I’m not sure why I’m inclined to write this. But it’s been at the forefront of my mind that I’m going to imagine the universe has a need for it to be told. It’s not one I’ve told a lot of people – but I recently had to tell it again to a younger friend of mine to re-iterate the fact that sometimes we all make mistakes.
Without trying to sound modest, I think I was a pretty good kid. And that continued right up to University. I had friends of both sexes but particularly wouldn’t hang out alone with guys I didn’t know, and my close friends and roommates would often know where I was and who I was with.
So it was quite surprising that this happened. And I often laugh and say to myself that I must have been hypnotised – or just plain silly; or more likely made a mistake.
I don’t particularly remember the finer details of how I met this young man while in my second year at Uni. It must have been on the streets close to my hostel accommodation. But we probably chatted for a little while. He was well built and mentioned that attended one of the private universities in Nigeria. He wanted to chat further, but I had to run. He asked for my phone number and suggested we meet up later. I called out the digits and ran off.
Again, if you knew me back in Uni, I hardly ever gave out my phone number. I was most likely to collect yours – with an “I’ll call you” – which many times never materialised.
Anyway not surprisingly, he calls that evening or maybe the next and said he was outside my hostel if I was up for a quick chat. Now, it was a girls’ only accommodation and dudes weren’t really allowed in. So I mentioned that I’ll pop out to see him.
Two things worth noting: I had bathroom flip flops on and I didn’t take my phone with me. I particularly remember it was charging so I left it plugged in. All of my three roommates were also out of the room, so I didn’t have to mention to anyone who I was going to see. Plus I was only going to be outside the gate!
I get out and we chat for a few minutes. Of mundane stuff that I can obviously not remember. Then he looks at his watch and says something about “oh I’m kind of low of gas and the stations would close shortly. Hop into the car, let me just get some from the station at the school gate”. I particularly remember that the fact that he said ‘gas’ and not ‘fuel’ sort of put me off. Pretty much everyone in Nigeria said fuel, so I rolled my eyes in my head and thought “who is this one forming for?”
How I got into that car, I still do not know. Hence the hypnosis hypothesis. This was someone I barely knew. I had no phone. No wallet. I was in flip flops. No one in the entire world knew where I was or who I was with. Wow!
This next part is a bit fuzzy as It’s been about 10 years this happened. If I recall correctly, he drove past the ‘gas’ station, mentioning something about needing to quickly pick something up from his house. Or maybe he did get the ‘gas‘ but rather than make a ‘U’ turn back into the university campus, he proceeded to drive straight. Either way we didn’t head back to Uni.
All of the alarm bells in my head started to go off and I panicked. I asked him to drop me off, but he said we’d only be five minutes or less. Would I have jumped out of a moving vehicle?
At this point, I definitely began to pray as paranoia began to actively set in.
I don’t even recall how long we drove for. But one thing I do recall was that right there in the middle of the drive, he took off his shirt! And reached to the back seat for another t-shirt which he then wore.
Who the heck is this person, what was going on, and what the heck am I doing here? These were questions on my mind – amidst constant bursts of prayer.
Now we arrive at the house and I have never seen fences that huge. At least, not in Ibadan. It seems like a bungalow, so the fences pretty much enclose the house. It’s dark outside and the house itself doesn’t appear to be lit.
As we drive in and put the car in park, two of the biggest and scariest looking dogs I had ever seen approach the two sides of the window. I think they were bull dogs. I’m surprised I didn’t faint at that point. They were barking up the window while he got down to enter the house.
I didn’t even know what to expect. Would the dogs eat me? Would I be dragged into the house and molested? Would I about to be used for some ritual? I kept praying constantly and calling on God to spare me from what seemed like the valley of death.
Eventually, this young man appeared from inside the house. But it didn’t seem like all was about to end, as an older man appeared with him holding a glass of whiskey and perhaps a cigarette.
Sigh. I thought. “What now”?
The young man entered the car and wound the window down a bit as his uncle approached the passenger side of the car. The dog was still there and kept trying to put its head through the window.
“You’re the one this young man has been going on and on about”. The uncle said. “What was there to go on and on about”, I thought? I barely knew him and we had exchanged only a few sentences. He went to say something about me looking scared and why I shouldn’t be as the young man was going to drop me off in school.
I have never felt so relieved when the gates opened and we reversed out of the house away from the darkness and escorted by the barking of the dogs.
As we drove out, I was certain that I would be willing to jump out of the moving vehicle if need be.
I didn’t stop praying – now including prayers of thanks and gratitude. The need to jump out did not arise. Eventually the school gates were in view.
We drove in and five minutes later, I was right back at my hostel.
I don’t recall saying any goodbyes. But I do recall him apologising over something. I ran into my room trying to think if all of that actually just happened. My roommates were perplexed as to where I had been, and even more so when I told them the story.
I obviously never set my eyes on him again.
I keep wondering. Was it all a genuine incident? Were there any plans to harm me? Would it have made any difference if I didn’t have flip flops on and left with my phone and wallet? Maybe not.
But it could have been helpful if I had refused to get into the car with someone I didn’t know. if I had taken a few more seconds to consider the consequences of my actions. Or at the very least, if people knew who I was with and had his details. There’d have been a starting point on where to look if things went awry.
And for me that’s something to always bear in mind. Particularly in this social media age, where we often meet people online and think we know them enough to meet up with them without anyone knowing, and in private, questionable circumstances or places.
Particularly vulnerable are younger girls and kids as there are predators literally everywhere.
Sharing this and hoping it we stay incredibly aware, safe and prayed up!
Do you think I’m overreacting and it was probably not a big deal? What’s your scariest experience – might be something to learn from it.
Love,
Kachee… Xx
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Endaline
October 13, 2017 at 09:22Wow! That’s some pretty scary experience. And you are not overreacting, in fact, you are under-reacting sef. Had this happened in Lagos, I would have said jazz, probably the “touch and follow” one. That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen in other parts of the country. Glad that the story had a happy ending, and hopefully, people will learn a thing or two about being safety conscious.www.onyixtus.com
RuthsTravel:Because I Believe
October 13, 2017 at 13:15Oh! Kachee. I was so terrified reading. I skipped some lines to be sure you weren’t hurt in any way. I don’t believe you’re overreacting. In this situation, I don’t think anyone can dictate how your reaction should have been considering the circumstances;except, except, you heard the Holy Spirit say, hop in too. Even at that…Even though it wasn’t my scariest moment, I’ve had a very similar experience although in my case I was lost, like, no house in sight, phone dead, 11pm kind of lost and in this case, *deep sigh* after a while, the man asked if I liked men or sex. At first, I reacted like I didn’t understand the Russian he spoke but he demonstrated with his lips in the air. I didn’t need 15seconds to plan my escape. I just found the door handle and was ready to roll out.I can imagine being so surprised at yourself like, “what came over me?”Thank God it’s not a story you or anyone else narrates in tears.becauseibelieveblog.com
Demilade
October 13, 2017 at 13:19I do not think you were overreacting Kachee, I would have reacted the same way when he drove past the gas station. I’m so glad nothing happened to you though, I was alarmed as I read this story. You’re so right, we should always take a minute or two to consider what we’re about to do. It makes a world of difference. Thank God nothing happened to you 🙂 Coco Bella Blog
Ufuoma
October 13, 2017 at 14:02You are definitely not overreacting. I’d have been scared too. No one really knows what his true intentions were but good thing you are fine and can learn and share your story with others. It’s even worse in this Social Media age when it feels like we know everyone personally just because we follow them on Twitter. Being careful and vigilant and prayed up like you said, is the way to go.Thank God it didn’t take a turn for the worst.
'Dara
October 13, 2017 at 14:19OMG!!! I got shrills reading this. You definitely weren’t overreacting. All of the guy’s actions looked fishy. Thank God for saving you because anything could have happened really and no one would have the faintest idea of where you were.
Idongesit Akpan
October 13, 2017 at 19:05Yep….definitely scary! You did well to remain in the car. I think I would have jumped out of the moving vehicle. Lol.My Hairscapades
Bababi
October 14, 2017 at 11:11😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 it’s funny now, must have been really scary when it happened. Luckily, you were unharmed.Let me see, hmmmm, my scariest experiece would be when i snuck in and out of state to visit my bf (now husband). I travelled by road and on my way back, the bus had a fault. It was really late so we had no access to a mechanic and had to sleep on the road. It was sooo scary especially with people telling horrible tales of the possibility of being attacked by robbers.
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
October 18, 2017 at 12:08Those out of state trips to visit boyfriends (espy when no one knows) are just so crazy when things like this happen!. But thank God you were fine.
Desire Uba
October 14, 2017 at 13:21I kept on thinking… This must be a Guest Post… You aren’t over-reacting at all oh, its super weird man, but thank God that all went well.I can only imagine what was going on in your head.Thank you for sharing, we really need to be careful.There are weird people out there. http://www.desireuba.wordpress.com
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
October 18, 2017 at 12:05Lol @ Guest Post. I think I’d indicate where it’s a Guest Post going forward to avoid this. I was super scared, but thank God!
Annie Ejiofor
October 14, 2017 at 16:23I enjoyed the suspense.I remember the last time I was in Lagos. I had been communicating with a ‘friend’ – someone I met via Twitter, and became friends with, for about two years without having met her in person. So, traveling to Lagos, we planned to meet up. I was staying at my Aunt’s. When I mentioned I was meeting up with a friend, I don’t know how they figured we would be meeting for the first time, as I left out that detail. My aunt’s husband asked that I wrote down her name and number, it felt off but I could understand the need to do so and dropped her details prior to leaving. She was female and I trusted her, so I didn’t see the danger. And it turned out well.I met another fellow, while on the same holiday. This time a male, and I was meeting him for the first time. Somehow I agreed to meet up again. On the agreed day, he called and I actually left the house to meet up with him. I didn’t say that I was going to meet up with this fellow, because I could not vouch for him. It felt creepy and I kept wondering what I was doing and even more so, why. So, I thought we were meeting up in an open place or his work place (he is a naval officer, a reason I could attempt to trust him. Lol). On navigating my way and finally getting to where he asked me to meet him, Apapa, I call him and he gives me a direction to come to his house. That he had left the office. I go, “Whaatttt???” Even if I was not thinking and had gone through the stress of getting to that place and spending transport, I told him I could not come to his house for obvious reasons. After failing to convince me and refusing to shift ground or venue, I turned and went home. I did not want my story to read on social media for others to learn from. Plus, I valued my life. Lol.
Bubu Green
October 14, 2017 at 19:47Awww. The fact that it was at night and no one else knew where you went, makes it scary. Poor Boy though. He must have been trying to show you he’s quite a catch and a spontaeneous one at that. Even ‘took you home to see his Mama’, Sorry, his drinking Uncle. Lol. What can we say. You totori-ed his heart. In this day and age though, I won’t try it. I don’t think he meant any harm but the John Grisham suspense moves of his could have gotten anyone riled up. Kachee didn’t die and Tee married her. Yay! Happy ending. ****And….scene!***www.bubusboulevard.com
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
October 18, 2017 at 12:04Oh Bubs! You’re the only one thinking he meant no harm. Ah, everything looked suspicious to me – but guess we can’t really tell!
Lara
October 18, 2017 at 20:17Kachi, you are not overreacting trust me. This happened to me too in unilag, d whole no phone and flip-flops, d pretence being that he quickly wanted to buy movie CDs on unilag road. I actually met d guy through a friend so I trusted that a lil. My own was different sha as he kept on driving and I kept asking where we were going, only to land in an obscure hotel in Lagos outskirts. I was not raped (Gods hand only!!!) But I spent the night locked in a hotel room and crying and begging that I didn’t want to have sex. Honestly, each time I think of this incident, I just know that God was my defence.
Tuke Morgan
November 13, 2017 at 09:53Wow, Thank God o!
Candace McGee
October 26, 2017 at 00:42I definitely don’t think that you overreacted. Unfortunately there is evil in this world and we have to be hyper vigilant of the things and people around us. Thankfully you wound up being safe and living to tell that story. You’re here for a reason beautiful!http://thequirklife.com/