Sly

I worked with this guy once 
A very sly and cunning guy 
One of those who got the job 
based on who they know and 
kept his job by snitching and 
playing a loyal servant to the 
boss! 
He was attached to a good boss 
I was attached to a wicked boss 
For three years, I was put through
Hell by my boss 
He would laugh and say "Sorry" 
Still he would snitch to my boss 
and tell him all sorts of stories 
My boss at the time liked him 
He rewarded him for stitching 
Sometimes paying his house rent 
or giving him personal financial 
aid and support 
All to keep him loyal
Suddenly the season changed 
He was given another boss 
I was also given another boss 
His boss was the heady one this time 
My boss was the liberal one 
My boss told me to pursue my dreams 
He encouraged me to chase the stars 
He said "I might be transferred 
tomorrow, by that time I want you 
flying so high that you wouldn't 
need this job again! 
Wow! 
I took his counsel and I started my 
own things 
Pursued my own vision 
The other guy saw changes 
My crab was finding its way out of 
the bucket he couldn't stand it 
He started snitching about me and 
my boss to his boss!
"His boss is not putting him to work 
He is just earning salary" He whispered
His boss was superior to mine 
So his boss called mine and told him 
he should sack me if he didn't need 
an assistant 
He said it is unwise to employ a young man
 and keep such idle 
My boss came to my office and told me
all that transpired!
My boss said "If you waste this opportunity, 
you will never get it again! '
Upgrade yourself Do better!!
Soar! 
By the time I am leaving this place,
 I want you flying! 
I had an opportunity like this and misused it 
Learn from me!" 
I said yes sir and I ran 
I built and grew 
I had speed
Sometimes I won't be in the office 
for days 
Sometimes I will be in the office 
doing my thing 
Within four months, the abstract 
started becoming real 
Results were rolling in 
Consulting works came in 
Later, in trickles, money started 
flowing 
It wasn't so much at first 
But it flowed
Soon it flowed in a way that it 
couldn't be hidden 
I was still at the office 
Other staff members would come 
seeking financial support 
Nothing elaborate 
A few thousand here 
A few thousand there 
Stand surety for me 
Be my guarantor 
The sun was rising after the dawn 
Rising fast!
This guy noticed and spoke to his boss
"He is now using office resources 
for his own thing 
He has built a strong foundation 
and is about putting in the main building 
I have seen what he is doing 
Let us adopt it into the company 
Let us make it our thing 
His boss heard and called
I heard you are doing your thing 
on the company's time 
I want to see how we can adapt it 
to benefit the company 
I said No 
What I built would die without me
It would one day have a life of its own 
But at the stage it was, I was its lifeblood 
So I would do it on my time 
And do my job too
There was no reason to sack me 
My boss was not complaining 
So I was let off 
But he wouldn't stop 
Eventually, I got a letter 
His boss decided to swap our offices 
I would work with his boss 
He would work with my boss 
His snitching exploits finally 
led the boss to switch our offices
But he was a small-minded person 
He saw it as a demotion 
Working for the assistant boss 
Instead of the boss 
He went with his wife and children 
to the boss's house 
He went to prostrate and beg 
He didn't see the opportunity 
He dug a pit and didn't want to 
fall into it '
I didn't mind
His boss says he would think about it 
On the day we were supposed 
to resume in our respective new offices 
He arrived before me and was seated 
on my seat 
When I got to his own former office, 
it was locked
 I asked him where the key was 
He said "The letter didnt say he 
should release the key to me"
I didn't mind 
I sat in the reception 
His boss arrived 
I didn't leave the reception 
His boss called the admin manager 
Why didn't so and so resume here as told 
Admin manager called me 
I told him in wasn't given access
 to the office 
By this time some of his boss's 
friends have arrived 
He followed them upstairs 
They all went to beg his boss 
His boss sent for me 
He said "I have reversed the letter of 
redeployment, you can now go back 
to your office! 
My assistant is coming back upstairs!" 
I smiled! 
I said "I came with my letter of 
resignation sir"
He said "What" 
I smiled 
I was ready I had been given 
almost two years to build my dream 
I was set to take off! 
Coincidentally, I had bought a new car 
I just brought to the office that day 
I invited his boss and the other staff 
to come and see it 
They saw it and were like "Oh my God'
I did a month with them after dropping 
my letter 
He couldn't look me in the eye 
throughout 
Other staff members flocked around 
They could see a rising star and 
wanted to read their palms in its light 
He couldn't find his peace 
He took his annual leave 
I was gone before he resumed
Three months later 
His rent was due 
He had no information to give 
his boss for favours 
He called me 
He complained about his boss 
"The man was a slave driver 
The man said he was not computer literate 
The man was hell-bent on getting 
rid of him 
He needed a loan 
He needed counsel
I gave him the loan 
I told him to find a way to work 
with my ex-boss 
The man helped me a lot 
I was sure the man would help him too 
He said "People would say he was 
demoted" 
I didn't say anything 
I told him the loan was a gift 
He called crying a month later 
He needed another loan
I told him the enemy of young businesses 
in Africa is a bad loan from friends and family 
I cannot afford to give him a loan 
And I can not dash him money 
It would be wise if he would just 
leave me be for now 
My ex-boss called me today! 
He told me he had been transferred 
And the guy sacked!