LIFE IS NOT A BED OF ROSES

Chapter Two_From Frying Pan to Fire

Such is life, Chief Dan was not happy on his son's performance in class. As time goes on, Godwin decided to tune a new leaf.

One certain Sunday afternoon, after Chief Dan had finished taken his lunch, he decides to rest a little bit before going out that day, as he was resting he had a phone call. He first ignored the call but his wife Rose urged him to answer his call.

"My love please pick the call, it may be a customer calling" she pleaded.

"this hot afternoon, who is disturbing me this afternoon, who?" he murmured.

"Hello am I speaking with Chief Dan the owner of " DAN'S ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES " am calling from New Abuja road, Alaba" the voice of an unknown caller.

"Yes am Chief Dan, am the owner of the company you just mentioned, who are you and why do you call" he said standing up.

" Please sir no need of all this question, just rush to New Abuja road, their is a serious fire out break and...." Chief Dan immediately cuts the call, rushed out of his bed, dressed up himself, picked up his car keys and vanished to the market.

"Babe what happened, take it easy please" Rose said as she runs after her husband who had already zoomed off with his car to the market. By the time he approached to New Abuja road, he saw people crying and lamenting especially those who were settled recently by their masters couldn't control their emotions, as they cried uncontrollably, some of the elderly men endured it.

The luckier ones were still running from pillar to post making various calls to fire

fighters to come to their rescue, Chief Dan ran towards the end of New Abuja road, he saw hell, the road was burning at it's peck, the conflagration could no longer be stopped by the fire men. Chief Dan cried like a baby that day, it was like the end of the world to him, all his goods were burnt to ashes. He nearly fainted as people poured cold water on him in other to recover consciousness.

The main reason that caused the fire out break was as a result of gas explosion that took place earlier that day. Before the state fire fighters responded to calls, no singular item was recovered .The affected traders tried to find solace with the state government, but as we all know the type of government we have in Nigeria, making empty promises without fulfillment or consolation .

The worse part of it was that Chief Dan's goods that were unloaded and packed in the ware house that week were burnt to ashes, he really spent a lot of money on the goods.

Chief Dan lost all his fortune, his ware house was located in the New Abuja road, where the incident took place, all his goods were no longer recognized. It was indeed a great lost and what baffled him most was that he had made plane to quit importation business. It was simply because of the recent boom in their business that made him think of doing the last importation before he moves to manufacturing business.

What a pity, all his efforts have gone down the drain. He has to start afresh, "FROM FRYING PAN TO FIRE". He didn't know where to start again, he was full of grief and out of despair and regrets, he almost fell sick as a result of anxiety and thinking.

Rose's business was affected too because, her husband often support her business with money, so that her business can grow. Every thing was like a dream to her, she couldn't believe her ears when her husband explained to her what happened, it was so terrible. Some of her workers left the business due to late payment of salaries, two months later the business collapes and went down, Rose was no more herself again when she heard that all her workers had resigned, and when she also heard that her business had collaped, she fainted immediately and was rushed to the nearest hospital after the docter had tried to resuscitate her. Godwin was just speechless, he was so frustrated and confused.

Chief Dan's next step was to relocate to the village, everything started afresh but the beginning was really difficult adapting to village life was very difficult especially for his son who was born with silver spoon in his mouth,now have to eat from hand to mouth.

Those people that were close to Chief Dan when he was wealthy started to distance themselves from him . Even some of the people he helped when things were going well with him mocked and laughed at him and his family.

Whenever he attends village meetings, he wouldn't be allowed to talk untill some of the elders will then tell him to speak.

One day, a meeting was held in one the elder's compound, they want to discuss on an issue concerning a land they want to sell in other to build a house for the downtrodden in the village. Chief Dan being one the elders attended the meeting knowing fully well that he will recieve insults from some the elders because of his condition.

"Good day my fellow elders of Umuoma kingdom, I called this meeting, so that we as the elders of this village can delibrate on this issue concerning the land we are about to sell, we all know the reason of selling the land, so all hands should be on deck concerning this matter, thank you so much" Cheif Lawson, the elderest in the meeting raised the dust of the matter.

"Thank you so much Chief Lawson, am not in support of selling this land, because of so much benefit we get from the land, I know that the less privileged needs our help, but not to the extent of selling the only land we have in this kingdom, I suggest we should buy land from one of us here rather than selling our land.....thank you so much" Chief Ben, one of the elders, suggestd.

"Thank you so much Cheif Ben, You have spoken well, any contribution from any body" Chief Lawson asked

Cheif Dan stood up to speak, but some of the elders scolded at him to sit down.

" Hey, Chief Dan or whatever you call your self, you have no right to speak untill we give you the order, okay, wait for the rich men to speak first before allowing any pauper in our mist, do you here me... poor man" Cheif Ben one of the elders scolded at him to sit down. Cheif Dan sat down sorrowfully and was full of disgrace.

"Ah ah Chief Ben take it easy on him, nobody knows tommorow, please stop all this mockery please" Chief Godson retorted as he was feeling very sorry for Chief Dan.

"Chief Godson, mind your business, what's wrong with you, if not for this meeting, I would have taught you a lesson you will never forget in you life..... good samaritan" Chief Ben warned him as he was pointing a warning finger at him. Chief Godson kept quit because he knew Chief Ben as someone that intimidates people, especially people that has financial difficulties.

Chief Ben was so embittered about what happened to him at the meeting, he was short of words as he couldn't do any thing at that very moment. The meeting came to close as they concluded not to sell the land. They all went to their various houses discussing in group of two's and three's concerning what happened in the meeting.

On their way home, Chief Godson met Chief Dan to apologise on behalf of Cheif Ben.

" Chief please, take heart okay, don't mind all those wicked souls that insulted you in the meeting, especially, Chief Ben who thinks he is weathy than any other person in this village, please, find a place in your heart to forgive them okay......"

"Chief you are such a nice person, can You imagine poor Chief Ben of yesterday insulting and calling me names because of my condition, it was this same Chief Ben I helped financially and even gave him huge some of money to start up a business, now things are now going well with him, he thinks he can intimidate me, he has now grow wings to the extent of calling me a pauper..." Chief Dan laments as hot tears dropped down his cheecks. Chief Godson consoled him and assured him that God will surely bless him oneday and also judge the wicked.Honestly, Chief Dan forgave any body that insulted him especially Chief Ben whom he hleped financaily.

Chief Dan went home that day being so sorrowful.

"That I Chief Dan is down today due to condition of life, does not mean I will be down forever because the God I serve is a God of impossibilities. As my enemies laugh at me, because I have business set back, I must surely laugh last" he assures himself sobbly.

When he arrived home, his wife noticed that he was in pain and she cheered him up, she talked at lenght and reminded him of the dangers of grief and its evil consequences on peoples health. She told him that she does not want to be a young widow that she wants to face the challenges ahead and be optimistic.

Chief Dan was in a state of disillusionment, he was no more himself that moment because he never expected that to happen to him and his family despite the fact that he is prayerful in life. Godwin his son heard every thing that happened to his dad in the meeting and was very sorry for his Dad.