We know you want a job but please, do not show us you are desperate. I lost my job months ago because Miss Rona came between me and my boss. I had to let go. Since then I have been on the lookout for another job.
I remember being excited about this year’s birthday. My conscience was a hundred percent convinced it would have been exceptional. I was still in it pushing for things to happen.
That day(21/06/2020), I picked out my best photos from my Google drive to post because that is what most people do -wish themselves happy birthday by posting nice photos of themselves on social media with beautiful captions.
As always, on your birthday, friends post your photos on their timelines and Whatsapp status. There is this one friend, who after posting my photo, texted me that someone wanted to know if I have ever acted.
It sounded both exciting and a joke to me. First, I have never acted in my entire life not to mention opposing a motion (that says a mother is better than a father) during those primary school debates. Secondly, it felt good to know that someone could see an acting potential in me(yeeeeiiy).
I asked one of my friends to tell him I have never acted and he proceeded to ask if I could try. ” Why not? Life is about trying out new things and new ventures. I can give it a try”, I told myself feeling excited.
The film to be shot was on Covid-19 and they had landed on a United Nations sponsorship to do a short film on the effects of Corona and how it affects the younger generation-the teens. The United Nations part excited me the most because it is a big organisation that anyone would wish to be associated with. My friend doubted it but I was too curious so I asked her to give him my number.
Not content with the response my friend gave him. He texted confirming if I wanted to be part of the project they were about to start. I said “yes” and he asked me to send four full photos of me which I immediately did. He said he will get back to me at a later date.
Having lost my job, I had all the time to do things like trying out TikTok dances. That night I posted a video of me “trying” to dance(not really dancing) on my status and he commented on it inviting me for a shoot which I had only one day to prepare for.
He told me the costume for the shoot was a dinner dress because the shoot was more of a party shoot. I wanted to go buy one but the money I had could not allow me. The little money I had I was saving to use as fare in case I was called to start working for a job I had already secured just waiting to be called. I had to pick a dress from the ones I did not want to wear because that was the only way to go about it. The next day in the evening he texted me the place we were to meet.
After picking a dress that night of course with the help of my two beautiful and thoughtful sisters, I slept and woke up very anxious. I did not know what to expect having never acted before. Besides, I felt my outfit was going to be the worst compared to others(self-esteem issues).
I am not the girl that parties so dressing for one always eats up a part of my brain rendering it useless trying to figure out what to wear. That morning, I wore my dress and asked my sister to paint my nails green – who goes to a party with unpainted nails? To be on a screen you must look good. I put on my flat doll shoes and said a quick short prayer(God help me) then left the house. I swear the painted nails did not dry up well. I was in a hurry and was running late. No one would want to screw up their first meeting by being late.
I was aware of where to get a vehicle to the meeting point. So I quickly boarded one and told the Conductor not to forget the stage I was to alight at. I did not know the place. I don’t know what you always do when you don’t know the stage you are to alight. But what I do is sit next to the conductor and remind him every second in case he tries to forget. I alighted and said ”Nimefika”(I have arrived ). So he gave me directions on where to head to from the stage.
All this time I thought the meeting point was an office but I was shocked to be directed into a not-well furnished bedsitter. He came to meet me at their gate and welcomed me into his bedsitter. The first thing he did was give me a tight hug. Those hugs you feel your breast almost making a hole on someone’s Chest? It was the first time I was meeting the guy, just so you know. The act sent the wrong signal but I ignored it.
I sat on the edge of his bed(there was no chair, not even the common plastic seat), and after he closed his door and drew his curtain(which was weird. Why draw a curtain during the day? ) he joined me and sat on the other edge of the bed. We started talking and in the process, he showed me the videos they had shot so far on his laptop.
The videos were good though they were not as good as I had pictured in my mind. He then gave me a printed script and explained to me my role in the act. It sounded hard to do. I was to assume the role of news anchor for a local university Television station. I always watch the likes of Lilian Muli and Betty Kyalo present news and admire how fluent, articulate and fast they are but have never thought of myself being them. Speaking English is hard, and speaking it fluently is the hardest. ” Are you ready to start practising? ” He asked. I kept quiet for a second and
responded ” Yes we can start but give me time to read and get the lines in my head?”.” Take your time, when done tell me we start”. He urged me to relax and not be worried, that it was a very simple thing which he will guide me through until I get everything right. “I believe in you. I know you can do it,” he added. It was kind of him to say all that because it helped send the fear in me away. Some minutes passed and I felt ready to start practising.
“We can start,” I said. I requested him to give me another role, unfortunately, he said there was no other role. “All shall be well I will couch you until you grasp the concept”, he affirmed. I felt fearful but excited(mixed feelings).
Before we began he asked me to stand just before him so he can show me how to stand like a news anchor. I innocently moved closer to him. He was the instructor I had to follow rules. Standing next to him, not so close having kept a distance, he moved his body closer to me then asked me to start reciting my part in the play as if I was on a stage. Before I opened my mouth, I got distracted because I felt his palm on my waist and his dick slightly in contact with my bum. I quickly moved away from him.
He saw my reaction and ignorantly asked what was wrong with me. I did not tell him at first. I decided to ignore it. Maybe I misread everything in my overthinking mind. So I got close to him again, keeping the distance between us. The same thing happened, again and again, all through the practice.
I am this patient human being who always gives people time to change but I did not see him do so. He had something in his mind. I got mad at him and asked him an honest question. “Is this what you do to all the ladies who get interested in acting thinking they will be genuinely coached and trained to be good actors because from what I am seeing you have no respect for ladies?” He did not respond. ” If that is the case, I am out, ” I added.
” Usikuwe Hivyo, please suck my tits that is all I am asking for ”, he said. I told him NO. I came for a shoot and not to suck your tits. If it were part of the shoot, then you could have stated it before our meeting. He was disappointed. “Why don’t you want to suck my tits?” he shamelessly asked. I can not walk around sucking men’s tits in the name of having been requested. Are you even serious with your life? How many young girls have you lured into this just to molest them? I know I am not the first person. There are many before me. He silently went through his phone. The training stopped.
I sat on the bed still waiting for the shoot and my ten thousand which he said I will be paid hahaha. He started making calls and texting. The shoot was to begin at 1:30 but it was now 2:30 with no communication. I asked what time we were going for the shoot and he said in a few there was a little bit of delay. We left the house and on our way, he received a call and I heard him saying he is going to pick a camera from somewhere. After the call, he gave me another man’s contact and gave me directions to where the shoot was to happen.
We parted ways. I got into the bus and headed to the shoot. 20 minutes later I got a call from the man he gave me his number. He told me the shoot started late and my part was to be shot either late in the evening or the next day in the morning. With the curfew in mind, I told him the next day will do and he hung up.
So I made a call to the one who was training me and told him what the other guy said thinking he might help me get fixed on that day’s schedule so I don’t come back the next day. ” I don’t know what you agreed with him. Do what you agreed on with him. You know you are a first-time actor and your video takes will be many that means, It will take so much time to achieve a clean shoot. So the only option was next day.” he said.
I got disappointed in myself for being stupid and naive and felt bad for the ladies who had fallen into their trap. When I got home, I just laid on my bed and had some rest. I was too embarrassed to tell my sisters the outcome after being so excited about it in the morning. I knew they would laugh at me.
I promised myself not to go back the next day of course after talking to a friend who was willing to listen and empathize with me. Since then I have never got a call from either of them.
Be kind to this generation with broken souls and with hearts thirsty and hungry for growth and that means they can do anything to see themselves grow. Peace.
