It was not too good for me and was just too embarrassing when I saw the manager of one reputable hotel talk down to me. In my school, I had studied electrical electronics engineering but I later went to the university to study Mathematics as I have passion for teaching. Although it was an education line.
I had always followed my uncle for outside work. He had taught me so much in how to fix electrical stuff and appliances. He had always made me understand that fixing the television so high would turn out to be a mistake in so many places, most especially in the malls, or companies or hotels.
So, one day, and three years ago to be precise, I went to visit someone in the Ikoyi axis of Lagos State. He knew I had always been the one fixing his electronics and also electrical connections. So, he told me to come to his office to check some connections which I did. After that day when they saw my nest work, they decided to call me for another job. It was a job that was worth a tangible amount or money.
It took me a few seconds to answer “I can do it perfectly”. They gave me the job. It was just to fix smart televisions to the wall. I fix the first room, and the second one after buying the items needed. The manager of that company came around and disqualified my connections. He said why on earth would I connect the LED Smart TV so low instead of fixing it higher than usual. I gave him countless reasons why it is not advisable to fix it so high. He said his customers wouldn't accept that and I should take them high. He said I was not a qualified electrician and cannot do the job perfectly.
And he was talking down to me, I was not so happy, but I can't talk back to him. I felt so embarrassed. He spoke to me rudely in the presence of the waiters and waitresses. When I got home, my uncle sat me down and asked me just to forget his friend’s words. I told him I will not just forget his friend, but will forget the job totally.
Weeks have passed and he invited another electrician to fix the remaining smart TV to the wall. He directed them on how to fix it according to my uncle. I was so sure that he would have abused me to the last level, but who cares?
Two days later, the TVs were fixed and customers were trooping into the hotel just as before. The hotel is a lodging and relaxing hotel. The manager has so many customers both in the Lekki axis and around Lagos.
One day, I received a call from someone to come fix his Smart LED TV. “I love the one you fixed in the hotel I went to”, the man said. I was so surprised to hear that. It means I have done a great job. Even with the look of things, I love what I connected with, but someone rubbishing my handwork was something that pained me so much.
“How did you get my phone number?” I asked. I was so shocked that the one who rejected my neat job gave out my phone number to his customers. “But the manager did not love what I did”, I said.
I was so shocked to hear his words in return “no one who saw that neat job wouldn't love the job”.
My presumed mistake was praised by someone who has a good eye for good things.
After making the connection, the following week, another man gave me a call. He said he wanted to connect his Smart LED TV and I should help him make the connection. He said the manager of the hotel gave him my phone number.
A few weeks later, the manager had to call me. “Your work that I condemned was highly praised. I'm sorry for rejecting and condemning your work. I thought you have made the greatest mistake by making such connections not knowing it's the best connection”. I was praised after blaming me for wrong placement of the smart TV.
He later begged me to take off the ones the other engineer had fixed and refix them in my own way. I had said to my uncle that I would never step foot in that hotel. He begged me but I did not answer him. After a few days, he sent my uncle to me to beg me to come fix those TVs in my present. My uncle placed the call on the speaker so I could hear everything he was saying. His voice sounded lower than usual.
I became the hero that was being begged to ascend the throne.
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