This about about a lady who found love at the back of her car
(Verse One)
What am about to say may sound crazy but it's the truth. Life isn't this perfect wheel attached to a bus but anyway it keeps rotating.
For sure you can tell the ride won't be that smooth or comfortable, but you may be surprised to know how many board it despite of our freedom to choose.
I for instance, i was a cab driver, I didn't choose it but I was. There was no day in my life that I never took the time to look in to the mirror and ask the person in the other end. "What the hell are you doing Miriam?" Disappointedly the answer to the question was always in front of me yet I was too terrified to pick it as my own coz I never wanted to be a cab driver for the rest of my life, I had dreams you know, but following my dreams was like following a pirate off the deck or playing tag with monkeys on trees..." Catch us if you can." They'll say.
As you reply, "ooh, it's on."
Point is, I had given up on my dreams long before all this. So my answer was always, I am doing what I do and probably will be doing what I do. There was no day I'd wished to quit and maybe start a different life somewhere but how do I start to tell My boss who was like a Father to me "I quit."
Seemed easy but not a good idea that a normal person with her own consciousness will think of doing. So i pushed on day by day gathering the little I was paid for who knows what.
But recently, for the past few months, my life dramatically changed to nothing less than interesting, not only talking of my personal life but work life too.
I know what you maybe thinking but it's not it..I wasn't given a promotion but better, Their was this Customer I was and still carrying and he was driving me crazy and still does.
I wish I had to say he was mysterious or irritating maybe too handsome to handle but that was just not it. Most of the ones I carried then were maybe Too private, Quiet, Talkative, seductive, or at times loners but he was none of those, also he was all of them. The first time we met I was sent by my boss to deliver a parcel to an address. It was on a rainy Monday around six in the evening.
Delivering parcels wasn't really my thing but the parcel guy had called in saying he was running late, car trouble he called it. I was available, so Boss Andrews told me me to fill in his boots. I accepted it for the extra change and to boss it was important that it arrives on time despite the rain. Why so I didn't know,he just said the company's fate dependent on it. It was unlikely for Boss Andrews to get that desperate, indeed I had to do it fast. In eight minutes I was at the place, fourteen miles away. I had reached my address, BAD BOYS ENTERTAINMENT plaza.
The place Was nice, it was hard to imagine someone owned the place. Not even the richest organisation in the country could own such plaza. Rumours had it that Lightning Gold retired, his gang ran the place. But those were just rumours for they forgot he writes too, I'd seen his latest books on stores, I could have read them but then I had a phobia with books,sports margarines were the reason I visited the store weekly. After his album RAPS AND LOVE the guy disappeared and it was thought he was no more or retired, according to me I thought he had just upgraded from music to literacy. But whoever he was, he had really nailed it in life to a point he turned street kids to millionaires. Anyway who was I to know, I didn't even know his face.
At the time I arrived it was still raining, so I wrapped the parcel in my sweater then dashed out in the rain towards the reception just upon the buildings entry.
The alley was overcrowded, all seeking refuge from rain, I pushed through and when I did manage I headed straight for the reception.
"Morning sir." I said to the man behind the counter.
"Yes miss how how can help you."
"Am with the fast tracts Uber group and I have a delivery for this address."
"Delivery! you are here early."
"What can I say, am good with cars."
"What happened to the usual guy."
"He has an errand, am just covering for him."
"Okay let me have it."
I gave him the parcel. Then bet him a farewell. On returning back I remembered the rain, the multitude i pushed through in I doubted if it would let me back out, besides mission accomplished why hurry back so I waited for it cool down first. In the multitude there were stories to go around, mostly politics was the ideal topic on discussion. Many propagandas and conspiracies. Not exactly my area of interest but it was time taking just hearing and watching them argue to a point I got lost into it just remembering Ruth, the sister I never had that we used argued with. She'd bring up a topic out of nowhere then resolve to a heated argument that even our parents couldn't solve. While in that state, lost in my thoughts, someone hit me from behind while passing through bringing me back to reality. He seemed to be in a hurry but hurry to go where? it was raining cats and dogs. Ooh, wait, what was that I heard?.. nothing. the propaganda noises had died out people had begun to scatter, rain drizzles were what remained of the great downpour. I barely had enough time to recollect my thoughts that I saw him enter my car like it was his. A middle aged man, probably late twenties or early thirties. Judging by how he dressed,a t-shirt and jeans, the shoulder bag he carried and his footwear, he was local. Didn't ever bother to look for the driver. Before he could think of something funny so I hurried in. Considering he did not move nor shift he seemed like a passenger, but rather an odd one.
"Where to sir?"
"Just drive."
... For he looked serious, like the wrinkles on his face suggested, drive or die. I felt threatened by just his aura after his words I questioned no, no Matter how much I wanted to, so in no objections, I rolled off.
As I did he took out a laptop from the bag he had, it looked expensive, better than the one I had back at home yet I assumed mine was. He flipped it open then turned it on, once on he began typing. As i drove to a place of no destination, he was busy typing.
Normally I'd ask no matter what or who but there was something about him that made me hesitate maybe fear made me not, I don't really know.
Without questions i drove all thou keeping it steady, for sure I was out of my mind but what else could I do? Ten minutes on a straight lane that we came to a junction ahead, about meters away I saw the way diverting into two, I was about to ask which to use but he cut me short by;
"Left, take the left one."
I quietly returned to my previous state. Funny enough he didn't even move, still on his laptop, typing. Next we came about Small Texas, a small town that I thought it may be his destination, almost halfway the town he Suddenly signaled me to pullover, so I did. And from his jeans pocket he removed his phone and dialed a number. Waiting for my payment so that he might get the hell off my car but surprisingly he said to the other person.
"The usual." Then he hung up. What he was talking about I had no idea, I was new to his world how could I understand a thing he had just said. What better was I to do than wait. So I waited. No long after did someone came knocking at my window. I turned to find Josh standing at the other side holding a gift bag. Josh worked for Mr pecky who had a shop. And a cafe. The shop wasn't that big nor the cafe that Josh was assigned to but what made him trend was his hand made delicious juice boxes. Pecky enterprises he called it . It's then that I connected to what he had just said. I lowered the window and he slipped the bag in.
"Here you go miss."
And he called me miss, he called me, his neighbour miss. It's like he never knew me. It's not like he didn't coz at times I usually drop in during my breaks for a refreshments. He usually greets me by name but that day he looked straight to my face and called me miss. It was crepy but anyway I took the bag and passed it behind. Immediately after giving he headed back, I adjusted the window and continued with the journey on his signal.
After about three miles he signaled me off the tarmac and into marram. By then it was dark. It was my first time on that road so off course I was terrified. As we headed on the way became more crepy, trees and shrubs to my left and right and covered in darkness even my headlights couldn't make out the way. After ten minutes or so he Requested for another stop, maybe for a short call I thought, he closed his laptop, slipped it in in his bag and removed his phone then turned to me;
"How much?"
"250 sir."
"Account number?"
"453359827." I said as he took note in his phone. Then he made a call.
" I've texted the info, make it happen."
And he hung up. He seemed authoritative. Next I heard my phone vibrate. On checking the phone I had received five hundred from Bad Boys Entertainment. And to think his surprises were over. The company paid for his Uber fees but it was more than enough..
"Sir, you gave me excess."
" Pick me up at six in the morning and we'll be square, okay."
"Okay sir."
"The other thing, don't call me sir, it's creepy."
"What should I call you then?"
"Don't." He said as he left diving into the bushes leaving me puzzled. Did he mean I was to call him Don't or don't call him anything. Everything about him was confusing. As I left the area for home I couldn't help but wonder to where he was heading to. Maybe one day I'd know or maybe I'd not but I thing I was sure about, I had not seen the last of him.
If only I knew how crazy my life was about to get.
...
(Verse two)
Mornings were Usually my nightmares coz I always saw myself as a girl stuck in limbo. Wake up, go to work, come back home, sleep and the routine kept repeating over and over again, since nineteenth, till twenty seventh. The older I got the more I regretted being there but the job fed me, paid my bills. Who was I to complain? But that morning I woke up with a bright smile on my face very eager to go to work. I didn't know if it was the weather or the date. For the first time I felt like going to work not just to pass time hoping days to just fly past fast but go out and see what the world has in mind for me.
After waking up i did my daily routine, take a shower, brush my teeth and prepare breakfast. By preparing breakfast, I ment, picking a home made cold pineapple juice that I always prepared the evening before. Pineapple were always my favourite fruit. People usually wake up with a warm meal, I liked the opposite, mainly because I hated cooking in the morning but i have other reasons too.
By six I was done from my apartment I went to the garage to pick up my car. I call it mine because it was entitled to me by my boss. The only time I had to return it was on my day off Which I rarely had or when it needed necessary repairs. Once in I started the engine and proceeded to the car wash. It was my daily routine to visit the car wash, who the hell starts a day without cleanliness first. According to my schedule I was to report to work by seven, then being twenty minutes past six meant I was on the right track of time.
After giving in my car I had to sit aside and wait. Normally they would take fifteen minutes, that time they took ten, I didn't even wait for that long. I then paid my fees and was on my way to the base.
Not long after I had departed from the carwash did I receive a call from my boss.
"Hello Boss."
"where are you now Miriam?"
"Am on my way, just three minutes out."
"I've had a weird call from BAD BOYS manager. Who did your pick up yesterday from there?"
"I don't know, a random homeless guy?"
"Well that random homeless guy just called in saying you didn't show up."
"Right, I was supposed to pick him up at six.. I had forgotten, am sorry boss."
"There's no time to apologize, go pick him up. He seems valuable to the company, Make him your number one priority, make sure to drop him off one piece."
"Okay Boss." I said then hanged up.
'Important, how important?' I thought.
According to how he was the previous day, he looked not more than a worker, cleans man to be precise but there was the expensive laptop or maybe the laptop was the one important, i wondered as i made a turn to go pick him. By then the morning light has already struck in. As I drove in between the trees, they were creepy less compared to the first time. Yes, they were nothing but trees and shrubs but they looked kind of beautiful. I even felt ashamed about the thoughts I was having the previous night. Was iscared of beauty?
The surroundings were all trees and shrubs making me uncertain of the place I left him late night. I wasn't sure exactly of the actual place, till I saw him Infront by the road side, standing tall. Seeing him again I got confused inside. Uncertainty to weather it was anger inside I was to feeling or gladness or maybe I felt something else. Either way it wasn't clear enough. As soon as i stopped, he open and hop in and i was on my way. On the way it was as usual the quiet way. On the way i kept looking back, yet he was just quiet. He had no bag on him only the phone which was on the car seat next to him, he himself, his mind was of the window, probably in thoughts.
All the way from his picking point to his destination he said no word. When we reached i pulled over and he dashed out. He was swift, so swift to a point when i turned to tell him we had reached he was already meters away.
I liked quiet customers coz they made my work easier but him...
Now that i had done with him i proceed to the base.
In the company there were always other drivers i was no exception. Yes i was a good driver, even i at times call myself the best coz i was. I got attached to cars since childhood, my first accident was when i was six, it gave me a permanent left foot scar, hence a powerful lesson i vowed never to repeat. Don't use high hills to operate breaks and gear. Playing princess and driving don't mix. I almost lost my leg but since then none was i involved in. I only attended driving classes because i had to have one to operate a car and the classes were free courtesy of Boss Andrews. After then i got the job not the name. First grade drivers were chosen to be personal drivers to important wealthy clients. Grade b took busy streets and town, the rest of us we got placed anywhere, that's how i ended up here. I was nominated for grade A by my boss but elections were not in my favour. The thing is, the rest couldn't bare being led by a street girl.
Well, i was hurt but i made my peace with it long ago, despite the hate i managed to have some friends. So my place of work wasn't exactly paradise but it was home.
But from his destination i reached at work imagine to what i came to find?
...