Hard ways to climb (3)

At first they couldn’t recognise him properly but he knew them vividly like the lines on the palm of his hands. He stood there, mouth agape on sighting these two people who made life painful and miserable for him while he was a kid.

He held his breathe with asphyxiating shock for a couple of minutes and he was lost for words, wondering at the sight of the couple that looked like monsters and man-eating ogres to him in those early stages of his life.

Instantly, it dawned on the Olakitans that the young Pilot staring at them was Tubi, the young orphan, brought to live with them a couple of decades ago. They saw one of the scars and mark they had lacerated on his left arm way back then. The wicked couple broke down in tears instantly and wept heartrendingly. The couple were now shadows of their former selves as they looked tattered, poor, malnourished and unkempt. They looked sad and grave.

“Tubi, we are really sorry, the way we treated you decades ago…” they both chorused softly with heart-breaking tears streaming down their brows.
“Since you left, a couple of years later our businesses collapsed and we became very poor, living a beggarly life. Please, do forgive us…kindly find a place in your heart to forgive us for the sins we had committed in those early years…” they both begged.

The fact was, after Tubi left and ran away from the Olakitans household things got worse for the wicked couple and they lost everything six years later. Their children were not spared either as they were not successful in life and were never-do-wells.

Tubi smiled, shook his head after gazing at the poor, sad and weak elderly couple in his presence. He looked up the next minute, trying to imagine the kindness, mercy, blessings and love the Almighty God had showered on him.
In a split second, from the deepest part of his soul he felt the presence of God and he continued to thank Him for the abundant blessings He had rained on him in life.

“I have forgiven you…I don’t know what to say… you treated me like dirt and garbage in those early years and made life miserable for me…but here I am today…I am a first class international pilot and I earn millions and live comfortably with my family. All these isn’t by my power but the divine mercy and grace of the Omnipotent God…” he reflected.

He brought out a cheque book and supported their medical trip with $50,000 US.
The couple were shocked and trembled instantly. The High Chief was shaken and sweating as he collected the whopping amount from the young man they had tormented decades back in a most cruel and inhuman way.

Standing beside their parents were the three children of the Olakitans who were surprised to see the young and successful man who was maltreated and assaulted by their dotting parents in those early years. They all looked sad, ragged and poverty-stricken. They were at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to see their ailing parents off by pushing their wheel chairs in assistance.

Tubi was touched with deep pity and really sympathised with the old couple as he left them to be with his beautiful wife and his young handsome kid at the departure lounge of the airport that evening.

“Who are those old, weak couple my darling?” his wife asked, after assessing the pathetic drama just set before her eyes.
“It’s a long story my dear…the story of my life… I will give you full details when I get back from my trip to Canada…” he replied gently.

He gave his wife a nice kiss on her forehead and pecked his handsome son too and he instantly bade them goodbye.

Tubi Oluwaranti has now become a successful international pilot. He also has chains of private businesses being handled by him and his lovely wife, Morenike. He owns houses and choice properties in Victoria Island, Ikoyi, even in the USA and Canada.

At the moment, he enjoys life to the fullest and happily. He named some of his companies and properties after his late parents. He would never forget what life has taught him. He also continues to worship God in truth and honesty because he believes only God saw him through the challenges of life.