Timi🎀 @_timi06 - Twitter Profile

“I think I’ve hired a fool.” That thought slowly dawned on me that morning after a long call with one of my favorite, and most profitable, clients. You see, I do drink business. I import drinks and sell to wholesalers, retailers, and hotels. There is hardly any drink I don’t sell or cannot source if a client asks for it. Around 7am that morning, my phone rang. It was Mrs Sandra. Mrs Sandra owns one of the biggest hostels in the East, and I happen to be her primary drink supplier. Over the years we have had a smooth relationship. She pays well, never delays, and often refers other business owners to me. “Oga Chowder,” she said, “you told me the grape drink would be available, but your boy said it wasn’t when I came to the shop.” My heart skipped. “Madam Sandra, I’m very sorry. The manufacturer actually stopped producing it, but we have something very close to it, almost the same taste. An exact dupe if you’d like to try.” “I asked for something similar,” she replied, “but your boy told me you didn’t have.” Now I was confused. “Madam Sandra, I’m 100 percent sure we do. If it’s not too late, let me send it this morning. How many packs will you need?” “Supply 300 packs to all my branches.” “Done, ma.” When the call ended, I sat quietly for a moment. Francis is going to ruin me one day. In life I have made mistakes, but not the type that can destroy a business relationship like this. The only reason Francis was even working with me was because my mother begged me to help him. Something about him being her cousin’s brother’s nephew’s son in law’s child. I didn’t even bother understanding the connection. Once mummy says help, you help. So I took him in. And it has been downhill ever since. Francis does not relate well with customers. He thinks slowly. Even after months of training he still manages to confuse the simplest things. The only reason I have not fired him is because, well, mummy. But today, I needed answers. “Francis!” “Yes Oga.” “What did you tell Madam Sandra?” “Madam Sandra? Please help me juggle my memory, who is she?” I closed my eyes. Two years. Two years of following me around, learning the business, meeting my customers, and this is where we are. At this point I even began to question myself. Maybe I was not a good boss. But that thought quickly disappeared because three other boys his age had passed through my shop, learned the business, and today they run profitable drink businesses of their own. So the problem was not me. “Francis,” I said slowly, “Madam Sandra asked if we had something similar to the grape juice and you told her we didn’t. Why?” “Oh yes, that madam,” he said. “She asked if we had SIMILAR. I told her we don’t sell SIMILAR. I have never seen SIMILAR in the shop before.” I stared at him. “Francis… don’t tell me you think SIMILAR is a type of drink.” He blinked. “It’s not?” “It’s NOT! For God’s sake she asked for a similar juice to grape juice!” His face suddenly lit up. “Ooooooh. We have now. It’s how she said it with that accent. Sorry Oga.” Then he began repeating the word to himself. “Similar… similar… similar…” He twisted his head left and right, saying it in different voices as if testing the pronunciation. I watched him in silence. And that was the exact moment the thought returned. I think I have hired a fool. @judahmartins you asked for it 😂

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