A popular social media influencer, Kelvin Armstrong, popularly known as Kaa shared a disappointing encounter he had with a local vulcanizer.
Kaa who’s known for his generous approach in compensating workers, expressed his dismay after an incident at a local vulcanizer.
He who often pays artisans more than their asking price, shared his disappointment as he visited a vulcanizer to correct his car tire pressure.
When he stopped by a vulcanizer to correct his car tire pressure, he watched the old man and a little boy he believed to be his son as they struggled to kickstart their pumping engine. He decided to find out from the father why the boy didn’t go to school and also give them some extra money to make their day.
However, when he asked the man how much he charged, the man replied with N1,500. Kaa thought it was too much and questioned the price, but the man muted in TV language, that Kaa’s father probably used stolen money to buy the car.
Kaa understood the TIV language and was disappointed by the man’s words. He paid the man (N1,500) and drove off.
Kaa Writes;
I have always loved paying artisans more than they ask for whenever they work for me.
I do not engage in unnecessary negotiations with them, not because I like being cheated but because I feel it’s humane to support them, especially for the sake of their families.
If I could pay 50k for a plate of pasta in an exotic restaurant in Abuja here without complaining, why should I price down a plumber to fix my toilet drainage or the market woman that hawks bananas?
This has always been my lifestyle. For the short and long time Chief Echofe and Ogbaga Ogba Immanuel have known me, they can both attest to this.
So, two days ago I stopped by a vulcanizer to correct my car tire pressure. I watched the old man and a little boy I believed to be his son as they struggled to kickstart their pumping engine.
While they struggled, lots of questions came to my mind.
Are they even able to properly feed?
Does the boy even go to school?I decided I was going to find out from the father why the boy didn’t go to school and also give them some extra money to make their day.
When they finally started the engine and added air to one of the tires, it was time for me to put a smile on their faces as I had hoped to do.
But what happened next changed all of that.
Me: How much do you charge, sir?
Man: Oga na N1,500.
Me: N1,500 to pump one tire? Is that not too much?
Man: Oga na how much I dey charge be that.
He said that and turned to his son and muttered some words in TIV language that literally translate thus:
“He’s talking as if the money his father used to buy this car is not stolen money.”
He didn’t know I speak and understand the TIV language very well, having spent six years in Zaki-Biam in Benue State.
I shook my head, kept my cool, handed N1,500 to him, and drove off.
If only he knew what he just missed he would learn how to treat people better and not see everyone that has more money than him as a thie7. or a child of a thie7.
Most times, our impatience, greed, and unguided words are the witches and wizards we should be praying against.
