My experience at Chuk's Accessories is one that can't be forgotten easily. I finished secondary school in 2016, and the thought of keeping myself occupied for a year before writing my university entrance exam crossed my mind. The only option available was Chuk's Accessories.
Mr. Chuks, the owner of Chuk's Accessories, was from my tribe, making the connection easy, and I started working there immediately without submitting any application. However, working under him was nothing short of a nightmare. The tension we encountered on a daily basis was akin to enduring a scorching sun, not just from our boss alone but also from Nora and Johnson.
Chuk's Accessories was a large store with over seven shelves with both old and the latest gadgets and accessories. Bright lights illuminated the displays, and the air was filled with the voices of customers.
Behind the counter, there were three girls and one guy, including myself. Our duty was simple: make the biggest sales possible. Sometimes, Nonye and I had to step outside the shop to attract customers before they ventured into other stores.
Nora seemed to have a special connection with Mr. Chuks, receiving preferential treatment and getting paid earlier than the rest of us. The situation became a cause for concern among Nonye and me, but we kept our worries hidden, fearing the outcome if said out.
One evening after work, Johnson, the most curious and talkative among us, approached our boss. We were left in the dark about their conversation, but we soon noticed a change in Mr. Chuks' attitude towards Johnson.
Nonye, a wise and observant colleague, we both pondered over the sudden favoritism towards Nora and Johnson by our boss. As tensions mounted, we found ourselves caught in the shadows.
One day, a customer came in to buy the latest phone brand. "Someone should check the shelf three and get that phone for me," Mr Chuks said without specifying. Sitting close to the shelf was Johnson, which he was to do that but he sat comfortably expecting any of us to do it even with full knowledge we were attending to customers while Nora had step out as usual with no particular destination in mind.
"The two of you should go and kneel outside the store,” he instructed Nonye and me even with clear knowledge we were busy. The luck we had was that the customers intervened. In the evening, he called us and started asking lots of questions. I kept mute as he already set my teeth on edge.
"I'm sorry sir for what happened today, we were attending to customers and since Johnson was idle and closer to the shelf, we felt he could help," Nonye tried to be nice.
"Did I ask you who was sitting closer to the shelf or where the phone was? Did I say anyone closer to the shelf should get me the phone?"
She shook her head, indicating no. We both wondered why our boss' sudden change of attitude and all the favoritism towards Johnson and Nora was coming from.
The unfair treatment that came from all angles set our teeth on edge. Nora and Johnson's behavior dominated the store, the two acting like the real store owners. Mr. Chuks started acting like he was under them, something that really got Nonye and me curious and pushed her to find the real reason behind it. Nonye, being a very observant person with her years of experience in the business, knew how to catch all of them in the game.
Source
She approached our boss and persuaded him to tell her what was going on but all effort proved abortive. She shifted her interest to Nora and Johnson. One day, our boss traveled to buy a new set of gadgets and the two "bosses" were left to manage the store.
Nora had handed the key to Nonye to come early to open the store. As we walked home together, we made our plans, Nonye came early and opened the store and I joined. We had a small store where extra gadgets are stored. Nonye and I had plans to find out what they had been hiding.
In the small store with a fan and a plastic chair with her phone and cooler of food, sat Nonye comfortably. I was the only person in the big store when Nora walked in at past 10 AM with a serious and unconcerned face. Scanning through the store, she didn't see Nonye.
"Where is Nonye?"
"She handed the key to me as we were heading home yesterday," I replied.
"Did she tell you what her reasons are?"
I responded negatively and she quickly got the keys from the padlock only to notice the duplicate and the small store keys were missing, something she acted unbothered about.
"I will hold you accountable if anything goes missing in this shop. I gave her this key, why did you have to get it from her?"
I gave her the key only for you to return it with some missing. Get ready to learn in a hard way. She went to the small store and tried her best to force it open but to no avail she called our boss who informed her he will be returning the next day and if she doesn't resume office tomorrow, the case would be reported to the police.
The tension intensified when Johnson arrived after 12. He told all forms of lies how he suspected Nonye but didn't want to voice out since he wasn't sure. To escalate matters, I left the store before closing time giving Nora and Johnson time to share their gossip.
As soon as they realized only two of them were in the store, their gossip began. They started gossiping about Mr. Chuks and how they will keep blackmailing him till the last minute. According to Nora she revealed to Johnson why she raises eyebrows for our boss is because he once asked her out and she agreed just for the cash she would be receiving from him. Johnson on the other end revealed to Nora that he overheard our boss lying to his brother that gave him money to build a house for him. Johnson, knowing their family background very well, began using that to blackmail him to report to his brother that he was investing the money in his own business.
We were disappointed at him but we needed to do something. I advised Nonye to call our boss and inform him of everything. She did and the man felt ashamed but thanked Nonye who never judged his actions. We came up with a plan with Mr. Chuks. He returned to town but didn't visit the store, and Nonye and I didn't visit the office either. We met with our boss at his house. A well-furnished one-bedroom apartment. After being entertained with food and chilled drinks, Nonye played the recording she did.
Our boss got discouraged at all he heard and apologized sincerely to us for his unfairness. It was then he told us the truth about him and Nora. According to him he made his intentions open to her for a relationship with her without knowing she was only playing him. Johnson's story was true and he has been using it to blackmail him since he found out.
We encouraged him to call his elder brother and tell him the truth and make arrangements on how to refund him gradually. He did that, although we weren't there to know the results of the whole conversation but he told us they reached an agreement.
On the third day, Nonye and I resumed office and the duo began with their bossy attitudes. When our boss arrived, he called all of us and played the voice recording. But this time, he already obtained the voice recording from Nonye's phone, making it difficult for them to trace the source. It was then they began begging him for pardon.
In the end, Mr. Chuks was able to handle the situation. He retained them but aimed his respect from that day forward. He ended everything he had with Nora, and Johnson had nothing to blackmail him with. The duo never saw us as suspects.
Wondering how Nonye got out of the store, after the day's business, I returned to the store around 7pm and used the duplicate key to enter. That was the only way they couldn't find out. Then, recording, she hid one of her phones in the big store with the recorder on.
Mr. Chuks took back his real position in the store, commanding all of us as he supposed with respect. Nora couldn't bear the shame after our boss cleared the air in the presence of everyone in the shop, she resigned leaving Nonye, Johnson and I. The duo continued working after I left them due to my admission to the university.
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I knew that your boss wouldn't be showing favoritism openly like that if something was not off somewhere.
The truth indeed sets people free, see how your boss got free from Johnson's empty threat after he told his Brother the truth about the funds he gave him to build. Who knows how long he would have remained a slave in his own shop, if he had not opened up to you and Nonye?
He was also wrong to ask his worker out, he made a terrible mistake at that. I am glad it all turned out well in the end.
Omoooo, the experience I had there taught me so much. Business should be strictly business with no strings attached. Those guys rough handled him to the core, thanks for Nonye because she was the mastermind behind the whole actions that led to his freedom.
Why are such situations so common in companies? Fortunately, the blackmailers were exposed and the working atmosphere improved. Regards
This wasn't big enough to be called a company. It was just a mini phone store but it happened.
Yeah, that's what really matters. Greetings dear friend.
I am sure that Mr. Chuks, although probably mortified at first, truly appreciated the relief after the blackmail was exposed and extinguished. I cannot imagine how hard that must have been for him. I hope he learned some lessons from the experience. That took some bravery to set the trap to catch the two deviants. I think it is lovely that the two of you were so compassionate to your boss.
Thank you for sharing a story from your life with The Ink Well. Your piece was nicely balanced with some good dialogue.
Thank you much @inkwell for your nice words. Definitely it was a difficult situation for him, we couldn't read it because we didn't know what was behind his trouble, but I'm glad Nonye and I were able to support him through it. I do appreciate your comment on the dialogue and balance in the story. Once again, I'm grateful for your support and lovely comment.