5,000 shillings a week,” the boss said. “You can begin right away.” With that, he walked off leaving me with Bosa.

I could not believe my luck. 5,000 shillings a week! It had taken me months to save that sort of money in the village!

“Are you going to kneel there all day smiling to yourself?” the harsh voice of Bosa, the ape man, brought me back to reality. “Come on son, there is work to do. What is your name?”

“Samu sir,” I scrambled to feet and hurried after him. “I am very hardworking sir.”

“We shall see about that, Samu,” Bosa said as he opened a shed and pulled out some clothing. “This is what you will wear to work. Now hurry up and change. You will find me at the site.” Bosa walked off leaving me holding brand new overalls and a pair of gumboots.

I had never ever owned anything new! All my cloths were either gifts from rich cousins or second hand clothes from our market. I pulled the overall to my face, savouring the sweet smell of new kaki clothing.

Bosa was already digging up at the site when I joined him. I grabbed a hoe and went straight to work. The smell of wet soil was very familiar and for a moment there I felt a tinge of nostalgia. Banished thoughts of the simple, safe and predictable village life threatened to surface. Only for a moment, then I pushed them to the back of my mind and concentrated on the task at hand.

To be continued.