That night Gloria could barely lie still in her bed, her whole body was sore from the whipping she had received. She kept blaming herself for proposing to pay rent with her body. “I can’t continue like this” she thought to herself, “I need to get a job fast before this beast kills me” she thought , “but my stay still hasn’t been regularised, how can I get a job without a social security number?” She pondered as she eventually decided that she would speak with Efua.
The next morning, she called Efua and narrated her ordeal. At first, Efua was not sympathetic and laughed so hard that her phone dropped. “I thought you were an expert in the other room, why are you now complaining?” She asked still laughing, “It’s not funny” Gloria replied sternly, “It’s funny to me” Efua laughed, “after all, the dude was on his own when you decided to include your body as payment in the contract, I don’t know who does that” Efua said still laughing uncontrollably. “On a more serious note, what do you want me to do now? Take his whip and beat him back?” Efua asked, “I need you to help me get a job” Gloria replied, “but you’re not a legal resident” Efua argued, “we both know that’s not an issue for you, so please help a sister” Gloria insisted.
“Well, I know someone that can help but there are terms and conditions” Efua said, “I’m ready to do anything “ Gloria replied, “ok if you insist” Efua said, “I can introduce you to someone who uses this as a means of extra income.Her name is Madam Monica. She will give you her Social security number and personal information to use to secure a job, when you get the job, because you’re using her information, the money goes to her bank account, then she will take 10 percent of every salary received and give you the balance” Efua explained. “Why can’t the money go to my bank account?” Gloria asked, getting uneasy, “because you’re an illegal immigrant and no proper employer will hire an illegal immigrant.
The only way you can get a job legally is to take on someone’s identity and use their details. The downside to this is that she will have to receive salary payments in her account and remit them to you” Efua explained further. “That’s crap” Gloria replied, “it looks like you’re enjoying the beating that you receive in your house. When you get tired of it, please let me know” Efua bluntly replied, “ok, I get it. Chale, You don’t have to be such an ass, I’m in already.” Gloria replied.
Few weeks later, Gloria was able to get a job as a caregiver in an old people’s home. Immediately she received her job offer, she informed Jason that she would be paying the rent with cash, she was still very sore from bruises she had sustained from Jason’s maltreatment and could not bear to continue further with it.
Her job involved working variable shifts, morning, afternoon, evening or night shifts. She was fully assigned to an old woman called Jane who was still suffering from the complications of a stroke.
A stroke is a life threatening condition that happens when blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted just as in a heart attack where blood supply to the heart is interrupted. Blood supply to the brain can be interrupted when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain gets blocked or bleeding from a blood vessel supplying the brain hinders blood from getting to the brain. Any person suffering from a stroke must be rushed to the hospital immediately, to prevent loss of life and increase the person’s chances of recovering with minimal disability. Some signs that may help you notice that someone is suffering from a stroke include, sudden paralysis or numbness of their face, legs and arms. People suffering from a stroke may suddenly realise that they are not able to move their arm or leg on one side of their body or when they attempt to smile, one side of their face droops. Also, they may have something that is called slurred speech where their speech becomes difficult to understand.
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A stroke can lead to temporary or permanent disability including being paralyzed on one side of the body, having difficulty swallowing or emotional problems.
In Jane’s case, she was unable to move both her leg and arm on one side of the body and needed help with getting around and carrying out some of her daily activities. She was in her early 70s and was a grumpy old woman, she was mean to Gloria and always made life difficult for her. Sometimes, she would intentionally pee on herself instead of asking to be taken to the restroom so that Gloria would have to change her underwear and clothes that were soaked with smelly urine. Other days she would spill the food that she was eating intentionally on Gloria or call her names. Gloria had no choice but to tolerate her as it was not easy for her to get the job and it would take a long time to secure another job.
“I of all people,cleaning up after old people, pushing them all around and feeding them when I would never even clean up after myself or do any chores back in Nigeria. Hmm! I hope I haven’t made a big mistake” she thought to herself one day after work. She had only been working for 2 weeks and she was already fed up with the job. It was payday and she was excited to receive her first paycheck, salaries were paid bi-weekly. She double checked with one of her colleagues who confirmed that he had received his salary. When she got home she was immediately called Madam Monica to find out if her salary had been paid to which she responded in the affirmative,
“I will forward your share of the salary to your account shortly” Madam Monica said as Gloria waited by her phone patiently and excitedly to receive the text alert that her salary had been forwarded to her account. Few minutes later, the long awaited text message finally landed. Gloria rushed to pick her phone to read it, only to realise that she had received just $400. “There must be a mix up here, this is not my salary” Gloria thought looking very confused. She immediately called Madam Monica back. “There seems to be some kind of mix up, I only received $400 from you. Or have you reached your transfer limit?” Gloria asked, “transfer limit? No. Why do you ask?” Madam Monica said, “My bi-weekly salary is $1000, after you take 10 percent which is $100, that leaves me with a balance of $900 but you sent only $400” Gloria explained. “What is your name?” Madam Monica asked, “my name?” Gloria repeated looking puzzled, “yes tell me your name, let me confirm something” Madam Monica replied, “my name is Gloria of course, you already know this, so why are you asking?” Gloria questioned.
“What is my name?” Madam Monica asked, “It’s Monica of course, what is with these odd questions?” Gloria asked starting to get angry, “whose bank account was the money paid into? Monica’s or Gloria’s?” Madam Monica asked, “Monica of course” Gloria responded, “that is why I am calling you for the balance” Gloria snapped, “GOOD!” Madam Monica explained, “As far as your employer is concerned, Gloria does not exist, the money was paid to Monica. It is Monica’s money and Monica will decide what you get every month” Madam Monica replied, “bu-but that wasn’t the agreement” Gloria stuttered, “agreements are always subject to change. $400 is your salary from now on and that is final.” Madam Monica replied leaving Gloria dumbfounded and staring at her phone in disbelief.
Find out what happens next, tomorrow in episode 21 #checkwithdoctoro