Barely in his forties, Dickson was a statistician with a promising future, buoyed by the love of his gorgeous wife, Nancy, and their three beautiful daughters.
Just recently, he had achieved the significant milestone of promotion at work, which heralded a season of prosperity and joy.
One morning, as Dickson strode into the office, buoyed by the triumph of his promotion, Alice, the receptionist, summoned him to her desk.
“You have a letter from human resources,” she said, her tone casual yet laced with an undercurrent of importance. The letter, he assumed, would contain further details regarding his promotion.
Excitedly, he took it, but as he approached the door, the facial recognition device faltered. “Not registered,” it declared, an ominous proclamation that would soon herald a storm in his life.
Confused and panicked, Dickson returned to Alice, his heart pounding. “What’s happening? I can't get in,” he implored. Alice, sensing the gravity of the situation, quickly contacted the IT department. Moments later, Nicholas, the company’s IT guru, appeared.
“Haven't you received any communication from HR? They instructed us to delete you from the system,” Nicholas said.
The words struck Dickson like a thunderclap. "That can't be true!" he protested.
Alice, having overheard the exchange, gently urged him to read the letter. With trembling hands, Dickson unfolded the document, his heart racing. The words blurred before his eyes: “This letter serves as formal notification that your employment with Mashurubu Limited has been terminated, effective today.”
The world around him faded into darkness, and he felt as though he were trapped in a nightmare from which he could not awaken.
Nicholas offered a pat on the shoulder, a gesture of empathy that felt hollow against the weight of Dickson’s loss. “These things happen, bro. Take heart.” But how could he?
WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY
The burden of providing for his family loomed large, and the thought of unpaid bills and uncertain futures gnawed at his psyche.
As he descended the staircase from the 10th floor, he felt the weight of the world pressing down on him, a dejected man lost in a whirlwind of emotions.
In a strategic effort to restructure the firm, Mashurubu had made a bold move to lay off some workers.
To Dickson, it felt like a betrayal, a brutal severing of a decade-long loyalty. He’d poured his heart and soul into Mashurubu, climbing the ladder rung by rung.
He felt the familiar sting of tears behind his eyes, a stark contrast to the stoic facade he maintained for his family.
The future, once a clear path, now stretched before him, a vast, uncharted wilderness.
The prospect of sharing his plight with Nancy filled him with dread. Would she see him as less of a man? Would her respect and love wane? These questions haunted him.
Just weeks prior, he had moved his family to a more affluent neighbourhood, transferring his children to a prestigious school that demanded higher tuition fees. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon him.
Ultimately, he chose to fabricate a story. “I've requested a month-long leave,” he told Nancy, deflecting her probing questions. "There’s been an outbreak of Covid at the office."
The lie hung in the air, a fragile veil over the truth, and he quickly retreated to the sanctuary of his computer, feigning productivity while desperately searching for a new job.
Days turned into weeks and the façade began to crumble. Dickson found solace in alcohol, using it to numb the pain of his reality.
His once-trim waistline transformed into a protruding belly, a physical manifestation of his internal turmoil. The vibrant man he once was faded into a shadow of himself, plagued by headaches, blurred vision and chest pain.
SHOCKING DIAGNOSIS
Nancy, a nurse by profession, quickly recognised the symptoms. “You should consider a blood pressure screening," she advised, her concern palpable.
Reluctantly, Dickson accompanied her to a nearby pharmacy, where the results confirmed his fears: stage 1 hypertension.
The pharmacist's voice echoed in his mind as he absorbed the implications of his condition. Urgent medication was prescribed, but the true remedy lay beyond pills.
Determined to help her husband avoid the threat of suffering a heart attack or stroke, Nancy proposed a plan to reclaim his health.
"Aerobic exercises like running, swimming and cycling will help reduce body fat," she explained, emphasising the importance of a healthier lifestyle.
Encouraged by Nancy's unwavering support, Dickson embarked on a journey of transformation. The initial steps were daunting, but as Dickson incorporated sit-ups, crunches and aerobic exercises into his routine, he began to feel a flicker of vitality.
He embraced a healthier diet, cutting out tobacco and alcohol, while focusing on nutritious meals. Slowly, the change took effect.
The once-dejected man began to rediscover the joy of movement, and with it, a renewed sense of purpose. He finally found the courage to confront the truth he had hidden from Nancy.
One evening, as they sat together, he took a deep breath and shared the reality of his job loss. To his surprise, she responded with laughter, a sound that filled the room with warmth.
"You should have told me earlier, Dick," she said, her eyes sparkling with love. "I love you with or without a job."
In that moment, the weight of his secret lifted, replaced by a profound sense of relief.
