I have always been the kind of person who loves to keep my personal life to myself, away from my family (Mom) especially my job (salary) and the things happening around my job, so it does not come back to bite me in the ass.
Over time, I realized that if I tell my mom the exact amount I am being paid, like every African mother, she begins to count my money and how much change I am supposed to have at the end of the month, or she begins to ask questions about how I spent it and what I spent it for and sometimes, as a reckless spender that I am, I most times do not have an exact thing I bought with a particular amount of money.
Many times, because of telling my mom the amount of money, I am being paid in my workplace, it has come back to bite me in my ass because she is not only counting she is expectant and on so many occasions, I tend to have what I need money for and do not have to explain to her that I do not have any cash on me again even before the middle of another month.
So, this particular time, I started working in a school as a janitor and I was being paid thirty (30) thousand naira. I mean, at that period, it was a dream come true pay, because I needed money for a lot of things including setting the ball rolling for my admission to the tertiary institution.
I started the job, and believe me, the job was hectic although we worked for half of the day, it still told me because it was my first time doing such a job.
I knew I couldn't tell my mom of the exact money I was being paid because hopes will arise and they will start casting so many expectations on that my salary.
One of the days, while we got talking with my mom, she asked me about the pay, and I told her I was paid fifteen (15) thousand naira, she was furious why I would accept such pay for a hectic job as that, and all of that, well, as the good daughter I was 😉, I had to convince her that it was better to be working than being at home doing nothing, and yeah, it kind of worked, although it is not like she would have asked me to stop the work my mom's anger can burn up a house if care is not taken.
So, every time we talked, I made sure not to let my mouth slip about the exact amount I was being paid, no matter what happens, not until one day, my girlfriend, came to the house and we got talking about our plans for the month, while we discussed and wrote down what we were going to use our money to do that month, I never knew my mom was outside the room eavesdropping on our conversation.
Although she questioned what she heard, but I was still able to lie to her that she didn't hear clearly what we were discussing of course with the help of my girlfriend who already knew about the lie I told my mom about my monthly salary.
Don't blame me, a girl gat to do what she gat to do, plizzz, I need to breatheee, from all of those family responsibilities. Good enough she never got to know the truth about my pay till I left the job.
This is my entry to the HIVENAIJA WEEKLY PROMPT. Thank you for taking the time to read through my article.