Please wear my shoes first....

You know something?

Sometimes, its always good to take time out and see life through other people's eyes.

Part of my job entails disciplining staff who run foul of company policies, so at different times this month,i had summoned two ladies who work as cashiers in our shops to see me. Prior to them coming to my office, i'd never met either of them before.

The first one, Bolu*, had been popping up late to work for sometime, and i was really pissed off. Getting to the office on the appointed day, i was informed that she was waiting to see me. It was bound to be a busy day for me, so i let her stew outside for a bit while i caught up on some other stuff.

I get them to send her in later and she comes in looking scared. My first thought was "How old is this one sef?"She looks very young and vulnerable and nothing at all like the defiant rebel i had pictured in my mind.
I sit her down and give her the third degree. I finally relent and in my usual fashion, start counseling her on how to ensure she gets it all together. When i'm through, i see her head bowed ask her if she understands what i've told her about coming to work late.

She nods and raises her head. i can see tears pooling in her eyes and i ask her what's wrong. She then proceeds to tell me all she's been going through and why she's been coming late. Turns out her dad is late, her mom doesn't have a job, she is the first of six children, her younger siblings are out of school, they are currently squatting with a family friend somewhere on the mainland, she is squatting with a friend of hers on the island here in order to get to her office on time and in addition to the job with us, she's doubling as an usher at events to make ends meet because she's the breadwinner for the entire family.

This girl in front of me cannot be more than seventeen years old.

The second one, Kafayat* was brought to my office one evening with her offence listed as being insubordinate to her region manager. After chastising her and making sure she understands the consequences of her actions, i switch to good cop and counsel her a bit. To my surprise, tears start streaming down her face when i start asking her of her future plans. She informs me that she just came back from taking the post UTME exam into University of Ilorin and she's just been accepted into the school to study mass communication.

It's obvious she's crying because she thought nobody cares enough to ask about her future plans.

Hmmmm.....Sometimes, it's actually worth it to take time out and make other people realize that they matter and that what happens to them is of concern to others.

As Ellen always ends, please be kind to each other.

* Not real names.