The Man Who Dropped Off a Car

It is a normal Friday evening in Nairobi.

Normal, in that there is more vehicle and human traffic than on other days.

Normal in that everyone is scurrying to their different destinations.

Normal in that everyone is more impatient than on other days.

Stacy has just left choir practice and is anxious to get home. But she has to summon all her reserves of patience to endure the snail-pace traffic.

She and her choir colleague settle down to observe the landscape. After all, if you cannot do anything about the traffic, you might as well enjoy the scene while sitting in it.

Someone in the car in front of Stacy's is getting more impatient than most. And he’s not even the driver but a backseat passenger. He decides to get out of the car, examine the scene, and find out the cause of the traffic jam. Not that he can do much about it.

But, possibly to seem to do something, he walks some two or so cars ahead, keeping on the pedestrian walkway. As if to teach him patience, traffic opens up.

Perhaps in the excitement of making forward progress in this stalemate, or for whatever reason, the driver takes off, not realizing his friend has stepped out of the car.

The one left behind runs after the car, chanting, “Don’t let me down.” He gives up the chase and checks his pockets for his cell phone; he does not have it.

Stacy and her friend witness all this.

They decide to help the Man Who Dropped Off The Car. Stacy drives fast to catch up with the offending car. She changes lanes to drive level with the offending vehicle. Stacy's friend makes frantic signs to catch the attention of the driver and alerts him that he’s left his friend behind.

He doesn’t believe it until he looks behind at the back seat. He pulls over to the side on the one-way street, gets out of the car, and staggers back to look for the friend Who Dropped Off The Car.

It’s Friday evening … (furahi dei in Kenyan lingo; the day of happiness when people drink themselves silly). Perhaps this explains it all.

In typical Kenyan style of curiosity to bear witness to the absurd, Stacy and her friend decide to park by the roadside to see this thing through.

Bad idea, bad idea.

A traffic policeman saunters to Stacy.

Police officer to Stacy: “Why have you stopped your car here?”

Stacy: “We’re waiting for a friend Who Dropped Off a Car.”

“Dropped Off a Car?”

“Yes, he stepped out to see what was causing the traffic jam, only for his friend to drive off without him.”

“Hao ni walevi (Those are drunks). Still, that’s no excuse for stopping here. You’re blocking traffic.”

“We’re not blocking anyone. We’ve parked on the side.”

“You’re arguing with me? Unajifanya mjuaji, ee? (You think you know it all, ee?)

“Please forgive us, officer.”

“I cannot forgive you. I cannot forgive you. I’ll give you a ticket.”

“You can forgive, just as our Father in heaven forgives us.”

“What has that to do with our Father in heaven?”

“The Lord’s prayer says, ‘Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us’. So, you must forgive to be forgiven.”

“Wow, in our job we meet all sorts. Now we meet some religious fanatics. On your way, mad woman.”

Stacy and her friend leave.

***

Two days later, Stacy's brother calls to narrate an incident where he’d stepped out of the car, only for his friend to drive off without him.

“That was you?”

** ** ** **

Thank you for reading!

If you liked this, please add your Insights, leave a Comment, click on a Heart, or give a Tip, Pledge, or Subscribe. I appreciate any support you show for my work.

You can find more of my poems, stories, and articles on https://shopping-feedback.today/authors/wanjiru-ciira%3C/em%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cstrong class="css-1mrz9mz-Bold">