The Mechanic

9

"By tomorrow, I want to know who will be available and who will not because we do not want to run short on staff through the week as that would cost us business. I need only staff that is certain that there will be no interruptions until the end of the week."

The staff nodded.

"You know we have the backroom for those who wish to sleep here at the garage so as to add more hours to their wages. My only condition is that you keep the backroom as clean and tidy as you found it, otherwise, I will ban all of you from it. And guys...I don't know how many times I talk about this but the bathroom...your bathroom is filthy!"

The staff looked down.

"I have asked you countless times to clean it and keep it that way but you guys always disappoint me. I have therefore come to a decision that if next time the bathroom looks and smells the way it currently does, I am going to cut some money from your pay and use it to pay a cleaning services."

The men grumbled but she cut them short simply by putting her hand up in a stop motion.

"Whoa. I do not want to hear a single thing from you. That bathroom should be clean before the end of today otherwise those checks...they are coming short. Your call, gentlemen. Any questions or queries?"

She looked around at the staff but they shook their heads or just mumbled to themselves. "Words, gentlemen. Let's use our words. If you have no questions, I have to get into my overalls and we can get started with our appointments. Any bad work, I am cutting you immediately from overtime and there's no room for arguing with me. Do we understand each other?"

They nodded.

She smiled. "Well, let's get started and thank you for showing to the meeting."

"You're welcome, Madam." They started leaving the boardroom.

Ntai clapped after the last man had left. "You," he said with adoration. "Are a true boss!"

Sebina chuckled. "Shut up and go and transcribe those recordings for today's minutes. Go away and make yourself scarce in the garage. I do not want to see even a single hair on your head."

"I know I suck at cars but-"

Sebina left the room because she knew Ntai was going to talk her ear off. She quickly changed into her dirty overalls and started working on changing the filters of a Lexus that had come for the 9 o'clock appointment.

By the time lunch came by, Sebina was exhausted. She was a walking mess what with the grease stains and sweat and oil on her face as she emerged from under a car that had been jacked high. She wiped the grease from her hands and adjusted the jack to let the car back down to the ground.

Before the guys went to lunch, she inspected their work and when she was satisfied, she let them go to lunch, staying behind to finish up the final cleaning touches for the clients that would arrive for pick ups.

There was no one in the garage but her and she had no time to change so she simply washed her face and put on a clean cap so as to look a bit presentable when the clients picked up. All five were arriving at half past one just to sign and pay for the services so she wouldn't be able to go to lunch.

The clients started arriving, some inspecting their cars with bated breaths because they weren't sure if a woman could honestly do the same job as a man and they were pleasantly surprised. Two even added bonuses to their payments and not having lunch was so worth it for Sebina.

When all the cars for the morning appointments had left the garage, the ones that would take some days arrived. Sebina left the work to her staff, knowing that they would not disappoint.

She walked out to get some fresh air and a delivery scooter came through the gate towards her, stopping before her. The guy handed her a takeaway then zoomed off.

She did not pause to think about who sent the food as she quickly went to wash her hands then started eating hungrily, like a child that had been starved. The food, which consisted of fried rice, grilled chilli chicken strips and a few salads tasted absolutely divine. Best food she had had in a long time!

Her phone rang and she answered with a mouthful. "Mm-hhm?"

"Did you get the delivery?" a voice that was slowly becoming familiar asked.

Sebina almost choked on her food. "Faizal? Where did you get this number?! What the-you sent the food?"

"Yes. A client of ours just mentioned in passing that you had been working with various other clients during lunch time and that you had finished with the last one at half past two. I figured you hadn't eaten so I ordered for you. I didn't know what you might like so I ordered my favorite. Enjoy."

He cut the call and Sebina just sat there with her mouth open. What the hell?!  She swallowed with slight difficulty because of the shock.

Faizal, whose surname she did not know, had done just about the sweetest thing for her just because of a hunch. She had been starving indeed despite the smile she wore for her clients and all the food places were a bit far away from the garage. He had saved her but he was using money that he probably did not have.

She quickly called him but the phone rang without being picked up, a sign that he was ignoring her. The truth was, whenever somebody spent some money on her, she felt like she owed them so she always wanted to pay them back. Well, except Bert with his dress and shoes. Those were worth an employee's salary and she most definitely wasn't paying him back when it was clear that money grew on trees for him.

"Hey, I am in the middle of meeting," he said. "Can I call you back?"

"Send Faizal's banking details," she simply said.

"I'm not sending my employee's personal info and expect questions after my meeting," Bert said before ending the call.

Sebina glared at her phone before checking if the number Faizal had called her with had mobile money transfer which it did! She quickly did the transfer, a generous one at that, then blocked Faizal's number.