For a minute there I ruminated on what to caption this…

A few days ago, I finally collected my West African Senior School Certificate for private candidates, more popularly known as “GCE Certificate” after *ticks off fingers*…fourteen years. *chuckles

I mean, it was not the fact that I was able to rationalise to myself as to why I needed to collect it (bearing the somewhat high fees in mind) when I had alternative certificates I could use and had indeed been using over the years for the same purpose. It was not even the fact that I had a sophisticated examination to write the following day. Rather, it was the fact that I was able to collect the certificate in spite of the odds and turn downs I had initially gotten.

So, after having a discussion with myself as to why I should collect the certificate beebee, I proceeded to the WASSCE office, arriving at a few minutes shy of 12:30 pm. My first obstacle awaited. The security personnel informed me with a note of finality that they had stopped attending to requests for the day, and with a note of dismissal, crooned, “come back tomorrow!” But you see,  the cab fare I had incurred to get to the office was a good propeller and like the adrenaline that it was, I begged to try my luck. I was not even going to begin to roll my eyes at the fact that government parastatals should be open for business till 4 pm on working days.

Having gained entry through the door, I began the forage to locate the appropriate office amidst friendly and not so friendly directions from staff and visitors alike. When I eventually located the relevant office, I was informed that I ought to have arrived around 8-9 am as they would indeed stop attending to requests by 12 pm. When it seemed like my entreaties to be considered were falling on deaf ears, I proceeded to book for my cab ride back home, mentally pinching myself that all that expended cab fare had fallen to nought.

As luck would have it (although I did not think it was luck at the time), my cab driver was taking forever to arrive and on a whim while waiting, I inquired from an official as to whether a third party would be permitted to collect the certificate on my behalf if I gave such party the required documents. The official declined, insisting the certificate could be received by only the person named therein.

Resigning to the unlucky fate that made me waka to the office rather than revising for my exams, I began trudging out. Just as I got outside the door, this official called me and told me to find out from some of her colleagues whether they would be willing to make an exception in my case and assist me.

Feeling like I had nothing to lose, after all the cab had still not arrived, I made the necessary inquiries. The heavens smiled on me and an exception was indeed made in my case.

At the point of collecting the certificate, the particular official who kick-started my receipt of favour, discovered from the certificate, that her first son was born exactly eight months before me. Small world huh?

At the end of the day, sometimes all we really need is that additional extra push that just might make all the difference because impossible really can be nothing.

Cheers to a fulfilling weekend and please do not mind this my occasional epistle 🙂

– Adefolake

*photo credit: http://www.google.com