The value of true friendship

Greetings!

It all started when I needed to call a close friend Femi for help with a granite supply for one of my customers. I called him and said,

“Femi, please can I borrow 400k from you for a supply?” “Ah, I'm so sorry, I don't have such funds on me, but if you can wait till next week, I would try and raise something for you,” he said.

I was so devastated and disappointed because I knew Femi had the money, but he was hesitant to lend it to me due to concerns about repayment.

Although he's not obligated to lend me money, our friendship is so close and I've lent him money in the past without being repaid.

It's when he refused to lend me the life changing money needed for my supply that I turned to Shola, a guy introduced to me by Femi.

“Shola, please I need your help,” I said “For what?” He asked, “I have a supply and I would need 400k to do the supply,” I replied. “Sam, I don't have up to that amount in my account but I would check what I have in my account and help you with it,” he said. “Thanks bro,” I thanked him.

So, it's after this conversation that I got an alert of 350k out of the 400k I asked from Shola. In fact, there was no delay for him to send the money and for me to receive the alert. So, immediately I got the alert, him back and said,

“Thank you bro, God bless you real good.” He replied by saying, “Amen.” He continued and said, “ make sure you use the money very well, make your gain and send my money back to me after a week.”

When I heard this, I was happy and at the same time shocked and the only reason for this is that, Shola was not my real friend as such but he was really willing to help me out of poverty, doing what my real friend, Femi who introduced us to each other and got the capacity to help could not do.

Therefore, I did not waste my time to put the money to use. I went to the quarry, got the granite and supplied it to my customer. After the supply and made a huge profit and sent Shola's money to him without wasting. Immediately I sent the money, I called him and said,

“Shola, I have sent you the money, have you received the alert?” He replied and said, “ Let me check, I have seen it.” “Thank you very much,” I replied . "You are mostly welcome,”

It was after this conversation between us that he said he wanted to tell me something and I replied to him that I'm all ears. He said,

“Did you know the money I borrowed from you was the money kept with me by Femi?” I replied to him and said no. He said, “Immediately you called him and asked him to borrow you money, he called me and sent the money to me, saying, Sam just called me and asked me to borrow him money, but I have vowed not to borrow him and that is why I told him I have no such amount in my account.” He continued and said, “He told me not to let you know, but because I wanted to help you, I risked it and thank God you paid back on time.”

When I heard this, I was shocked but decided not to say anything. But thanked Shola for his trust and kind gesture towards me.

So, after few weeks, I got a call from Femi and when I picked the call, he greeted me and said,

“Sam, hope you have done the supply.” I said, “Yes” “How did you raise the money?” He asked “Through a friend.” I replied without mentioning Shola's name.

So, it's when I told him that I got the money through a friend that he started begging me not to be angry with him and I too played along with him without even letting him know what he has done.

Not quite long from that time, he invited me to his wedding ceremony and asked me to be his best man. At first, I wanted to decline his request, but because I didn't want him to feel bad, I accepted the request and did my own part for him without collecting anything from him.

“Sam, you're a great friend and I owe you my appreciation for everything you have done for me,” he said, “what are friends for,” I replied without having anything against him.

This was his statement after the wedding which was so glorious and colorful. I won't lie to you, the wedding was the best of its kind as Femi really spent a lot on the wedding, but I didn't even let that move me an inch as I would always wish everyone that cross paths well no matter what they do to me.

And as for Shola, a friend I got to know through Femi, he has always been there for me even after the first assistance he gave to me. He's really God's sent and without God and without him, I wouldn't have been where I'm today. Maybe Femi too would have helped me, but because of his frugality which I understood, he could not.

Thanks for reading.

The pictures are mine.