Straight Boys 32 What is your PLAN Tunde: Ejiro, what is this? Ejiro: What do you mean, "What is this?" Are you not the one who initiated it? Tunde: Oh no, I was just feeling very happy, and I just wanted to make you smile or something. I didn’t mean to make you think—oh no, please don’t be like that. You have the best among us. You have Jack, and I think you’ll be glad you’re waiting for him. Ejiro: He’s abroad—his far away in America. How am I supposed to be here and be waiting for him? Tunde: Don’t give up like that. You know that everything works out fine. You are very, very beautiful—cute, in fact. But it’s not as if I do not want you, it just doesn’t feel right. Look, if I had wanted you like this, I would have done so the first day I brought you into this house. I would have made my intentions known to you. But I brought you here not because I wanted to explore with you, but because I wanted to give you family. And you are my family now, and family doesn’t do this. Ejiro: Get out! You’re not serious. Family doesn’t do this, but you keep doing it with Emeka! What are you both supposed to be—family or friends? Tunde: Hahaha, don’t worry about that. We are anything we say we want to be. Would you be fine without me doing this with you? Ejiro: The next person I’m going to is going to be Emeka. Tunde: Hahaha! I doubt he will even stay there with you anymore. He would not even sleep in that room anymore. Hahaha! Ejiro: Why? Am I that repulsive? Why am I not attractive to anyone? Tunde: You are over-attractive. It’s not as if you’re not attractive, but you know—you’ve gone to his house, and his mother asked after you. Do you think he will now go and tell his mother, "Oh, the boy that stayed over in our house, the one I asked you to look after, I am now, you know... doing him?" That doesn’t make sense. He won’t do that. Ejiro: Yeah, I get you now. I understand. It’s true. Tunde: What about Mustapha? Won’t you ask him? Ejiro: Mustapha is my friend. You’re very funny for saying that. Tunde: So the rest of us are not your friends? What am I to you?hHAHAHA Ejiro: Get out! Go and sleep. And they slept, laughing. The Next Day Tunde made white yam with egg sauce. We took it to the hospital and also brought clothes for Both, Larry, and Emma to change. Me: Good morning, Mr. Emma. Thank God you are alive! So, you wanted to leave us and just disappear like that? It’s not good. What got your back Tunde: Oga Guy Man, welcome! Thank God for everything, especially that you are alive here, right? I hope you will stay with us. So don’t, don’t travel. See, we are one family here. Like this, we are officially your family. Obi: Good morning, how are you? Please, not saying—not saying is too hard to be shared with people. You can’t do it all alone. Try to confide in someone. We are here for you. Me, I’m just in your 100 level. If you that is in 300 level you’re feeling this way, I wonder what I’ll be feeling like in my 300 level. Martin: Oga, please, next time you want to do this type of thing, just tell us where your money is. At least give me your car keys! We all started laughing, and everyone was trying to spank Martin on the head. It was humorous—trying to put a smile on Emma’s face. He was so happy seeing us. He couldn’t say anything. He did not know what he wanted to say—he just held us together. We said a prayer together that morning, and we went out to wait for him. But Larry had to drop me back and asked me to listen to him. When he finished telling me everything—that he had told life, and how Felix had tried to harm him—I understood the reason why he wanted to go the route he took. Because there was nowhere for him to run to. There was no family for him to run to. Who was going to protect him? Who was going to cover him? Who was going to stand in for him? And speaking of family, he doesn’t even have any family member—just the person he’s staying with. Me: Omo, bro, many things are running through my mind right now because I don’t even know where to start. All I can say right now is—first thing, from now forth, we are no longer alone. See us as people you can be close to. I really don’t have money; I don’t come from a very rich family. But then, we can accept you as one of us. We are students, at least, and we are learning. So it is not going to be very hard for you to survive. The main thing is survival. And, guy, can I ask you certain questions? Emma: Yes, you can. Me: So, since you knew you didn’t have anyone, and all these years you’ve been living with the Francis family, what has been your plan? Or what is even your plan at the moment? Emma: I really don’t know. I’ve just—just been surviving. I just wanted to live through to the next—see what to eat, see what to drink, see what to wear. I never really thought about it as doing any other thing, because I was very comfortable. This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. Me: I'm going to tell you a story about me. I used to be happy and very comfortable on my own until I did some certain things that didn't go well with my parents, and my father sent me out to live alone while going to school. Did you know that I repeated an extra class again? Like, I was already in SS3, preparing for my exams, and when I took this stupid decision, I was asked to repeat again from SS1 in the North, spending an extra two years or so. It was not funny at all. But since then, I prepared myself to adapt to the world. It changed my life, and it made me see the world in a different way. That was where I met Mostafa, and that's how we started our friendship. We made sure we were always together everywhere. That is how we both got admission into the same university, that is how we became who we are today, and that is how we are together. Our family has been growing gradually from that. Emma: Please, accept me into your family. Let me be a member—at least let me have somewhere I belong. Me: You being a member is not a problem. You don't have any problem. My problem with you now is that you don't have any plan. All right, I'm going to be straight up with you. Look, things are hard now everywhere—families are complaining, the cost of living is expensive, and everyone is just surviving, pushing through. That is why you became so comfortable where you are. Let's say you were actually put out of that house the first time your mother died—what do you think would have become of your life right now? A street boy, surviving on the streets, doing street things? I understand. But now, you had a chance to continue and even have a big chance, like the family lawyer paying a monthly allowance into your account, the same way they pay Dare. So how are you still dependent on him? Emma: He is the soul heir of the Francis family, so anytime he could say I should leave. That’s the reason why the lawyer asked me to stay back. But when they asked him if he could live with me, he said yes. Me: So, your relationship with him—is he treating you badly? Are you being maltreated, or are you being well taken care of? Emma: Honestly, I think I am taken care of more than I could have ever asked for. He truly cares about me. He's so close to me. Apart from the other side of this relationship, he's like the only family that I've ever had. Because growing up in that mansion, we were the only children at that particular time. So, I guess I just have to survive. Me: So, this is why I'm asking you Emma, how much have you saved in all these years that you have been living in the Francis mansion? Emma: Saved? Why should I save when every month I get an allowance? I just buy myself what I need. Me: Emma! Emma! I don't even know what to say to you right now. If not because you’re already in the hospital, I would have slapped you right now—like, this very moment—from that bed! How could you, all this time, not have any savings? What if something happens? What if Chief Francis’ sisters come up with something and accuse that lawyer? What if the lawyer dies? Have you thought about this? The lawyer is the only one protecting you in that house—not even this guy you are talking about. The lawyer is the one who insisted you stay in that house. Because left to him, he would have done what his father's sisters wanted and had you thrown out of that place. But he wants you to be there, and so—there is probably something you don’t know. I'm not going to say anything about it yet, but what I’m saying right now is—you need to cut your coat according to your size. I know your size is very big right now, yeah—you’re living in a rich man’s house. But at least, let’s say in this year alone, you save at least one million naira. Emma: Did you say one million? I can save more than that! I get a monthly allowance of about 750k and more from Dare. I think he gets more than me, so sometimes he gives me more. Me: You need to be educated. Let me tell you the truth—if you finish school, what do you think is going to happen next? Life out there is very hard. I have a hardworking father, but he never fails to tell us every day how hard life is. We were just boys that grew up in our house. That is why I know how to navigate myself around boys. Our mother trained us like soldiers. Every day, we did all the chores. She doesn’t have a daughter, so we had to cook, clean, do the laundry, and everything—and we still had to be the men of the house at the same time. So, my brother, life is very hard outside there. Let’s say I come out of school now, and I do not have a job—what am I going to do next? Gallivant on the streets? No, I’m not going to do that. That is why I tried, with Mostafa, to open a small business, and our business is really giving us a lot of cash. Do you know we are paying Nathaniel's salary, and from his salary, he takes care of all his bills? Do you know what he did before? He was actually a real street walker—a real one. Yes. Because remember the family I’m telling you about? He worked on the streets. That is how he paid his bills, that is how he got into the university, and that was how he wanted to graduate. But now, he is well taken care of, buying things for himself. He also contributes to food and everything in the house. He is the one that wanted to rent that room I told you about—all from his own personal savings. So, if a guy like that—who I know how much I pay—can have savings to rent himself a room and start up a life, why not you, who earns over 750k monthly? Do you know that there is no job right now that can pay you that amount of money? Like, I don’t think there’s any job—except if you’re working in an oil company. Except maybe if Chief Francis’ lawyer gets you a job there—then we know he has really tried for you. This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. Emma: How do I go about this? Me: Well, first of all, you wanted to die and leave us without giving us our generator and television that you promised us. It will not happen! We have to buy those ones first. He smiled. I liked the way he smiled. His happiness brought light to my face because the doctor had whispered into our ears not to say anything that would hurt him but to make him smile. The more he smiled, the faster he would get out of the hospital. That was why Martin had to make that joke—to help him heal faster so he could come back home. Emma: I don't understand what you are trying to say. I will do exactly what I can. Me: It is not exactly what you can; you have to do what you have to do to survive. Like, let's say you weren't even a student. Let's say you hated school because you're getting money, and then this stuff happens—who is going to pay the hospital bills? I mean, something like that. Emma: How do we go about this? Are you guys still renting the room? I would need Larry to be looking after me. Me: Of course, he's going to be looking after you. In fact, he's practically going to be living with you. But then, we need extra rooms. At least we can be two in a room because staying three in a room is crowded. And you know, we are guys—we sweat more and generate a lot of heat. Emma: So, what is my plan? Me: What did you plan with Larry? Emma: He actually asked me not to stop going to the Francis Mansion. I should continue what I was doing because we are due in one year. Me: If you had savings now, I would have asked you to stop. But you don't have any savings. There are two options for you. Option one: either you stop now and commit to suffering like all of us, wondering how we are going to live big and start from small. But I want it to be entirely your choice. Option two: we do what you and Larry have discussed and then move on with it. I promise I will not be angry with you. At least in that next one year, you would have saved a reasonable amount of money. Then, you have to start eating with us since you don't always cook. Where do you always get food from? Emma: Oh, I buy from the expensive restaurant in town. Me: No wonder you cannot save any money! You are buying food from an expensive restaurant. He smiled and held my hands. Me: So, make a choice of the path you want to take. But the first plan of all is to start saving money. We need to start saving money, and then we get on from there. How long is it to the next one year? Is it already in one year, or is it months away? He sat up and thought for some time, looking at me as if he was surprised. Me: What is it? Emma: It is about six months away. Oh my God! I will not have any money anymore. I did not start saving on time. What is going to happen to me after six months? Me: See, Emma, I need you to relax. I need you to stop thinking too much. Remember what I told you? We are now one family. Forget about what you will eat, drink, or where you will sleep—we got you. We are together. All you need to do now, in these six months, is save as much as you can. So that whatever happens after that, the money you have saved can take care of your school fees and every other important bill. At least pay your house rent for the next one year before you graduate—that is the most important thing right now. And yeah, you're good to go. When you graduate, at least you've got your certificate. You can start from there—either get a job or acquire another skill to put food on the table. It’s hard out there. That’s why I started a business before I even got out. Then he held me tightly, holding my hands. Emma: Thank you! Thank you so much! Me: You are welcome. Please eat some food. I made you white yam and fried eggs. I hope you like it. Emma: Should I like it? Food is food! Right now, I don’t even have any choice. Me: Let’s say before we had this discussion, what would you have preferred to eat this morning? Emma: Maybe a burger or a hot dog, and then some fried chicken and chips just to hold me till evening. I don’t eat three times anymore. Then in the evening, I could go for some soup and swallow with a lot of proteins in it. Me: That’s good, very good. At least you were spending the money wisely on your stomach—it was not wasted. And this time, he smiled again. I left him there smiling while I walked away so others could come and also greet him. Then I left the hospital. I stood outside, staring into the open fields behind the hospital, and Tunde walked up to me, grabbing me from behind playfully. Me: Ha, Tunde! This is a hospital! There are so many nurses and so many students and doctors. If they catch you, I don’t understand—me I will shout rape! Tunde: Shut up your mouth! Every time, "I don’t understand," "I will shout!" Is it a must that you must always shout? Why are you standing here on your own? I hope it’s not that someone is dying or has cancer. One of those terminal illnesses like that—what's the term? I looked at his face and smiled. Me: Yes, you are right, not one of those illnesses. But he doesn’t have any of them. Tunde: So why are you out here all by yourself? Something else is bothering you. Me: There was just Mustafa and I, and then you came in, and now we are nine in number. Tunde: Nine? From where? Oh, he wants to be a member of our family? Me: He has got absolutely no one. He is just on his own, but he was put there because of threats and stress from Felix. Tunde: I knew that guy had something to do with this! My mind just told me that. After all those things he displayed the other day, I knew that something was wrong. I immediately just got that in my mind. This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. Me: He's an easy piece of cake. My problem now is that we keep renting more rooms. I believe we need to think about your plan. Tunde: Oh, so now you know that we need an apartment, right? You want us to move to an apartment now? Me: But what type of apartment will accommodate all of us? How are we going to be sleeping in there? Two bedrooms are not even enough. How many are we? Nine people. How will nine of us sleep in two bedrooms? Are we going to stay four-four-five, or how? I don't really know. Tunde: We are guys; we don't have issues about how we sleep. Anybody sees anywhere to put their head, they will just sleep, and we will all be fine. The major issue now is: are you willing to let him go so we fall back at eight? Me: He is just a… Tunde: Chill. I know you care for him, and leaving him now is not the best time, especially as he has even approached your brother. I think that guy cooled him down. Me: You mean my brother? Tunde: Yes. Also, have you called his mum to ask her about the idea? Me: Ha ba, Tunde, be honest here. If it was your son who called you, saying he wants to leave the hostel you rented for him to move into an apartment with guys, how would you feel? Tunde: The woman trusts you. Me: And so? Tunde: And you care for her son. No harm in trying to ask her first, but you can't put your life on hold just for Martin. He was making sense. I understood what he had just said, and I knew he made more sense. There was no way that I would have stopped us from moving out just because of Martin. What we had to do was call his mother and ask her. If she says yes, we are good to go. If she says no, then we'll have to leave him to be a man of his own. Then I looked at Tunde. Me: I think it's time we make a higher plan for ourselves. Apart from getting an apartment, what about you? Have you thought about having a restaurant of your own? Tunde: Hah, not at this time. You know that I am running the scholarship program, so I need my 100% focus on my academics so I can keep collecting scholarship money. You know, without this scholarship, I have nothing. I cannot change direction right now. Me: See, my guy, what do you do in that restaurant where you work? Tunde: I cook food. I cook meals. Me: What would you be doing if you owned a restaurant right now that is different from exactly what you are doing in somebody's restaurant? Tunde: The major thing is that this needs planning. It needs staff. We need people to wash plates. We need people to serve food. We need people to order things. I can still just be cooking, but then there are other things involved. Okay, space—where are we going to use? Where are we going to do the cooking? Who is going to be the cashier? Who is going to be the manager? If I'm going to be all these things and at the same time the cook, I don't think I'll be meeting up with my academic studies. Me: So, we need a place, but we don't need people. We have approximately nine boys. Everybody can take turns serving one round of everything we do. We don't need to go and hire staff right now. All we need is just hands, which we already have. Some hands can run our laundry business while others will be in the restaurant. See, if we can start a business now before graduating, I don't think we are going to be needing employment when we graduate. Our business will be well enough to take care of us. If Nathaniel can use the source of income from our business to stand on his own as a salary earner and not even as the main owner like Mustapha and I, what about you owning your own stuff? Look, we are going to figure it out, but I just want you to add it to the plan. It is part of the plan right now. See, Tunde, my dad once told me something—that as old as he is now, he's not begging. It's not because of the job he's doing right now; it's because of the decision he took as a young man. Do you know that I have uncles who refused to get an education? They wanted to do something else, not even have a shop; or businesses, they just wanted to live a free life. Now, they call my father a wicked man because he has refused to send them money. His money is focused on his boys and his wife. That is why I am asking about your plan. We cannot just go to school, get an education, and be hoping for one job. We need to focus on how to live our lives at 50 and 60 years old. With decisions we make today. What is your plan? Right now, I’m thinking that after school, you get a laundry business to another level. If you can save some more money, we'll buy better machines and bigger machines. We can even move into the production of clothes. I’m not going to sit in one office and wait for one month's salary, where I'll be useless and not be free to do what I want. So, Tunde, I want you to have your own plan, and I want to be part of your plan. He looked at me, shocked, surprised, and at the same time, I could feel the happiness on his face. I knew then that he wanted to do something nasty—maybe grab me and kiss me—but then I reminded him we were in the hospital. Me: no gondo the one wey them use put us for cell oooo 😂😂😂😂 Tunde: 😂😂😂😂😂😆😆😂😂😆😆 Then he got a call from Oscar, asking him to come and see him. By Whiteman Michael. Join us on Facebook: OurStory TB. This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. MORALS What Is Your Plan? Have you ever asked yourself this question: Am I living, existing, or just surviving? If you make just enough to eat for the day, you are merely surviving. If you make enough to eat today and tomorrow, so that the day after, you can afford to host someone, you are just living. If you barely eat, only consuming food when you happen to have something, and go hungry when you don’t, then you are just existing. Right now, where you are may not be comfortable. It might even be too difficult. But have you thought about where you want to be tomorrow? Every decision you make today shapes what happens tomorrow. So, what exactly is your plan? No matter how small your job or business is, small savings can create something big over time. Saving ₦500 every day for a year can give you a financial cushion. ₦500 daily can pay your house rent in 12 months. ₦1,000 daily can help you secure something bigger, like a shop or an investment. This principle isn’t just for salary earners—it’s for those who run businesses and earn money daily. If you set aside ₦1,000 or ₦2,000 every day, treating it like a daily expense, you will see significant results over time. Even if you run a small business—whether you’re a barber or own a salon—saving just ₦2,000 per day means you’ll have almost a million naira in a year. A Salary Alone Won’t Make You a Millionaire If you rely solely on a salary, you may never become a millionaire unless you have an additional source of income. A side hustle—something that doesn’t take all your time but generates extra money—can make a huge difference. A small business, no matter how little, can provide long-term security. Instead of depending on a pension that may never come, take control of your future now. You don’t know how bad the government will be when you’re old, but you do have control over how you prepare for that future today. Whatever you do right now will shape your tomorrow. By Whiteman Michael Join us on Facebook: OurStoryTb #gaystories. Like and follow our page Abeg please 🙏 Thanks to the anonymous sponsor God bless you abundantly. You can sponsor enter the Dm and ask me how.