BUT FOR THE NAME: A SHORT STORY
He has been an honest, dedicated, and purposeful man right from his entry into this world. He believes in struggle and never relents to pursue it with determination to achieve whatever objective he sets for himself. As a matter of fact, Dave’s life has been an embodiment of model living. Going through rough and harsh training in the hands of relatives, the bitter side of his life was aggravated at the tender age of five and a half when he lost his father. He had completely lost everything in life, so people saw him at that time.
However, Dave did utilize this rather unfortunate situation that plagued his life by making more aggressive determination to achieve the best life has to offer. He shunned the neglect by his close relations, focused more on his development, and found solace in the philosophy of self-struggle. Making it through a primary education amidst the hardship of life, he eventually secured a one-person scholarship from a village member who has been impressed by the strong determination put up by Dave.
The wealthy cocoa farmer ( at least by village standard) volunteered to sponsor him through secondary education, and he kept his word. Towards the end of his Secondary school education, yet another bad luck struck. The farmer went bankrupt, and he could no longer afford to sponsor Dave’s education as he had pledged. In his typical characteristics, Dave summoned up courage and saw himself through the remaining part of the program.
The period he came out, things were still averagely okay. It took him no long time before he became secured in one of the ministries. He was making it well and had no single query or verbal warning, much to his credit throughout his time there. He was diligent, dedicated, and fully committed to justifying his pay package. Before he could make a career of the job, the ax started falling. As the saying goes, ‘many heads roll by the shrine, but the innocents outnumbered.’ The ax fell on Innocent Dave. He was retrenched.
Instead of complaining like others, Dave took up the challenge. He held on to the belief that so long you have not achieved your objective, you should keep on pressing the button. That was how he made up his mind to go into Agriculture, and he became a cassava farmer. Based on his education and accumulated experience in the office, Dave had no problem with this plan. The land was fertile, the plant was getting all of its nutrients, and a bountiful harvest was expected. However, the reverse was the case as days to the harvest; disaster struck again. The whole farm output was below expectation. The rain refused to fall, pests showed no mercy for the hard labor, and the whole effort went in shambles.
At this point, Dave concluded that it is only in death that luck can shine on him. For how one explains all the negative phenomena that have be-clouded his existence. He was determined to stow away from the frustrating existence. Dave still would not want to cause disaffection by his death; hence he does not find real resolution in committing suicide. How would he go about it?
Should he join a group of armed robbers and make careless and commit heinous crimes, at least to hasten his ostracization, or which other alternative would guarantee his quick demise without any disaffection caused? Still contemplating on how to end his life, a message came to him “Do you also value your name apart from not wanting to cause disaffection from your death?” Value a name! He asked himself, what is in the name of a frustrated man? He further echoed, ‘even if I have value for my name, what has that got to do with my present predicament? Will valuing my name solve my problem?” As all these questions go on in his mind, he asked unconsciously as well “ will my death compensate for my struggle over the years? Even if I should die now, can’t I still make another try and see what the result will be?” Then and there, he resolved to make another trial.
He did, but the result was far from being better. Dave thought to himself again what he should do. He has remained unfortunate despite his struggle and self-discipline; he detests suicide to avoid causing disaffection to others and also not to rob others of their fortune, if only for the sake of his name.
What should Dave do?
©TheVillageBoy