The grass is not always green

Eric wamanji –

We always imagine that the next person in the career ladder has arrived. So we aspire and wish we could be living their lives. In Jeffery Archers in the Grass is always greener, the last short story in To cut a long story short, that is not always the case.

In his character stylish and witty design, Archers explores the human mind and reveals the insatiable desires we have in our rat-race pursuits -sometimes, in vain.

Grass is always greener is about Critchley’s Bank employees, and it captures what goes on in our mind. One of the characters is Bill, a vagabond of sorts and has the basement as his abode. Bill has to be up earlier before Kevin, the guard comes. And now, Bill just wishes that he had Kevin’s job of saluting people: “Good Morning sir. Hope you had a nice weekend.” This way, then, he will no longer be a vagabond and well, there will be no police chasing after him.

True, Kevin has the opportunity of saluting all the board members. He also opens the car door for Philip Alexander. But Philip is not your kind guy. Indeed,  to Philip Kevin doesn’t exits. So there are no “thank yous.”

But Kevin turns green every time he thinks of Mike Haskins, his supervisor. Kevin thinks Mike is lucky. To Kelvin, there is warmth in the office there is tea and other nice things. So to Kelvin, if only he could get Mike’s job at the reception, there would be no problems. After all, Mike is just about to retire.

Good for nothing bosses 

But Mike believes that some of his seniors are good for nothing. Some are late comers, some pretend to be exemplary in duty yet they lack depth in understanding and executing the dynamics of their jurisdictions, still some are sycophants so that they can win favours from superiors. Mike believes he could be better placed only if his father took him to good schools.

Another classic chap at Crtichley’s Bank is Chris Parnell- the senior messenger. Chris, like some people, has made access to the CEO and Chairman’s floor a no go zone for juniors. Characteristic of an insecure people, Chris has erected a strong iron curtain. According to him, opportunities are likely to arise, and they should not go to the low-ranking! Sounds familiar, eh?

PAMELA’S PREGNANCY

But when Chris delivers mail to Rodger Parker, he find him dozing. Rodger is the HR guy; Chris believes that he could do Rodger’s job. But Rodger’s worries are different. He needs a pay rise like yesterday to carter for medical bill, school fees and meet domestic needs now that his wife is jobless .If only he had Godfrey Tudor’s job. Yet Tudor is worried about Pamela’s -the secretary – pregnancy. This has given him mental ulcers. It is a bad year too where bonuses are dry.

SHOPAHOLIC WIFE

Tudor’s problem is even bigger. His wife should not discover the escapades with Pamela. Besides, he’s broke yet his wife is a shopaholic and a nagging one too.

There seem to be  vain wishes weaved in envy along the ranks in this company. It goes up to Sir William, the chairman who is forced to lay off about 70 employees so that his wrong financial decisions are not laid bare. And so everyone goes home wishing they could just be like Bill the vagabond, who wishes he was Kevin …. O.K to cut along story short, the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side, but strive to cross nonetheless.

   “To cut a long story short” is an easy to read anthology where pages open others. Archers is a prolific writer, and the Grass is Always greener is a worthwhile read for anybody who nurses dreams of growth just to know that money, really , is not the answer to our problems.