America Wonder -The Beginning Part 4

This the continuation from Yesterday's Part three....Na wah

On the night I moved out from my uncle's house, my baby and I slept on the floor but we had a very peaceful sleep. Ababio took me to shops that sell cheap where I bought mattress and cooking utensils. He bought food items for me, so I could save money since I had no job then. 

Thank God for American apartments that are pre-equipped with gas cooker, refrigerator, dishwasher(the only decoration in the kitchen) and microwave. My flatmates were a very young and neat Yoruba couple. We lived happily.


Paradise needs continuity. I intensified my job search. Within a week, I met one Indian man who offered me a job as a cashier. He said he wanted someone with experience. I told him I was a cashier at Mr Biggs. He was like, where? It was a slip of the tongue lie but it got me the job. Most cashiers in America stand. Mine required me to stand for eight hours.


The following day, I was introduced to my senior colleague, a Guyanese. She asked me my age. I said 32. She said, "you are much older than me. I am 19". I replied, " good for you, baby". An hour later, she told me to arrange goods scattered by customers. All those customers that pick something in one aisle and drop it in another aisle as if na relay race take time o. I was tired due to the standing committee. I said, " baby, I thought I told you my age. Why are you sending me on these kind of errands. Please, I am tired". She replied, " if only age will get the job done". African mentality won't kill someone. I respected my old age and carried out her instructions.


It was my first job ever as a cashier. I was not very fast. Customers would ask for a product, I would ask another cashier for the aisle. Other times, I wouldn't even know what they were talking about.


One guy asked me for one ChapStick. I thought he meant chopsticks. I replied," please sir, this is not a Chinese restaurant. We don't have chopsticks ". He smiled and pointed out what he wanted behind the counter. It was then I realised ChapStick was Lip Balm. Other times when there was no one to assist me, I would tell the customer we were out of stock.

On the fifth day, the owner of the store fired me. He said the Indian man liked me and hired me, not because there was vacancy. My inexperience didn't help matter. I moved on.

I went to the shop next door where female clothings were sold.

Me to Manager: " Good day Sir. I am here to resume work".

He laughed and told me they didn't advertise any vacancy. I told him to hire me because I had a daughter to take care of and I was willing to work hard. He gave me job application forms. When I went to return the forms, I didn't meet him. I still don't know if the lady I met gave him my form or if she used them to wrap roasted corn.

Chinyere was ready to go back to Nigeria. She suggested she brought the baby back to Nigeria, so I could focus. It was a good idea because the baby could always come back anytime. I asked her what I could do in appreciation. She said two things. She wanted me to pick up her last paycheck. Secondly, she wanted me to take her out to dinner at Chinese All-You-Can-Eat buffet. No big deal. I agreed.

She arrived earlier for dinner. When I came in, I met her with two men and two women at the table. She introduced one pot bellied obese man called Sam as my uncle's close friend. He will be discussed in the next part. Story plenty.

We had dinner and every Israelite went to their tent. Something happened that made Chinyere not to travel with my baby. I was sad because I used my savings to buy a lot of things for her, as baby wey dey go Naija. I also sorted out the air ticket.Wasted efforts, so to say!

Remember that on the day of the great slap, I went with Chinyere to her office in New York for recruitment. The manager said there was no vacancy.

When I went back to get her cheque, the manager was confused. She asked if I wanted a job or to pick up a cheque. I told her that Chinyere was my sister. She exclaimed, " why didn't you tell me?" She spoke on the phone with Chinyere and I was given the cheque. She asked if I still wanted a job. I said yes. I resumed the following day as a cashier. I was trained for two days. I also gained experience from the Indian store. This new place was much bigger and the staff members were multiracial. We had Bengali, Korean, Turkish, Akata American, Mexican, French and Spanish workers. We were only three West Africans (two other guys) but I was the only West African cashier. We had a bakery, restaurant, supermarket, coffee and pastries section and Meat section all in the same complex.



It was a very busy place. Workers were friendly. Managers were fair and firm. The pay and hours were higher than in New Jersey. I was still standing to work but it was fun. I was known as the humorous and ever-smiling cashier. I worked here for four months before I quit honorably.