FADE IN.
EXT. ON THE
STREET – AFTERNOON
Richard walks about
aimlessly.
He is oblivious of
his surroundings.
RICHARD (V.O)
I have to find something to do to
ward off boredom. No job everywhere
I go. I have to earn a living no
matter how little. Lead a life of my
own away from my parents. It has
been two years out of the university
and I have nothing to show for it,
except insults from Daddy.
INT. RICHARD’S
RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
FLASHBACK
Richard sits on the
dining table eating. His father walks in. He greets his father. His father
watches him for while as he eats and then starts to speak.
DR ADEBAYO
Richard, so you mean the money spent
on your education will go down the
drain, your mates are out there
making money, building a future, but
you! What do you do? Eat and laze
away all day.
BACK TO PRESENT
Richard still walks
about.
RICHARD (V.O)
I
have written many applications to
no avail. Even Daddy with all his
connections is not willing to help
me procure a job. Which kind of
British orientation is that?
Getting a job without connections is
like looking for a pin in a haystack.
How I wish I had learnt some sort of
Vocational skill, by now I would have
been doing something on my own.
How can I set up an Accounting Firm,
or any form of business without cash,
and lots of it. If not for Mummy
how will I the clothes I put on and
meet up with personal needs.
EXT. SUPERMARKET
- PARKING LOT – AFTERNOON
An elderly man comes
out of a supermarket.
He enters his
vehicle and reverses.
Richard walks behind
the vehicle absentmindedly.
The vehicle slightly
rams into him and he falls.
The driver of the
vehicle quickly gets down.
Passers by start to gather
around.
MR DANIEL
(Frantically)
He is breathing, let us take him to
the hospital.
Richard opens his
eyes and sees different faces hovering and staring at him. He moves his legs. He
sits up.
MR DANIEL
Are you all right?
RICHARD
I think so.
MR DANIEL
Let me get you to a hospital for
further checks.
RICHARD
That
will not be necessary.
MR DANIEL
Are
you sure?
Richard nods his
response.
The little crowd
starts to disperse.
Richard finally
stands up.
He is left alone
with the elderly man.
MR DANIEL
I
am very sorry son; I did not see
you as I reversed.
The man puts his
hand in his pocket and brings out some money.
He offers it to Richard.
Richard refuses the money.
Richard insists he
is alright and politely refuses the money. The man gives Richard a
complimentary card which he accepts.
MR DANIEL
Can I give you a lift?
RICHARD
No
sir. I was on a stroll.
MR DANIEL
A
stroll?
The man looks up.
MR DANIEL
It is a sunny afternoon. “My young man…”
RICHARD
(Interrupts)
Actually, sir. I had no destination
in mind. I was, em!
The man brings out
the money again to give Richard and he still refuses to collect it.
MR DANIEL
Son. Can I ask you something?
RICHARD
Yes sir.
MR
DANIEL
Is something wrong?
RICHARD
How do you mean sir?
MR
DANIEL
You claim to be on a stroll this hot
afternoon, you refuse an my money
after being hit and you have nowhere
in particular to go.
RICHARD
Sir, can we discus this at a more
convenient time?
MR
DANIEL
All right son. You have my card. Feel
free to call on me anytime.
The man gets into
his vehicle. He carefully checks his rear view mirror before reversing and
driving off.
Richard scrutinizes
the complimentary card after the man leaves.
EXT. ON THE
STREET – MORNING
Richard stands to
rest at a bus stop.
He looks around him.
He suddenly reaches
for his wallet and brings out a complimentary card and reads it.
He looks at the
complimentary card, walks on as he looks at both sides of the road.
He stops in front of
a building, looks at the card in his hand and walks in.
INT. OFFICE
BUILDING – MORNING
Richard enters the building
and walks in to a beautifully furnished reception hall. He approaches the woman
behind the desk and asks for Chief Femi Daniel.
She takes a firm
look at Richard and then questions him. She then dials the intercom and speaks
into it
Short pause.
RECEPTIONIST
(Points at a door)
You
may go in.
Richard enters the
door she points for him
MR DANIEL
Ah!
My son, how are you today? Just
yesterday, I thought about you.
You did not call to allay my fears
about your condition and I had no
means of contacting you. Anyway, now
you are here, I hope you had no
problems afterwards.
RICHARD
None whatsoever sir.
MR
DANIEL
Well, that is good news. So what
brings you to my office today?
Hesitates briefly.
RICHARD
(Frankly)
A job.
MR
DANIEL
Hmm!
that is being direct.
RICHARD
Yes, a job sir, and I need it
desperately.
MR
DANIEL
Everyone needs something to do, but
you know jobs are hard to come by
these days, with the bad economy in
the country and all.
RICHARD
Sir, my case is different.
MR
DANIEL
Son, everyone has a different story
to tell.
Richard
painstakingly explains his situation to Mr. Daniel.
Mr. Daniel keeps
silent for a while.
MR DANIEL
As I said son, your situation is not
out of the ordinary. In my fifty-five
years on earth, I have encountered
many things and this is little, but
we shall do some thing about it.
Right now, I have no vacancies,
maybe in the next few weeks
something might come up.
RICHARD
Sir, that is another few weeks of
anguish for me. Sir, if you do not
have something for me, may be a
friend of yours might. I will do
anything to keep me occupied now.
Sir, maybe a driver, messenger or
anything to get me out of the house
and keep me busy, until I can get
something better to do.
MR DANIEL
You
are an educated young man from a
decent and well to do family pleading
to be engaged in a menial capacity.
That is preposterous.
RICHARD
To you sir it is, but to me, right
now I need it, and that is the
favor I need from you sir.
MR
DANIEL
How
about I speak to your dad on
your behalf.
RICHARD
No. I don’t want him to know a thing
about my plans. He has educated me
and that is the best he believes he
can do for me.
Silence.
MR DANIEL
Richard, we shall do it like this.
I used to have a personal driver,
but he left back for his village and
I have not got another yet…
RICHARD
(Interjects
eagerly)
I can replace him.
MR DANIEL
(Calmly)
Allow me to finish young man.
RICHARD
I
am sorry sir.
MR DANIEL
As
I was saying, it is not my wish
to
employ you as my driver, but you
give
me no option. I will not regard
you
as a driver but an aide. When
something
better comes up you will
switch
places. Is that all right
with
you?
RICHARD
Fine,
sir. God bless you. Sir, I am
a driver and I want to be referred
as one while under your employment.
MR
DANIEL
It is all right if that is what you
want Richard.
RICHARD
Yes sir, and one more thing sir.
MR
DANIEL
What
is that Richard?
RICHARD
I want my family details kept secret
sir.
MR
DANIEL
Why! If I may ask?
RICHARD
Because, I will be the subject of so
much rumors, I would not be able to
stand this environment more than I
could my house. Secondly, I would be
bombarded with so many questions,
I will spend so much time answering
and barely have the time to focus on
driving you; for that I would prefer
if only you and I alone know sir.
MR
DANIEL
That is all right by me.
RICHARD
Thank you, Sir. When do I start?
MR
DANIEL
As soon as you can. Do you have a
valid driver’s license?
RICHARD
Yes, I do sir, and if you do not mind,
I will like to start now sir.
MR DANIEL
Now?
RICHARD
That is if it is all right with you.
MR
DANIEL
I am amazed. If you so wish Richard.
RICHARD
I
will be at the reception if you
need me sir.
Richard turns to
walk away.
MR DANIEL
Richard,
we have not discussed your
remuneration.
RICHARD
Sorry Sir, it is just that I am glad
to be doing something for now.
MR
DANIEL
I
will formally introduce you to
other staff members tomorrow. Feel
free Mr. Accountant turns driver.
Richard and Mr. Daniel
laugh.
Richard walks out of
the office.
RECEPTION
Richard comes out
smiling.
He walks up to the
receptionist and thanks her.
He sits alone hardly
uttering a word.
Richards continues
to sit and look around.
The receptionist
occasionally glances at him.
His silence and
composure overwhelms her.
BOLA
Are
you still waiting for Mr. Daniel?
RICHARD
Yes,
until he closes. I will then
take him home.
(Pause)
Today, tomorrow and for as long as
I work here.
BOLA
That is a new one on me Mr. Adebayo.
Richard stands up
and walks over to her desk.
RICHARD
I am Mr. Richard Adebayo; current
driver to the Chief Executive Officer
of this organization and you must be…,
Richard pauses.
BOLA
Stop the joke, you look too refined
to be a driver.
RICHARD
How is that, Miss or is it Mrs.?
BOLA
Miss Bola Akinade.
RICHARD
All right Miss Akinade, how does a
driver look like? are there special
identification for them, like facial
marks, body spots or whatever to
identify a driver, except probably
an identification card or a uniform?
BOLA
You sure do not speak like one as
well; you seem too cultured to be one,
and please just Bola would be fine.
RICHARD
Let me also remind you Bola that I
have come across many University
graduates who cannot construct
sentences correctly, their spoken
English is appalling. All the same
Miss Bola, get used to my face.
I am your boss’s new driver; you
can confirm from him to satisfy
your curiosity.
BOLA
If you really are, Mr. Adebayo…
RICHARD
Just Richard would be fine.
BOLA
All
right, if you really are, then
something certainly is wrong and
requires rectification, because you
certainly do not look like one that
belongs in that category.
RICHARD
Thank you very much for your
accolade and status elevation.
They continue their
conversation when Mr. Daniel comes out of his office.
MR DANIEL
(To Richard)
I can see you are already getting
acquainted.
RICHARD
Yes sir.
MR
DANIEL
Bola, I will be retiring early today.
Please tell the manager to keep me
informed of what transpired at the
Port when he gets back.
BOLA
All
right sir.
MR DANIEL
Son,
I know you must be starving,
Let us go and have lunch and then
you take me home.
Bola moves closer to
Richard and speaks into his ear.
BOLA
(Whispers)
Driver
indeed.
RICHARD
You will soon find out.
Richard collects Mr.
Daniels briefcase from him and they both walk out of the office.
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