Truly, life is not balanced

Mr Brilliant had just resumed work after returning from an official assignment where he was posted to oversee the employment operation of their newly established company's branch in Slovakia. The 27years old guy wasn't actually into Human Resources management when he was newly employed in the company but as time went on, his contribution in the human resources section waxed and he was quickly made the assistant Human resources manager in the oil company where he does most of the work when his boss isn't around.

On that Tuesday while resuming work from his trip, he met many cars that looked private, parked outside which was not common in their space because most of the workers move in company cars.
He walked into the reception to meet the hall half filled with people dressed in their official wears, with files on their hands which gave him the impression that the company had been into recruitment while he was away.

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He wanted to pause and ask the receptionist what was happening but he decided to let go in order not to bother himself with heavy tasks because he just arrived from a big task and whatsoever employment was happening, his boss should be able to handle it.
He walked into his office and just as he sat down, a knock dawned on the door, it opened and it was Mr Jeremiah, his boss, walked in.

"Good morning sir" he greeted

"Good morning my brother, I saw you walked in and..." He paused, not knowing how to put it to him.
He looked at Mr Brilliant who was gazed on him with all attention, he chuckled and continued, "I want to hand over a quick task to you. I know you need to rest but please just one round of this task and we are done" Mr Jeremiah finished his plea with his hand demonstrating on air like a magician.

"There's no problem. When I got in, I knew it must be the employment thing that brought that crowd. Which stage are you?" Mr Brilliant asked.

"Thank you so much. It's the third stage, the oral interview and we have just 17 of them. Take them today and tomorrow. I will bring the files to you in a short while" He rushed off happily. It was as if the work was buggy for him and he needed Mr Brilliant as his saviour.

Mr Brilliant, who seems always ready for any task, got up and put on the jacket he had pulled off immediately he entered the office and walked to the chamber where interviews for new employees are done. He got there to meet Mr Jeremiah sorting out files on the table that looked jam-packed with papers like that of a student's desk that read all through the night.

"Oh you're here, this is it, start from this list. Thank you so much" he handed him over the file containing the names of the people to be interviewed and he packed with him the other papers, leaving the table very clean and left.

Mr Brilliant, upon scanning through the list, met a name that looked familiar, Mr Wikedi Theophilus. That's the exact name of the lecturer who made him spend an extra year in school because he didn't sort his course with money.
"No way" he shook off his head that it can't be what he's assuming because the Mr Wikedi whom he knew is a lecturer who wouldn't for any reason leave his lecturing job because of the excess morning he's making out of students. But out of curiosity, he needed to be sure, so he called on the staff working with him to get Mr Wikedi as the first person to be interviewed.

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He sat down while the staff went on to call with Mr Wikedi. Curiosity was at its peak, even when he was glancing through his phone, his ears were lowered to the ground to hear footsteps and his eyes fixed on the door to see if it was the Wikedi that he knew would come to the door.

Finally, the door pulled its sound, it opened and behold, it was Mr Wikedi, a man in his late 30s dressed in a brown suit, holding a brown briefcase-like bag.
Upon seeing him, he smiled and when he tried to maintain the smile, he let loose and switched into loud laughter "Hahahahahah!". Mr Wikedi was surprised as he walked closely to him.

"Mr Wicked, good morning sir" Still in laughter, he greeted him with the ever-bouncing and tearing nickname he was known in school. He knew Mr Wikedi recognised him, so he didn't act all the official, he was laughing and making all the indirect mockeries.

"This is Mr Brilliant, yes I recognise you." Mr Wikedi who was somewhat shivering upon seeing Brilliant seated on the throne of judgement to decide whether he gets the job at not, tried to maintain his composure by not smiling too obviously. He stood beside the chair in front of Mr Brilliant, waiting for him to be done with all his laughter.

"Sit down Mr Wicked. This life is not balanced. Hope you remember all the high mountains you made me climb? Give me your files"

Mr Wikedi was dumbfounded, he didn't know what to say, whether to beg for Mercy or to let it remain official at his end even though Mr Brilliant laughing loudly. He kept mute while Mr Brilliant was flipping his files and laughing, his hands were not stable, sometimes he put his left hand on his head to make a scratch, while his right hand was moving down his suit, trying to adjust his shirt and tie on his neck.

"You haven't said anything. I know you're surprised seeing me, your once badly treated student now conducting interview on you. The shoe is now on the other foot and that's how life is. You can't beat it"

As soon as Mr Brilliant dropped his last words, Mr Wikedi cleared his throat and began; "The truth is that my pleading for mercy right now can't change anything but you should know that what happened between us at school, I mean the sorting of a thing, was our major means of survival because salaries were never enough. But...."

"But what? Making people fail because they refused to pay for marks, is that what you call a means of survival? It was pure wickedness just as your nickname, Mr Wicked implies and you were very boastful of this name back then." Mr Brilliant didn't hide his emotions, he said all that in a more serious louder tone that was echoing deeply in the office walls.

"Well, why did you leave the lecturing job?" He asked him further, with his hand resting on his jaw while looking directly at his face shame-filled face.

"Like I said, the salary has never been enough, I need something better that's why I came for this. Although I didn't resign, I'm still there, I'm only making sure I don't put my eggs in one basket. If I get employed here, then I would resign from there." Mr Wikedi said in the most polite tone of his life.

Okay, I don't need to ask further. I know your capacity and what you can handle. We'll get to you if you merit the position. Thank you.

"Okay, thank you very much" He got up and left while Mr Brilliant watched him and shook his head in pity.

Mr Brilliant was able to conduct more four interviews that day, the following day, he rushed off the remaining and when it was time to access and rate them, he found Mr Wikedi among the three worthy candidates to be employed and because he didn't want to pay back evil with evil, he sent him the employment letter and his heart was fully at peace.