From A Stranger
Greetings!
At a point in my life, I came to believe that what they say about most strangers typically being angels in human form is real. I've experienced this many times, and each time, I couldn't help but marvel at how everything played out.
The most recent encounter I had with a stranger that shocked me was in December last year when I was traveling home for a friend's wedding where I was to be the best man. The journey from my residence to my hometown is about two hours and is very costly due to many stopovers. When I got to the last bus stop, which is the most expensive part of the journey because it involves taking a bike, I was annoyed at how they called out high prices.
As I was still there trying to find a cheaper bike to board, a bike man approached me and offered to take me for the price I was hoping for. I was so surprised because he didn't even argue, which made me a bit skeptical that maybe he had something bad in mind along the bushy road. But I chased off the fear and got on the bike. Along the way, we started talking as we reached the very bad road, and that's when I discovered that he speaks my dialect. So the journey became a smooth one with our conversation. The man was somewhat elderly and rode the bike at an average speed, not like those young guys who fly their bikes at a fast and furious pace, which I actually like because I enjoy seeing myself overtaking everyone on the road. But this man— for once, I didn't mind his slow speed, maybe because we were chatting and the breeze didn't disturb our talks.
When we got to the entrance of my compound, he stopped and my siblings rushed out to welcome me. I was still jubilating with my siblings, yet to pay the bike man, and before I knew it, he was reversing his bike to go. I had to rush to hold his bike and begged him not to be angry because I assumed he was upset at how I was delaying in paying him. When I finally handed the money to him, he smiled and said I should keep it.
"What? Is the man drunk?" This was what my mind quickly pondered on and it couldn't believe. So I had to hold him back and try to force the money on him, but he still insisted that I should keep the money because he just decided to help me. Besides, he mentioned he knew me from some time ago in our church when he traveled with his relative for a Thanksgiving service. Everything was still shocking to me because even if he came to our church as he said, I didn't do anything for him or recognize him.
Well, that's how we dragged and dragged until I finally begged him to take at least N500 from the N2000 he charged, which he didn't accept, but I stylishly squeezed it into his pocket, and he drove off without knowing. My heart was not ready to allow such an elderly man to take me from that far distance and go back empty handed.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to Neoxian City Prompt #18
| Photo used is mine |
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Wait ooo, 2,000 for bike fee to your house? That's kind of too far from the main road
And the man must be a kind man to forfeit such money from you
Such a kind gesture
The thing is very annoying.
Whenever I'm traveling, I usually run to drops. The distance from my base to where I'm going to pick bike is farther than the distance between the bike spot to my home. They're charging it like that because buses don't drop at my villa, they run to the nearest city which their price is always high. So these bikemen are smart and equated it to charge it like that...in a way that either we go and spend more on buses or enter their own😂
I still think either he was drunk or maybe his wife gave birth to twins that day😂
2000 Naira? That's huge. How long could such a distance be? May God bless the man and his family. It's such a kind heart.
Posted using Neoxian City
Mehn, each time I get to the Terminal to board the last bike, it's always annoying because the distance I traveled already is farther and cheaper (bus) but because it's a bike, they charge it exorbitantly because buses don't normally stop there...all the buses run direct to the next city and these bikeman use that opportunity to hit their price like that.
That mean did me well
Thank you for stopping by
You are welcome, bro.
Sometimes acts of kindness comes when least expected. The bike rider needs to earn a living but he wanted to be kind. It is nice that you managed to give him a small portion of the fare. However, some days being kind to a stranger is all that is needed to make someone's day fulfilling.
Posted using Neoxian City
Yeah, the kindness came in a very unexpected manner. He burned his fuel to carry me that far and still collected nothing. That was huge.
Thank you for stopping by
It is interesting that first you thought that the bike trip was expensive and then you basically received it for nothing. That is a very kind-hearted bike rider.
It is better that a stranger surprises us with good behaviour than the opposite. The bike owner probably enjoyed your discussions together and wanted to show his appreciation. Whatever the reason for his generosity - his act of kindness is memorable and made your world a nicer place - certainly on that day.
Yeah, till today I'm yet to pick the main reason he offered such generosity. It was way too much.
Thaaaaaank youuuu!🙌
What a kind gesture, may God bless him
#dreemport
I bought something from one man in the market one time and after a conversation he just decided to dash it to me for free. He said his son might probably need some help somewhere and someone will help him because of what he has done for me.
The man probably had the same mentality too. You should have allowed him to be good wholeheartedly without squeezing that money for him.
#dreemerforlife
#dreemport brought me back here. I must say again that the man is a very kind person.
#dreemerforlife
Okay, I'm not the only one who loves overtaking other bikes. 😂😂
Aw. The man probably loved you from the first time he saw you. God bless his mind heart.
#dreemerforlife
This is a very beautiful story.... More like Angel amongst us 😍... You did well to try and compensate him at least. Well done.
#dreemerforlife