Tenant Tales: First-Class Problems
After graduating with flying colours as the only first-class student in his set, Lanre finally got a job three years after a long job search at a new firm based in Epe. Unable to stay at his father’s house in Agbara, he had to move in with Gbenga, his cousin, who has a wife and two kids at Ibeju. Now, several issues are popping up from all corners.
She treats me like a servant
Getting a job has been tough, and after three years of‘wakabout’, I finally got this one. As a first-class graduate, I never guessed it would be this hard in the real world. Now that my job location is in the far-out Epe town (I still wonder how a company like this would be sited there), I can’t possibly stay in my father’s six-bedroom duplex in Agbara, so I opted for my mum’s suggestion to go stay with Bro. Gbenga, my first cousin, at Ibeju, a town closer to Epe. I naturally don’t like staying with other people because I like doing things my way and hate being monitored. But as the case is, my cousin’s two-bedroom flat had to be enough for me to manage for now while I try to find my feet. My cousin’s wife, Kemi, must have been irritated by my intrusion into their home since I had to share the kids’ room.
I see how she looks at me these days, and I’ve only spent three months. I don’t know why she always expects me to do things she should handle herself. At least, I do my bit. I wash my plates after eating, sweep the room when I’m not too tired, and play with the kids when I can. I’ve not really had much time recently as I have to prepare for my ICAN, which will boost my chances of raising my paltry earnings to the next level. I still don’t understand what her problem is. Does she not know that I have my problems to deal with? Now, she reports me to my cousin whenever she has issues that are getting frequent. I’m getting tired of all these. She complains that I don’t help to take care of the kids or don’t do some house chores, just about everything, and I know I do my best. If she needed help so badly, why not get a housemaid? I mean, I’m not here to serve her! She’s just mad I came into their home, and I think I should just move out somewhere else.
He just doesn’t want to do anything in the house
Since my husband’s cousin came around, he has been very lazy. Ok, I don’t really have anything against him, and he is actually one of my favourite members of his family. We even went to his convocation, and I was so proud of him, but now staying with in the same house has brought this other side of him that I didn’t know. I understand that he works and he could get tired sometimes, but that doesn’t make an excuse for some of his attitude. He acts like he has his personal space in the house when I expect him actually to act like family. He is a first-class student and a deserving one at that, but it doesn’t even rub off on the kids. At least, I expect he’d help attend to their homework and probably give them some tutorials, but he hardly ever has time for them. He should be able to assist with taking care of the kids sometimes by just bathing them and washing some of their clothes with his. My husband works on the Island, which means he leaves very early and gets back very late, so I expect Lanre to help with some of the ‘man issues’ in the house, but he’d just come back and go into his room only to come out when dinner’s ready, eat, wash his own plates and he’s back in the room. I’m not trying to stress him, but if he wants to keep staying here, he has to be more of a family than a stranger in the house. I can’t tolerate such an apathetic attitude to issues at home. He is living with real people, and he has to be a real member of the house. That is all I ask.
Gbenga, Lanre’s cousin, is at a loss on how to handle issues between his wife and his cousin. They’ve both shared their thoughts and now he needs advice on what the next step should be. Send an email to editor@castles.com.ng
Pingback: Tenant Tales: My landlord has ice water in his veins » Castles Lifestyle
Pingback: Tenant Tales: Lagos Life: Should adult children pay ‘rent’ to their parents? » Castles Lifestyle