It was Saturday and I had been in my workshop putting together a new small bookshelf since after breakfast. I checked the time, it was mid-afternoon and my wife would be done with lunch. The plan was to take a nap right after lunch and head to a football viewing center after. I prefer watching football matches at viewing centres because of the argument. What is a football match without fans’ sentimental argument?

I stepped into the kitchen through the back door and was welcomed by the aroma of a mouth-watering Afang soup. My stomach rumbled in response and my wife laughed and teased me about how much I love her meals.

“Where’s Nifemi?” I asked. Our daughter likes to hang around the kitchen while her mother cooks.

“In the playroom with Chinedu and Maxy. She has stopped helping me out in the kitchen since Maxy came.” My wife protested, and we laughed it off.

As we had our meals around the dining table, my wife told me about a park that she learned is very close to our home.

“Mrs. Okafor across the street told me about the small park last evening and I informed her that she can bring her furniture over to your mini-workshop for a quick fix at a reasonable amount.” She said.

“Oh thank you, sweetheart!” I responded. “You know, I have been thinking of taking this carpentry business more seriously. Who knows, I could be the Ikea of Africa”

“How do you mean?” She asked.

“You know how much I really love carpentry. I will like to go into it fully soon and be my own boss.” I went on to explain to her how good it will be to save up to start my own business.

Chidinma didn’t look too pleased with the idea and she stared at me like I had suddenly grown two heads, “You would quit a banking job for a start-up carpentry workshop?”

“The plan is to go big,” I responded even though her reaction was making me a little uncomfortable.

“Let’s assume that we can swap banking for carpentry, I still don’t think it’s wise that we both have these big career changes at the same time. I mean we just started saving up for my restaurant business!” She exclaimed.

“Hey… Relax dear.” I glanced anxiously at the kids. Thankfully, they weren’t paying us close attention. “But that doesn’t mean that we can’t save for a workshop too,” I responded, trying to make her see reason with me.

“Where are we even going to get the money from, to start a large-scale carpentry business?”

I thought about the recent changes we made; new housing, the children’s new school and the insurance plans we have in place to save up for my wife’s business and the children’s education plan. We already have so much pressure placed on both of our salaries and we can’t afford to put more strain on it. It also means that now, I couldn’t afford to think of quitting my present job to pursue my passion.

I saw clearly what the challenges were to achieving my dream career. I wasn’t ready to give up without a fight but at the moment, I let things cool down so as not to upset my dear wife any further.

I reached across the table and took her hand. “Okay dear. You have made very good points.”

She sighed deeply and smiled at me.

We continued the rest of the meal in silence, but my mind was busy searching for a plan that will make my carpentry business dream come true. Suddenly, a thought dropped into my mind, a fantastic thought that will see my dream come to fruition.

To be continued next week…