THE LITTLE OBEDIENT WALL CLOCK

THAT TALKING CLOCK AGAIN
I was in my room preparing a Sunday school lesson when my younger brother came in. “Good evening brother” he greeted me sweetly.
I looked up from the note at him and nodded a reply at him “what brings you to my room this evening,” I feigned a irritation at his intrusion.
“Brother, this is not about question. It’s...” he paused as his eyes caught the clock on the wall.
“What is that thing doing here, running again?” he was regarding the clock with a murderous look.” I thought you said that the clock is dead,” his eyes shifted to mine.
“Don’t you know about resurrection,” I teased him. “I did an operation on it that brought t back to life.”
“Well it does not matter how it came back to life, I will make sure that we remove it from this room to the sitting room,” he was combatant.
“It will not work,” I told him. “Whatever idea you have with this clock, you better drop it. By the way, what is the big deal you have with this clock? If you need a new clock say so, so that we can make arrangement to buy you another one. By the way, what are you doing in my room at this time? As you can see, I am busy,” I concluded.
“Well, I came to inform you that the interview I went for was successful,” he said jovially, and started a dance around the room.
“Ah! Tony” I jumped to my feet and embraced him. “You naughty little boy, why don’t you say so since, instead of whining over an old wall clock? So, when are you starting?
“That is why I came to meet you, brother,” his tone is serious at the moment. “I am to start next Monday. Just two days from now. And you know brother; I’ll need some change of shirts.”
“What is the nature of job,” I asked. Knowing my brother, I could a feel a little forbearing about the job prospect. He has not said anything about a job interview to any one, Why the sudden job, I mused.
“Well, it’s not much of a big job, just a little teaching job with a non- governmental organization that wants to set up an Adult Educational service and they are paying a little token for volunteers. But I think it is better than sitting at home and searching for a non existing job in the labour market,” he finished off and sat down on the other seat in the room searching my face for approval.
I watched him for a while. How could I explain this to him? I am aware of the existence of the Adult Education service he is referring to.
“Tony,” I stood up and walked to the chair he was sitting. “You never told me that you are interested in a teaching job. I should have taken you in since the project started.”
“What do you mean by taken me in since the job started,” he was perplex and show his irritation.
“Okay, you remember about the project I told you that some people from UNESCO were in the office to talk about school matters with our Director,” I tried to explain to him.
“Yes I remembered,” he said nodding his head. “That was about some three months ago isn’t it? But what has that to do with what I have just told you?”
“That’s what I am trying to explain to you. Just be patience and listen to me. Will you?
“What I did not tell you was how the issue was settled,” I continued. “They were working with the state Government to set up an Adult education programs in the state. They have been to some other states in the country, and have already had the scheme running in those states. The government has agreed to partner with them, and to add it up with their own educational schemes.
“However, the government is also looking for Private /public partnership venture with interested private organization who are interested to initiate a pilot project on adult Literacy Programme. They would use such place to lunch out the programme.
“I therefore met with some interested people who would want to invest their capital on the project. I was able to get one or two investors, and we set up the Hallmark Adult Education Service to complement the government effort. So you see, Tony, I am the Project Coordinator of Hallmark Educational Service.”
I looked at him closely. He was staring at me as if he has seen a ghost. The balls of his eyes were as if they were to jump out from their socket.
“Please, do close your mouth,” I said to him. “Do you want to swallow flies? And you see, we are just in the stage of employing some young graduate volunteers, just like you said. But we have not done any employment yet, not to talk about starting the job in two days time.” I patted him on the back, suppressing a grin.
He stood up deflated of his ego. “But Brother, why don’t you tell me this since and I have to learn it from the grape vine.”
“I appreciate your effort though,” I cajoled him. “At least, you have been very active. But as I said earlier, I never expected that you will be interested in taking up a job that is for volunteers with just peanut allowances for pay.
“Brother, I don’t appreciate the perception you have of me,” he said, getting to his feet. “And now you are insinuating that I am a liar,”
“The thought never occurred to me, but when you put it that way, it’s just too close to call,” I said to him, and went back to my table. “By the way, let’s see what we can do for you about the new shirt at the end of the month. And I think you will stop complaining about my wall clock.”
“Brother!” He came and placed his arms around my back, “You are sure about the shirt?”
“Cross my heart. You know my word is my bond. And since you will take up the volunteers' job, don’t you think you needed to be well kitted.”
“Thank you brother,” he said, clearly elatedly and floated out of the room.

He did not know that I only had to change the battery of the clock to let it start ticking on. I looked at it hanging on the wall, regarding me soberly while obediently, giving me an accurate time schedule about my daily routine.