I’ve always believed that even though we live in a savage world there are still a few good men out there. Suffice it to say I wasn’t disappointed. It all started when I drove down to Ikeja City Mall to get some groceries. The attendant at the car park barrier issued me a ticket and told me it was N200 flat (being a public holiday and unlike during a regular week when it was free for the first 45 mins). I was with my bank cards and the mall had several ATMs so I had nothing to worry about…or so I thought.
After I was through with my shopping I tried to withdraw cash from an ATM and the nearby security guard informed me that it wasn’t dispensing cash. I went over to another ATM but I already noticed the disappointed faces of card holders walking away from the ATM…like Goodluck supporters after he conceded. At this point I knew that I would have to resort to drastic measures – begging. I don’t like to ask anyone for money. But I wasn’t ready to abandon my car so I had to swallow my pride (which was lodged sideways in my throat, if you can picture that) and do the unthinkable in the first shop with a friendly face. I found that face in the Swatch shop.
I hadn’t thought through how I was going to ask for the money (which was just a little over a dollar). What I blurted out was, ‘Hi! I’m going to ask you a question and you can tell me yes or no. I need to pay for my parking ticket and all the ATMs inside and nearby are down at the moment. I wonder if you can lend me N200…(insert awkward silence right here and go get a soda).
The response I got from the smiling sales assistant was, ‘Sure, let me just check if I have change…’. I can’t recall now if I said WTF out loud or in my head but I was damn sure it wouldn’t be that easy especially after my first attempt in one shop out of 30. I collected the cash and asked her if I could payback – she refused. I asked if I could payback in kind with a recharge voucher for her phone – she still refused. All that was left to do was to say a series of thank you’s and moonwalk my ass out of there before I go…
For this N200 gift I would like to thank the Sales Assistant, the entire Swatch management responsible for hiring her in the first place, Ikeja City Mall management for approving the space for the Swatch shop, and last but not least I wanna thank God for making the impossible possible. One love (imaginary audience give a round of applause) 😀
That’s such a great story. Never underestimate human kindness, especially when asked in the right way. I’m sure we’ve all been in a similar position before. xo
Thanks Yvette. If you’ve been in a similar situation to please do share 🙂
Haha. Well, one time, many many years (read… decades?) ago, I had to beg a ride home off some strangers because I had no money for a taxi after my friend had driven home drunk and I refused to get in her car. I didn’t even know what direction the people I begged a ride from were going, but I asked if they could drive me back to my friend’s place so I could get my car. They were soooo lovely and did… and when I got there, my friend’s car was crashed into a tree in her front yard (luckily, not into my car!!!).
Boy! that was lucky (not getting into your friend’s car) and risky (hitchhiking…don’t you watch CSI?). Anyway, I enjoyed the story. Thanks for a trip down Strawberryquick road 😉
Haha. Well, I was desperate to get home. It wasn’t so much hitch hiking as rather approaching someone in the street who may or may not have been about to get in their car anyway….
Lucky you!
That Goodluck Jonathan punchline though…lol
thanks Charles 🙂
lol… on a normal day, in a normal environment, this shouldn’t be a big deal..
but this is Nigeria where nothing is quite normal so lemmy join you in giving Jesus a wiper….
lol, thanks. Glory be to God.
There is hope. There are still good people in the world. 🙂
…and we’re some of them 😀