The challenge was that it was the COVID-19🦠😷era and most parastatals were either not working or worked for a short period of time. During that period, movement was limited however more relaxed for special categories like the medics. I was excited to have obtained the appointment and my next assignment was to have my documentation done. Navigating with my car was not the issue, meeting those people at the office was the major concern.
I got to the state high court, where I needed to append some court signatures as required, and I met a deadlock. The majority of staff of the high court were not on the ground as a result of the COVID-19🦠😷pandemic stay-off-work measures. I was told to revert for my documentation at an indefinite period. My frustration heightened, especially since I didn't want to spend a day extra at the private facility.
A middle-aged man with gray beards who happened to be around where I was asked to revert called my attention and inquired what the matter was. After I explained it to him, he told me not to worry myself. This stranger did the unthinkable for me. I got to know he was a high-ranking barrister, as he was greeted with much respect at every office we entered, and he was also a political positionholder in the state, if I am right. I was unable to get the form signed, and he took me in his car to the Federal High Court in the state with no success. Afterwards, he led me to the court of appeal and yet again met with futility. I almost told him to give up because he did what a father would do for his son, if not more. We came back to the state high court and met with the registrar, who had not yet accorded him much respect. In fact, I felt honored to trail behind him like a puppy. I was dumbfounded at how someone so high could stoop so low to help a young stranger.
The registrar of the high court assured us we would get the documents signed the next day. The man walked up to the junior cadre staff in charge and made calls to whoever was supposed to append his signature for him to be present the following day. The barrister practically spent the whole day on my case. It was a rare act of random kindness that I experienced from him. Funny, he did not request anything from me in return. I sent him a long message of appreciation that very night after I got home and stated clearly that he has a son in me. This post should prompt me to reach out to him once again. He may not even remember me, but certainly I have never forgotten him or his act of kindness. And surely, I got the document signed the following day; I even had to go meet someone with the stamp about 6 km away.
And what better way to repay such kindness than to build an endless chain of kindness? Though I find it hard to say no to requests, especially when they're within my reach, I have lived a life of going the extra mile to show kindness to even strangers. I may just pick a few of those chains and list them here.
Two years ago, I stood at the entrance of my office discussing with a superior officer, and a lady bolted out of the office with frustration. You can imagine when someone continues to talk to herself out of frustration. She had visited my office for the third time and yet could not do the registration she came for. My superior officer and I called the lady back when we noticed she was almost in tears. Mind you, I got to know later that she was a police officer. After listening to her lamentations, I collected the few documents she came with and gave her my digits to send the remaining to my WhatsApp line. Her mood changed immediately, and she became happy and grateful. She offered me a financial token, which I rejected outright. Immediately, she forwarded the outstanding documents to me on WhatsApp. I printed them out and submitted them to the operators, and her work was done immediately. When the registration was out, I got the printout ready, and when I visited her office area, she was surprised to see the document delivered to her. Of course, she thought that, customarily, it was usual to buy her way, but here was kindness without a fine. Ever since then, she has pleaded with me for some people she considered special for me to attend to, even though I warned her not to take the gesture for granted. I don't pray to have any police cases, but she's a police officer I can reach out to if her assistance is needed.
A recent chain of kindness was to a relative that I have not met till date. My mom came home worried, and when I found out what the concern was, it was something I knew I had to take up. The boy in question was a serving corps member in my state but desired a redeployment within the state to somewhere he could easily navigate his way back home to take care of his aged parents. I really do not like asking for favors as it makes me feel indebted to people, but since my mom was involved, I picked up my phone and called one of the staff of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who immediately obliged my request. His request for redeployment was tabled before the state coordinator, and express approval was given to him. I called the boy in question and told him about the success of the redeployment. He was very grateful, and my mom was thankful for bailing her out. Till today, I've not met the boy, but I know a good deed has gone out from me to him.
But like some people can take kindness for granted, the boy who had his redeployment facilitated at no cost sent a text and put a call through to me and begged me in God's name and those of my parents to help him facilitate another person's. The boy he wanted me to facilitate his redeployment to was at a company where I suspected he would be getting extra allowance. My immediate and spontaneous response was 'denial'. I knew he wanted a redeployment for another because of the extra allowance, but helping such a person would mean taking the chance of another person who should have benefited from such a deployment. What then would make me different from leaders who use influence and affluence to unjustly acquire positions or possessions? That incident was the last conversation I had with my mom's nephew since last year.
KINDNESS IS A CHAIN
Kindness can surely be repaid with evil, but that should not deter us from being kind. We must be sensitive to individuals that want to exploit and perhaps feed on our weakness of kindness. Kindness should be random and without expecting returns. Fate has a way of repaying us for the good we do for humanity.
Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.
You did good by helping that police officer with paper work, a lot of blessings for you. and you are right, there are people in this world, who can take benefit of your kindness, you need to make sure to stay away from these people.
Thank you very much for your kind words
Some people can be really humble enough to assist anyone not minding the race, language or tribe, that barrister is really one of a kind and such people can go extra length for anyone, I just hope that people don't misuse and take him for granted stopping down so low to assist others.
I hope so too. Thank you for your kind comment