《Chapter 2 - Settling in Enugu 》

Walking around the busy street of Enugu  in 1982, Obiageli held her luggage tightly. She had heard about the usual crime of thieves grabbing people's  bag. She didn't want to be a victim for all her life savings was in a small purse in her bag

She walked quickly to a woman who roasted corn by the roadside. She greeted  the woman and asked for direction to any nearby hotel. The old woman smiled, revealing some brown teeth as she directed Obiageli. Obiageli thanked her and turned to board one of the yellow taxis, just as the woman had advised. 

The hotel comprised of two buildings facing each other in a curve.  Each building was one storied. It was really beautiful and Obiageli's heart skipped. The hotel seemed very expensive and she had not  added hotel fee to her budget.  She had forgotten that she knew no one in this new state and was therefore on her own. 

Thoughts of returning home clouded her mind but she brushed it off. She didn't  come this far just to lose. It  had taken her one good year of proper thinking to embark on this journey. She was hopeful that one day she would meet Jideze.  

She believed strongly that they were made for each other and there was no other person in this world for her  but Jideze.  She knew God would bring them  together one day;  all she need do was be ready and being ready entailed staying in Enugu.

She greeted the gatekeepers of the hotel as she walked into the lobby, taking in the exquisiteness of the hotel; there was a large swimming pool at the centre of the two buildings. She was directed  to the receptionist by one of the employees. The receptionist was a young fair-skinned  lady with a slender and pretty face.  

The lady smiled broadly at her and she couldn't help but smile back.  She told the lady why she came and the lady told her the necessary things that should be done. At last, she was given a room after she had paid the quite expensive fee. The receptionist told her she had made a reservation for a month and Obiageli nodded her head in appreciation. She collected the keys to her room and said a last 'thank you' before turning to go.

Her room was big and very comfortable.  There was a large bed by the wall of the room in addition to a chair and a table.  The window blinds were wide opened giving way for the rays of the afternoon sun to brighten the room. 

Though  the room was very beautiful and comfortable, she told herself she must leave soon; she would run out of money if she kept staying at the beautiful hotel room. She dropped her bags by the side of the wall, stripped herself naked and walked into  the beautiful bathroom. Just as she had thought, the bathroom was a beauty on its own.

The floor to ceiling  glass made it feel larger and more  luxurious. There was a full-length mirror by the side of the wall and a white  fluorescent hanging on the ceiling. Obiageli sighed  as she wished she could stay in the hotel forever. However, she had no money to afford such luxury; she needed to get a job and a new apartment. 

Obiageli left the hotel early the next morning in search of a job. She hoped to get a job as a sales girl -  just as she was back in Imo state. The job was not stressful and she closed on time. She couldn't imagine doing any other job than that and so she went from street to street searching for a banner or a sign that held such info: Sales Girl Needed.

Unfortunately for her that day, there was none and she returned very disappointed.  She did the same for a week to no avail and then was she fed up. She had earlier seen a vacancy at a canteen but never paid attention to it for she didn't want to work in a canteen.  She felt it would be too stressful unlike her sales girl job.

She told herself to repeat the same action of searching for a job the following week and not to give up but the following week was just  like the previous despite the fact she had walked into one of the supermarkets - which had no sign for vacancy - to ask if they needed one. Of course, they didn't and she was getting irritated. 

Sitting on the comfortable chair in her hotel room, she thought of what to do. She could not survive with the bills of the hotel; it was expensive though the service was luxurious.  

She needed a new apartment and a job to keep her going. The month was coming to an end and her hotel reservation  was coming to an end too. After much contemplation, she concluded that she would take the canteen job. She silently prayed that the job position was still available.

Walking into the canteen that morning,  she was ushered into a small office at the back. Another lady was sitting on the plastic chair by the wall. The fat lady who seemed like the boss ushered her to the next available seat and she obliged. She noticed that the other lady was there for the job also. Obiageli's heart skipped a bit. She wondered  if she would lose the job to her. 

After series of questions,  the fat lady asked them to return the next morning to see if they had been given the job. They both thanked her and stood up to go.

Obiageli used this opportunity to access the canteen as she didn't see a possibility of her working there. Her opponent - the other girl - seemed to have answered correctly and intellectually than her. She decided to take a good view of the canteen for the last time.  

Though it was moderate-sized, people trooped in and out. There were some white chairs arranged around a white table at strategic places. Some of the white chairs were coated in dust - now brown chairs - and the tables had some permanent  stains of oil on it; however,  there was just  one girl moving around, serving food to the customers.  Obiageli shook her head slowly. She wondered why the woman couldn't get more people to work. 

It was not until the next day that Obiageli found out she had been offered the job. She had gone to the canteen the next morning reluctantly to fulfil all righteousness only to be given the job. She was asked to resume the following day and she expressed her gratitude. 

 Obiageli found out then that there were two other girls working in the canteen only that they were on evening  shift as there were more customers in the evening. 

Obiageli was to work with the girl she had seen the previous day; her name Obiageli had found to be Chinaza; they were both full time workers so they had to work from morning down to night.

Chinaza was a jovial lady with a beautiful diastema. It was for her joviality Obiageli bonded with her more than she did with the ladies on evening shift: Adaobi and Florence.  She did speak to Adaobi sometimes though they had different preferences.

 However, Florence was one to keep to herself and making conversation with her was fruitless. She could barely make up a sentence without stuttering and she found it difficult to flow in a discussion.  For this reason,  she was the least spoken to person in the canteen. It didn't even help that she left the canteen immediately it was closing hour.

Chinaza and Obiageli on the other hand had similar interests hence the bonding.  Obiageli  didn't hesitate to inform Chinaza about her urgent need of an apartment  and just like she had been waiting to hear such news, Chinaza informed  her about one she saw while  visiting her sister. The only issue according to her was that it was quite a distance from the canteen and it required a bus.

Obiageli  bit her fingers as she thought of what to do. The hotel was only a mile from the canteen and  she had always walked.  Getting an apartment which was a distance from the canteen was a bad idea. However,  time was running out and she needed to act fast. 

Obiageli came to a conclusion finally to accept the apartment since the fare from the canteen to the apartment was not too expensive.  It was quite affordable.

Chinaza had taken her to the apartment to meet with the landlord  on a Saturday as weekends were resting  days for them; Florence and Adaobi worked full time on weekends.

The rent was very affordable and Obiageli didn't hesitate to pay. Alas, her entire savings was almost exhausted but she was glad she was now fully settled. She decided to write a letter to her mother then.

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25, Samantha street,

Aninri, 

Enugu state.

27th May, 1982

Dear Mama,

  I'm  sorry for not writing  to you for this long. I wanted to fully settle down before I do so. How have you been, mama and how has the family been faring? I hope Nkem isn't giving you much problem - actually, Uzodinma should be the one answering this question. What about Okonkwo? Has he repaired the radio  Nkem broke? 

Mama, I have gotten a job and an apartment here in Enugu. Enugu is truly a mega city and I love every bit of it - the úgwú aspects exempted. You know how much I hate hills.  Can you believe that the climate is mostly humid here? It rains quite heavily  and almost every time. In spite of this, I  finally have a chance to visit the tallest building in Enugu: the African Continental bank.  I will go there with Jideze. 

I love my new colleagues, mama. I have even made a close friend.  Her name is Chinaza and I hope you two meet soon.  You'll  like her.  Working at the canteen has its fun too though I still want to work as a sales girl. My boss likes me so much and I wonder why. I guess I'm  a lovable child after all.  

Mama, I know you worry about me and I want to tell you that I am alright and doing fine. I'm a full grown woman and I know how to take care of myself. I won't make the wrong choice so stop worrying mama, you have Nkem to worry about. 

I miss you so much, mama. I miss the whole family. Extend my greetings to everyone, mama.  Tell everyone I missed them especially  Uzodinma . I hope to hear from you soon, mama.

Your daughter, 

Obiageli. 

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