WE WENT LOOKING FOR A JOB, BUT WE FOUND A CAR(S)

In the summer of 2016, my friends/housemates and I were looking for productive ways to spend our holiday. Needless to say, playing FIFA all day with friends was in no way profitable for us at the time.

_{Image by Micheal of us playing one of our FiFa games}

By the way, we were four boys living in a modest four-bedroom apartment in the UK. All single, young as can be, geeky and socially inept. Micheal would like to think otherwise; after all, he was the social one at this point in our lives. How social, you may ask? He was nursing a healthy obsession for wrist-watches and cars that he would often stroll down to both Newcastle and Sunderland town centers to look at watches while occasionally scouting for Car show events.

One fateful summer day, Micheal tells us there is a Marine Company that could help us secure a summer internship. So, we prepared and departed to inquire in person. Beyond our need to leave the house, we thought it was better to get a face-to-face answer rather than wait on an email.

Barely 30 minutes into our inquiry at the campus, we were automatically rejected as their program covers people sponsored by that company. So, what are we going to do with the rest of our time? There was no job on the horizon, and we had roughly 5 hours to burn.

---

Eventually, all four of us decided to tour the area. Fortunately for us, we were not far off from a car show. Guess who was thrilled to explore this opportunity? Yes, Micheal, For context, I am Nigerian, and back home, window shopping at a fancy car showroom is a huge no-no. Nevertheless, nudged by Micheal, all four of us put on our brave faces and headed to the car lot. Spoiler Alert!!!! It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

_{Image by Micheal}

The first I noticed as I step on the lot was the fleet of Rolls Royce. With prices varying from roughly 30,000 to 200,000 pounds. Considering how most of our flamboyant politicians in Nigeria patronize the car, I often thought it was an out-of-reach car of the typical man. In that moment, I could easily envision owning one without much fuss. The attendant was incredibly kind as he showed us the cars, the seats, and naming all their features.

After perusing the entire lot, we ask if there was any supercar we could take a look at. The attendant seeing the excitement in our eyes, led us into the complex, and there she was. The amazing car that continues to delight my dreams. The Porshe 918 Spyder.

---

I don’t know if it was the price of the car or the fact that it was set apart from the rest of the vehicles we had seen so far. Perhaps, the design or the fact that the attendant warned not to take pictures or go too close to it. Everything about the Spyder screamed excellence to me.

Who am I kidding? The price definitely commands attention. Then, I found out the car was a Hybrid. Listen, it was 2015, not a lot of knowledge on EV vehicles or hybrid at the time. So, for me, a supercar that runs on both fuel and electricity is the goal. That way, should I ever get to own this car in Nigeria, where the power supply is less than ideal, no worries. The Porshe 918 Sypder got my back.

---

Of course, the experience of seeing a million-pound car left an impression, as we all made jokes. I remember TK saying, “I am not sure if I sold my kidney and that of my family, we would be able to afford this car.” For context, in 2016, that car would be worth roughly 285,000,000 in Naira. In the end, we came looking for a job but found a Car—the incredible Porshe 918 Sypder.

Although we couldn't get a picture of the car that day, two years into the future, Micheal was able to grab a photo during the Bella Auto 2018. Below are Pictures of both the 918 Spyder and other cars from that event.

_{Image by Micheal of the Porshe 918 Sypder}

_{Image by Micheal}

_{Image by Micheal}