“I have brought the gate men,” Frank announced when he got into the parlor. Now, Callum and his wife looked at Evans for his response, while Sarah fixed her gaze on Frank.
“Men?” Evans asked anxiously.
“Yes, uncle. They insisted on working. We will choose the best.”
“What are they for?” Callum asked.
“I need someone to man the gate. The children cannot be opening and closing the gate.”
“Oh! That is thoughtful of you. In that case, they can run different shifts. How many are they, Frank?”
“They are ten.”
“Ten is not too many. Turning them back may be humiliating,” Callum made clear.
“Why did you allow them to come with you when you were asked to come with just one person?” Ada rebuked.
“I wonder,” Sarah supported.
“Don't let that bother us. It is just for a few days. They can start at once,” Evans remarked.
“All right, uncle. What about the pay? How much do I offer them?” Frank inquired, ignoring her aunt's question.
“Find out what they would love to be paid from them.”
“All right, uncle,” he said, and walked out of the house.
“Are they to decide what they would be paid, or we should offer them what we have in mind?” Sarah asked.
“Let's get their opinions first. We would build on that.”
At the Gate
He met the ten youths who were patiently waiting for him. They looked attentively at him when he got to them.
“This is the job description. Your duty is to open and close the gate.”
“Only?” One of them anxiously asked.
“Yes. You will open for visitors coming into the compound and those going out. Don't keep them waiting, especially those driving in and out. Come with me and see how you open and close the gate.”
“How is that a task? Only opening and closing of the gate,” another person asked, after Frank had taught them how to open and close the sliding gate.
“It baffles me too,” another person remarked. Nevertheless, Frank ignored them and continued, “You will work for eight hours, but you all will not work at the same time. When two persons get off, two other people would take over. Did you get that?”
“Yes, Frank,” they responded in unison.
“Meanwhile, how much would you like to be paid?” Frank inquired.
“To be paid to do what, please?” They asked doubtfully.
“Oh! My God,” Frank exclaimed. “Have you not been listening to my explanations.” The truth remained that they were not exposed to that kind of job. Apart from the local church, the compounds in that community were not fenced, and they could not imagine that someone would like to waste his or her hard-earned money on another person for such a simple task.
“Okay, pay me one thousand Naira,” one of them said, and Frank was pleased, “At least, he understood what I said,” he mumbled. Since he had no writing materials, he turned on his system and used the notepad.
“What is your name?” He asked. The last speaker announced his name and Frank wrote it down. Now, the applicant was jubilant because his name was written in a white man's notebook. To ensure that their names were captured as well, they called out their names one after the other and Frank wrote them one after the other.
“How much would you love to be paid?” He asked, looking at the others.
“I have not done this kind of work before. I don't know how much to be paid,” one applicant said. To their surprise, Frank was still writing. Then, another applicant chose to insult Frank's intelligence and announced, “Five thousand Naira.”
Others giggled at what they considered a prank. Frank wrote that against the applicant's name. Others played along, and called out what they termed bogus amount, but one person was timid and afraid to say something. At last, Frank said, facing the person. “You have not said what you wished to be paid.” “I don't want to be paid. The work is not strenuous like ploughing the bush,” he made himself clear.
Frank wrote his wish against his name and concluded, “Thank you very much. You can start now.” He said, facing the first person who requested to be paid one thousand Naira.
“I have heard you, but can I change the amount I wished to be paid?” He requested innocently.
“Go on.”
“I want ten thousand Naira.”
“Thief,” some applicants blurted out due to the bogus amount. All the same, Frank put it down and continued. “The two of you, number one and ten, can start now. You will close after eight hours. Then, number two and nine would take over. We will continue in that order. Are we together?”
“Yes,” they chorused.
“Good. The rest can leave.”
“Thank you,” they said one after, and left happily. Nevertheless, Frank returned to the house and gave his report. They smiled at their degree of humbleness and contentment.
“Thanks for your help, Frank. Ensure that they are supervised,” Evans advised.
“I got it, uncle.”
While they were still chatting, Fredrick arrived with a convoy of three cars, and the two gate men were happy to execute their first task. They hurriedly pushed the sliding gate, and the drivers drove in.
“Welcome,” they greeted, not minding whether they were heard or not. Meanwhile, the sons, David and Austin, were surprised at the strange environment and refused to get off. Their mother had the same opinion as them. She thought that her husband wished to say hello to the money bag who bought her father's desolate compound before going to see her uncle and mother, and she stayed back.
“We are home,” Fredrick announced, and turned off his ignition.
“Home?” The wife asked. Nevertheless, the sound of the cars attracted the other family members and they walked out. Suddenly, the youngsters ran out happily, and Austin and his brother were thrilled.
“Wow!” They exclaimed and opened the door at once. Meanwhile, Uju had no doubts that the children's parents were around, and she got off the car too.
“Uncle Joe, George. Nice to meet you,” they greeted happily. “Austin and David. Welcome home,” Joe, George, and the rest responded with glee.