I went for an interview. I didn’t get the job. Two days later a man called me. He said his name was Jones. I asked, “Yes Mr. Jones, how may I help you?” He said, “I’m very sorry you couldn’t get the job. Left to me alone, you would have been hired the next day but my other colleagues thought otherwise. I’m really sorry.” I asked, “Oh you were there when I came?” He said, “I was the guy in the black suit.”
Immediately he said that, my mind went back to the time when I was being interviewed. He was the guy who asked me the soft questions. He was the guy who agreed with me on everything I said. When I was struggling for words, he filled it up for me. All the while I was being asked the questions, he kept his gaze at me. He didn’t blink and he didn’t take his eyes off me. I found assurance in his stare. I thought, “He understands what I’m saying that’s why he keeps nodding and looking at me.” If I had lost confidence, his stare and reactions would have brought that confidence back. But I was bold and resolute when answering the questions.
So, I told him, “Yeah, Jones. I remember the guy in the black suit. I’m sad I didn’t get the job. I really gave it my best shot.” He said, “That’s why I’m calling you today. You deserve another chance so whenever there’s a vacancy that you fit, trust me. You’ll be the one we’ll call.” I said, “Thank you for the feedback.” Before he cut the line he asked, “Do you mind if I give your CV to some other people? Who knows, something may come out of it.” I said, “Please do. I need a job as soon as possible to stay afloat.”
One morning he called. He said, “Expect a call from a friend very soon.” The next day, someone called. She asked, “Are you available for an interview in the next two days?” I said, “I can even come tomorrow.” She laughed. She said, “I like your eagerness.” I said, “I’m really eager to start working again.”
Two days later, I was there. I had a very good time at the interview. They told me, “Madam Comfort, expect to hear from us very soon.” I asked, “How soon?” The leader said, “Within the week. Even if we don’t pick you, you’ll still hear from us.”
That evening, Jones called to ask how it went. I told him everything. He said, “They are my friends. I believe they will favor you.”
Two weeks later, I was employed.
I couldn’t stop showing appreciation to Jones for making it possible. I told him, “You didn’t know me and I didn’t know you too. For the fact that you had that trust in me, I’m forever grateful.” A week later, we met on a date. There was something about the way he was acting around me. It felt like he had something to say but didn’t have the courage to say it. We had a wonderful time and went our separate ways. When I got home and was ready to sleep, a text message came through. It was from Jones. He said, “I’ve loved you from the day I set my eyes on you. Please don’t say no. Would you be my girlfriend?” I replied, “Let’s meet tomorrow and talk about it.”
We met after work the next day. I said, “Tell me what you said last night. I want to hear from your own voice and I want to see you say it to me.” He repeated what he sent to me. I said, “Yes.” He said, “You don’t mean it. Just like that?” I said, “I’ve seen what I wanted to see so yes. I mean it.”
The two of us couldn’t stay apart from that day. He traveled once and I couldn’t see him for two days. I felt restless. I wanted to be on the phone with him throughout the day. In the evening when I finally got him on the phone, we talked till he heard the cock crow. He said, “Now that it’s morning, tell me, how do I go to this meeting and not doze off?” I said, “Feel free. Doze all you can. Tell me about it when you come back.”
It was his birthday. We were at the restaurant eating when he said, “Let’s get married.” I said, “Come off it. You can’t be serious.” He said, “Yes I’m serious. It’s a gift I’m giving to myself on my birthday.” I said, “But we just started. We’ve dated for only three months.” He said, “Let’s get married. We will figure the rest out as we go along.”
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My mom had an issue with him. She said, “This man doesn’t belong to any church, how can you trust him to the extent of marrying him in just three months?” I said, “He’s a good person and I know it. He’ll go to my church when we marry.” She wasn’t sure of that but she gave me the benefit of the doubt. The day I sent wedding invitations out to friends, Many of them opened their mouths; “Comfort, you’re not scared? People dated for years and still had issues when they got married. Just three months and you’re getting married?” I told them, “The worst thing that could happen is divorce. Divorce is not a terminal disease.”
My friend Suzzy was the most terrified. She called every day asking if I was sure of what I was doing. I said, “Dear, you can’t be sure of anything until you go into it. Some water looks shallow. You step into it and you drown. You can only know when you step into it.”
We stepped into marriage and seven years later we are still here—still strong like the rock in the river. He calls me Comfy—a name he gave me right at the beginning of our relationship. That name hasn’t changed. Anytime he calls me Comfort, I ask him, “Please are we fighting?” Sometimes it’s we were fighting. Sometimes he just felt like calling me with my real name.
Nothing has changed. We figured the rest as we continued the journey but the amazing thing is, after all these years, we still haven’t finished figuring things out. New challenges come along. New surprises here and there but that was the aim of our marriage—to figure things out as we go along. We won’t get all the answers now but we are ready to learn and to conquer.
–A. Comfort
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