Comprehension: One good turn deserves Another

almost 4 years ago

Mariam lived in Zaria. She worked at the immigration office. One day, a young man named Barry came to her office. He wanted to obtain a Nigerian passport. He had just won a scholarship to study Law in the United States of America and had to be in New York in a weeks' time. He knew how difficult it was to obtain a Nigerian passport and, to make it worse, he needed the passport urgently.

For the past one week, he has been in an out the immigration office looking for how he can make the process of his obtaining his Nigerian passport work out in his favor but all to no avail, everyone he meets needed a bribe or told him to wait till when the passport will be out. Barry was not very rich and did not have the sum of money they requested of him so he left and hoped that he will see someone who will be ready to help him the next time he comes.

The next day, he went into the immigration office and saw a new face different from the ones he saw the last time he came. He approached Mariam and told her about his problem. Miriam understood that this was an opportunity Barry must not miss and decided to help him. She gave him the application forms and told him how to fill them. He paid quickly the application fee, then she told him to submit his application forms with some document which will help in the process of the passport.

Barry submitted his forms promptly. Miriam took the application forms to her boss and pleaded with him to help Barry so that his passport would be out within the week. The boss wanted a bribe but Miriam explained that Barry was poor and could not afford any bribe then. After much pleading, the boss decided to help.

Within a week, Barry was able to get his passport. He thanked Miriam for her kindness and left for New York.

Image Source

For three years, Barry studied Law. He graduated and came back to Nigeria to attend the Law School. When he got to Nigeria, he went to the immigration office to look for Miriam but was told she no longer worked there.

Barry became a brilliant lawyer, known all over the country. Meanwhile, Miriam was wondering what happened to him. She did not hear from him as he promised but she was patient and full of hope for a time when they would meet again.

Barry met Miriam one day at the supermarket. She had been unlawfully dismissed from her office for refusing to take a bribe as directed by her boss. Barry decided that this was the time for him to offer his help.

They worked together as a team. Miriam supplied him with all the information he needed and he noted all the illegal deals that took place in the immigration department. After he had got all the evidence he needed, he filed in a case against the immigration department. The case took about three months but Miriam and Barry were patient. Barry was confident that he would win the case. At last, they did.

Image Source

Miriam was paid her salary for the three years she was away from the office and was asked to go back to work. She offered to give Barry some money for his services but he refused. He reminded her of her kindness to him some years earlier.

He would not become a lawyer today if she had not done him a good turn.

QUESTIONS: