Lay Off

I met Bukola, my neighbor, in front of the factory where she works on my way back from work one cold evening. It had rained earlier, so the streets were a bit muddy. I tried getting a ride home but it seemed like all the bikers had retired for the day.

I jumped over a pothole filled with dirty water when I heard the squabble at the company's gate. I looked up to see a handful of people standing at the gate. And unlike what I know about the company, it has never had its gates locked.

I looked to understand what was happening, and beside the big red gate, seated on the pavement, was Bukola, my neighbour. She had her face in her palms.

I walked up to her and greeted her
"Bukky, are you okay?"

She raised her face to look at me and I saw the tear stains on her face. She has been crying. I quickly adjusted my handbag and sat beside her, worried as to why she was crying.

"Bukky talk to me. What's wrong?" I asked, my hands on her shoulders, but all she could do was cry the more.

Then I heard the gate open and everyone standing at the gate gently gathered towards the old man with grey hairs that came out of the company. He raised his hands trying to calm the chaos of noises that had ensued. And when everywhere was quiet I heard him speak.

"I'm so sorry. I wish the economy wasn't this bad, we wouldn't have let more people go, but we have no choice. Please, go home and be with your families. May God be with you" he concluded and quickly rushed back into the company while the gate shut.

Immediately the commotion ensued again.

I didn't need to ask Bukola what was wrong again. The old man had explained it all, she had just been laid off.

Gently, I got her to her feet, and we walked the remaining distance home in silence. The next few days, Bukola was indoors brooding over the loss of her job. I did try to check up on her every day after work.

One Saturday morning, I heard a quick knock on my door. I opened it to see Bukola standing

"Bukky, are you okay?" I asked rubbing my eyes

"Good morning. Sorry, I woke you up." She apologized.

"It's fine. What can I do for you?" I asked.

"I found this old shop I would like to rent. I. Just needed another person's idea on it. Do you mind following me to see the shop?" She pleaded, looking me in the eye.

"You are trying to rent a shop? What for?" I was confused. I knew she just lost her job and probably needed to start up something. Yet, renting a job was something I never thought of.

"Please, I'll explain on the way. The owner is already waiting for me." She asked.

"Okay, give me a few minutes to wash my face", I replied, walking back into my apartment and in a few minutes, I was ready.

We set off for the shop, and while we went, Bukky explained to me how she wanted to venture into being a tailor. She had learned how to sew many years back before university but didn't take it up as a career because she felt her life working at a company where she was paid almost six figures was enough for her.

But now she had lost her job, she was thinking of going back to her first love, which was sewing. Luckily for her, she had earlier started some refresher course on tailoring online when she heard rumours of the layoff in her office, and now it was true, she thought it was best to go back fully into tailoring. To her, she was tired of working on a job where there was no job security. She wanted to be a boss of her own.

"Wow. Woman of many talents" I hailed her, trying to make her smile that morning. "I was even thinking of advising you to apply for jobs in other companies"

"Exactly what my family thinks too. They want me away with the fairies with these tailoring talks. But with the economy, how am I sure the next company to employ me won't lay me off again" she stressed. Her face filled with worries.

I took a deep breath "Honestly, it's like you're venturing into a world you're blind to. If will be rough but if you believe this is what you want to do, then yes I'll support you and be your first client" I said, leaning over to brush my shoulders against hers in a playful manner

"Thank you", she replied, smiling.

It was great seeing her smile again after many weeks.

We got to the shop, and it wasn't what she truly expected, but because it was within her budget and at a nice location, she paid for it with determination in her eyes.

Over the following weeks, Bukola worked so hard on getting the required stuff for her shop. I watched her come alive again with purpose and prayed she succeeded.

A few weeks later, I got my clothes from Bukola as her first client. And I can tell the stitching was precise and the details fabulous.

Life threw her curveballs, and she had created something beautiful with it. I'm sure In months to come Bukola will be among the best tailors in her area.

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