I’m exceedingly generous. Probably too generous. My family often jokingly says that if I come into ownership of a million dollars that it’d be done in a week, and it’s not because of excessive spending on things that I want. They believe that I would give it all away. If someone is in need, I […]
I’m exceedingly generous. Probably too generous. My family often jokingly says that if I come into ownership of a million dollars that it’d be done in a week, and it’s not because of excessive spending on things that I want. They believe that I would give it all away. If someone is in need, I can’t resist helping.
On March 7th, 2022 I met an Uber Driver: Bright.
Sidenote: I love Uber because I get to meet lots of different people, and listen to their stories. It most definitely adds color to my life.
Back to the story: In this particular instance, my Uber Driver told me that although he drives full time and he enjoyed meeting different people, it was merely a means to an end. What he really wanted to do was storytelling. And he was saving from his Uber trips to purchase a camera.
I’m a storyteller too. I understood all too well being in a situation where you must do things which you are not passionate about in order to be able to do the things which you are in fact passionate about. I most definitely identified with this young man.
The types of stories that he wanted to tell also resonated with me. For the past 7-8 years, I’ve been on a quest to tell African and Caribbean stories authentically. I wanted our food, our dance, our music and our culture to be shared by us and not interlopers. He seemed to have a similar passion.
Even though a few weeks prior, I had already been scathed by another person who I’d tried to help, his story and passion resonated with me soundly enough for me to offer to make my DSLR camera and a newly purchased drone available to this Uber driver who I’d just met. I told him that I was a student and during the semester I’d be spending most of my days in class. The camera and drone would mostly be sitting at home, until I went on vacation. It seemed right to let someone this passionate use it. I also told them that I had just been burnt by someone who I’d tried to help a couple of months prior and that he shouldn’t make me regret this. He pleaded honesty and promised that he’d take care of my devices.
I made the offer, but didn’t loan him my devices that same day. I wanted to actually have time to go on a few excursions with him before I would feel fully comfortable handing him my devices. But he seemed enthusiastic and he texted asking for photos that I’d taken with my camera. So five days after our meeting I told him that he could come for the drone and camera.
Bright took and returned my devices quite a few times, so for the most part, I trusted that they were in good hands. Unbeknownst to me, my trouble would begin on May 11th. I had the camera in my possession, but he still had my drone, and the time where I would need it was coming. I sent him a message on WhatsApp, to which he hurriedly responded.
[9:44 PM, 5/11/2022] Bright: Please I will be in Accra next week friday
Am at my late father’s funeral
I didn’t bring the drone with me here, its secured at my place in Accra so as soon as i get to accra i will hand it over you you 🙏🏾
But I thought nothing of it. He told me that he was attending his late father’s funeral in Kumasi, but he’d be back on the 20th of May and would bring the drone back to me. As per our previous experiences, I had nothing to worry about, or so I thought…