Tara: A Baker's Adventure

011

"On a scale of one to ten with ten being super mad, how angry are you? Eleven? Now, I know you're really pissed, but-" 

"It's fine, Uche, it doesn't matter," I wasn't angry at all, and I was surprised. This morning, I would have gone all dinosaur on him, but here I was, more tired than angry. 

"You don't want to know what happened?" He seemed surprised, but he maintained his distance and for the first time today, I felt unapproachable. 

"What happened, Uche?" I sighed. 

"First, I did take the wrong cake. The cakes were somewhat similar, you know that," he paused, "but I didn't realize this on time, and by the time I did, I thought I could just get it to its destination and come back. There was enough time for that. 

"But on my way back, these SARS guys stopped me--" 

I looked up at him sharply, "Really?" 

"I spent most of the day in their smelly van." 

"What happened?" I moved to where he sat. 

"So, I was driving back from the mainland, and they stopped me somewhere at that Carter Bridge side. They asked what I was up to like we were friends, and I told them I was on my way back from delivering a cake to a customer 

"Next thing, they asked for my phone and said that a common delivery man wouldn't be using an iPhone." 

"You didn't tell them you're not just a delivery guy?" 

"No, I felt it would have led to more questions." 

"Okay, okay," I nodded. "Then what happened?" 

"They asked me to get into their van, and I said no politely, but when I saw one of them using style to flash his gun at me, I locked my car and got in their van." 

"Where did they take you?" 

"I swear they spent the next hour driving around Lagos and picking up young guys like me. One of them eventually grew the balls to ask where they were taking us to and they said they were taking us to the police station 

"Funny enough, no one protested, but at this point, I just dey shake inside my jeans guy. The police men sha started talking to each other in hushed tones, until one of them said they wouldn't take us if we could pay 20k each." 

"Can you imagine?" I shook my head. "How many were you guys?" 

"Seven of us," he answered. "That's how they ended up driving from us one ATM machine to another. You withdraw the money, they let you go on the spot." 

"But there was a time you called me. How were you able to get your phone?" 

"So, when they stopped at an ATM for me, I came up with one stupid lie about me not remembering my pin and that it was on my phone. They gave me the phone instantly, those idiots. I could have texted you, I know, but I needed you to hear the things they were saying behind me." 

"I'm so glad you're okay," I sighed.

"I-" 

"Listen, Uche. I think I should reach out to a dispatch company, so we can work together for the delivery aspect." 

"Are you firing me?" He had a small smile on his face that somehow caused me to laugh. "Uche, come on. Who knows what would have happened to you today? If not for God, I would be here panicking by this time." 

"What happened to me today could have happened to anyone." 

"Yeah, I don't know what I would do if it's you in particular. And it's not just what happened, it's also- look, I also couldn't get that cake delivered today."