Kathrine: I’m An Orphan But I Won’t Do It – Episode 11
“What have I done? Oh my Gõd, what have I done?” I said repeatedly, pacing around like someone lost in an unfamiliar place, trying to find her way.
It was already late due to traffic and due to the large distance between places in Lagos. I had just one opportunity to make a move before nightfall. If I made the wróng move in search of the hairstylist, I’d have to spend the night right there or risk roaming in the night, which I was never ready to do.
“Who has the handbag? Do you know her? Do you have her number? Is there a way we can reach her? Do you know where she stays?” the security guy said as he stood up and walked up to me.
“I know nothing about her, and the first time we met was on the bus on my way to the bank. The only thing I know is that she’s a hairstylist, and I got to know that from her discussion with her colleague on the bus who claimed to be a drop-shipper.”
“I’m not even sure if they’re truly who they claim to be. I’m just quoting them and know absolutely nothing about them,” I said, as I fought to hold back my tears, refusing to let them fall.
“What do I do now? It’s getting late. I can’t find my check and also can’t find my house key. Isn’t this too much for a tēēnægēr to bear? Why am I going through all this? What did I do to deserve this?” I muttered bitterly under my breath.
“Wait a minute, did you just say she’s a businesswoman? If that’s true, then her business card must be inside this bag,”
“Very good! I found it. Come take a look. Her number is even boldly written on the back. Dial the number quickly,” the security guy said.
I rushed to him, grabbed the card, dialed the number, and called her immediately. It rang, but she didn’t pick. I called again, it rang, but she didn’t pick. I called five times; they all rang, but she didn’t pick.
I became skeptical and began to doubt her personality and integrity, wondering if she saw the call and refused to pick on purpose. She had just lost her handbag containing valuables, and so had I.
It was expected of both of us to be vigilant and perhaps expecting random calls, let alone seeing them and refusing to pick. Only a th!ef would do that, willing to risk their loss to win something better.
I began to lose my tēmpēr and called for the sixth time, hoping she would pick up so that I could unleash my ræge over the phone. As usual, it kept ringing, and just when it was about to stop, she picked up.
My page is yet to reach 1k followers. Please after reading this story, kindly follow Joshgenius JG Page I’ll drop a sweet story there tomorrow. Don’t miss out 😊
“This is Folake Katherine. Am I speaking to Mrs. Abigail Adams?” I said.
“Yes, you are. Please, how can I help you?”
“I’m currently at Guarantee Trust Bank. We boarded the same bus on my way to the bank, and unfortunately, I took your bag instead of mine. I only realized it when I arrived at the bank.”
“Are you serious? I’ve been restless since morning, jumping from pillar to post in search of my handbag because it contains very vital information that I just can’t afford to lose. I’m even close to that bank. This is a miracle. Please remain there, and please do keep it safe. I’m coming right away,” she said, readjusting my belief and reassuring me that my perception at that moment about her was actually wrong.
“Okay, but please do also remember to come along with my handbag,” I said. Unfortunately, she ended the call while I was still speaking.
I wanted to call again to remind her, but the security guy said I shouldn’t bother because there was no way she’d leave with her handbag without bringing mine. If she forgot it, she would have to go back and bring it.
That sounded like an unwanted risk because it was getting late already, but I mellowed and didn’t call again.
We waited for 30 minutes, and suddenly, a taxi pulled up in front of the bank. The security guy should have left already because it was almost 6 pm, but since the woman said she was close by and was coming, he decided to wait and see the end of the whole thing because he was scāāred that the woman might be an imp0stēr and hence could r0b or k!!dnæp me.
He asked me if that was the woman, and I said yes because she was chubby and in fact, was still wearing the same dress she wore on the bus.
She walked up to us; we exchanged pleasantries, and I was happy to see her holding my handbag. She gave it to me, and I gave her mine. We both checked to confirm that everything was intact.
Streams of joy flowed through my heart as I opened my bag and found my check intact. Although my things were scattered, I reckoned she did that when she was looking for a means to contact me, just like I did to hers.
She was extremely glad, as much as I was, to see that not even a single pin was missing from her bag.
“What’s your name again?” she asked. “Katherine, Folake Katherine,” I replied.
“I don’t know how to thank you for this. I’m just… I never thought I was going to see this bag anytime soon, let alone find it intact. What do you do? Where do you live? I can’t let this act of kindness and integrity just go by without rewarding it,” she said, and I looked at the security guy in wide-eyed wonderment, not knowing what to say.
“Don’t be sçààréd, speak up. She doesn’t look susp!cious. Go ahead, seize this opportunity,” he said, encouraging me to feel relaxed and answer.
“I’m… I’m not doing anything yet. I lóst my mom a month ago, and I was actually coming to the bank to claim the only asset she left behind for me before I got caught up in this mishap.”
“I was actually lost in your conversation with your colleague, Victoria, if I am not wrong, on the bus, especially because I needed someone who would advise me on what business to do with the móñey my mom left for me.”
“That was actually what made me take your bag in place of mine. I got lóst in thoughts,” I said, awakening the nostalgic feeling of the past which made me emotional.
“Oh my Gõd, you’re so small, and yet you’ve been through so much in life. I’m so sorry for your lõss. Who do you live with? Or you know what?” she said as she opened her bag, brought out her business card, stacked it with some móñey, gave it to me, and asked me to come to her shop the next day.”
To be continued ✍️