The Harassment Chronicles

*This is an embellishment of stories of sexual harassment experienced by me and some of my friends. Our stories are merged into this one story for an amplification of the theme. If the writing is funny in some places, it is not my intention to treat the theme as a joke. Sexual harassment is not funny. If you are going through it or have gone through it then you know it is not funny, pray about it, speak to a trusted person who can help. Please be proactive. Your rights should not be eroded because of someone else's untamed libido. Stop Sexual Harassment Now!!!!!!!!!*
*Names, dates and location have been changed to protect the innocent and not so innocent*

Picture still from Sexual Harassment: Yes or No? video

"Where are you hurrying to?" I heard behind me as I walked down the lonely corridor of 12th floor. I stopped in my tracks and turned around, to find myself looking at Mr. Rufus Olisa, the Deputy Managing Director of Cityfields Bank.

 I think I am getting ahead of myself. My name is Ibinabo Peters, IB to everyone except my grandma. I recently joined Cityfields Bank as a legal officer. In fact, I was barely eight months on the job before the foregoing incident occurred.

I was enjoying my new job. The work environment was nice and my colleagues were friendly enough. In fact, my madam, the head of the Legal Department, took a liking to me, so much so that she wanted me in attendance with her at all meetings. It was great exposure. I never got to say much, just take notes, but I was at the meetings with all the decision makers at the Bank so I got to know what was up always. It was fun and educational. The incident above signalled the end of my idyllic work life.

It was a Friday evening and we were having a Management Meeting which had run late. All the bosses were there. As the meeting was winding to a close at about 10 pm, the MD asked that I excuse them as he had something very confidential to discuss. I took my leave and headed to my office to pack up my things, shut down and head home. I was walking down the now deserted corridor when I heard "Where are you hurrying to?" It was Mr. Rufus Ikechukwu Olisa; RIO (as in de Janeiro) to staff of Cityfields.

"Good evening sir" I mumbled.

"Hello IB. I asked you a question" he stated with a smile.

Let me lay some foundation. If the White House was Cityfields, RIO was Joe Bidden and I was a grounds keeper not even working on the premises, but far, far, afield, outside the very last security fence. On a good day, in fact, on any day, RIO should NEVER  speak to me. Plus, he wasn't that kind of boss who went out of his way to be benevolent to the small people. He had a reputation of being incredibly rude and even more dismissive to other members of management. The small people were not even a blip on his radar. He dealt directly with the bosses and only the bosses. So I was shocked he knew my name and that he was speaking to me. Also, RIO should have been in the meeting I just left, so why was he here? I simply assumed he was going to his office to pick up something and recognised me from the meetings. But what was with the question?

"I'm going home sir" I responded

"Hmm..." he mused that titbit for a little while. "IB, why haven't you collected my number"? he asked casually.

WHAT???? Alarm bells went off in my head. All the while we kept walking down the corridor, he was now ahead of me. I figured he didn't want any of the cctv cameras to pap him fraternizing with a junior staff.

"umm...umm..." I responded unintelligently.

"Store my number" he proceeded to reel off the number, he ended with "and make sure you call me" and casually strolled off. I got to my office and sank in my chair. What had just happened? Was this even harassment talk more of sexual harassment? I didn't have the answers then. But what I knew for a fact was that my work life was about to take a turn for the nasty

To be continued next week.

Have a lovely weekend y'all