LamikayTy

In the Market place, banks, work places, churches, on the street and even in Public transport, yes even my famous mode of transportation, the Danfo!

What? Preferential treatment, special or privileged attention.

I walked into one of these NewGee banks today and got a curt reception from a young lady. My offence? I asked her a question and dared to repeat it when I did not hear her response. Her tone when repeating her answer registered ‘Are you deaf?’ and with a wave of the hand dismissed this fly who dared to perch. Customer relations! Sometime back, in the same bank, though another branch, I was trying to open an account and had a customer relationship officer assigned to me. There was a small hitch with the process, and anyway my ‘officer’ had to get up from her chair to help. She kept calling me ‘Madam’ even though we both knew she could be older. I guess bank rules! But I could see through the Madam, it sounded more like ‘Small Girl’ to me.

At this same bank this afternoon, a customer erupted! He had been kept waiting for 3 hours just trying to cash a cheque and no one had bothered to explain. The room he was in was closed so I did not see him. He started off shouting in English but after a few seconds started off in Yoruba (which he was obviously more at home with). When he came out, I knew why. He looked every inch like a mechanic. With a rough tee shirt on jeans, he was not regarded as a ‘Customer’. I could paint another scenario and replace this man’s clothes with a lovely Gucci shirt, Italian suit and crocodile skin shoes and this man well -groomed reeking of designer perfume. I dare to say that he would have been out of there in 10mins and if not there would have been an officer stationed to update him on the progress of his request.

Why do we treat people shabbily when they don’t fit into ‘the picture’ of what we consider SUCCESSFUL. For all you care, that ‘Mechanic’ could be a multi-millionaire and even rake in more money monthly than the ‘cool-headed’ bankers. However, that’s not the point I am trying to make here.

In some establishments, the door is opened wide by the security guards if they imagine that this big fellow has some spare cash to drop, God help you if you look scruffy ‘cos you might have to push the door open yourself. In a Danfo (some Danfos), there’s an air of Madam or Sir if you look big but if not… anyway the Danfo is not a good example. Its actually a leveller.

Some shop keepers would not bother to look at you if you came into their shops hot and sweaty and the clothes you have on look cheap. But watch the reaction if you change your clothes. No wonder a lot of Nigerians want to become rich at all costs. It is only in a society such as ours that it does not matter how you’ve made the bucks. It is horrible! Is the respect you accord a fellow human respect for him as a fellow or how much you perceive he has in his bank account or under his bed?

Well! Anytime I’m treated ‘shabbily’ , (I’m not a power dresser and my twin and I were mistaken for Secondary School students the other day), I resolve to treat everyone I meet with respect and honor them, no matter who they are or seem to be.

One last story on this: I went to Eko once to buy some stuff for someone getting married in my office. Coming back, I had to come back in one thoroughly panel beaten coaster bus (It was a cross between a danfo and a molue) because I had a large parcel, the conductors wanted me to pay much more. Anyway, trying to haggle (I be woman) one of them shouted and abused me. Hmm the ‘lagosian’ within me reacted! “Ta lo rope o n ba soro?” (Who do you think you are talking to?) I shouted, “Sora e” (Watch yourself!) I exclaimed. I was shocked at myself and more shocked when the tough looking guy simmered and kept quiet and slunk away. Inside me I was smiling, I had achieved a great feat. I was quivering all over, the guy did not realise that this short and small looking bespectacled nerd could not talk much o! If he had come near me, I would have run for cover.

Moral of the story: Nothing is as it ever seems & nobody is as you ever perceive them to be.

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