Sentiments of an unrepentant pushover: Chapter 1

“Hello!” “I hope you are well, I am sorry to disturb you but can you lend me some money?” the voice shouts into the phone. I sigh softly and listen to hear rumblings. “I am in a fix, I spent all my money on my birthday party and now I need money for handouts. Please help me,” she continues.

“You’re the only one who can help me,” she says. I say nothing counting the ten, twenty Ghana Cedis notes in my purse. She moans through the receiver. I still say nothing. “Please Lacey, I don’t want to trail in this course this semester as well. The handouts in total cost 150 Cedis,” she sobs softly. That thaws the ice in my heart.

“Ok, Georgette, I will MOMO it to you this evening,” I replied finally. I almost drop the phone because of the screams I hear from the receiver.

“Thank you, Lacey.” What would I do without you,” she says and excitedly and hangs up. I sigh and drop myself on my bed. The two hundred Cedis in my purse was for a dress I had been saving for but I guess handouts are more important than a dress. I am helping someone achieve something good so I shouldn’t fret too much. I jump out of the bed and hurry out of the room to send my friend the money. Before I leave I hear the word- PUSHOVER.

Evening

I frantically type on my computer trying to finish my project due for the following week. I hear a rasp at the door. In rushes my neighbour with a grimace on her face. “Lacey, please help me,” she says. I groan. What is it this time? Does she need to borrow my blender or cooking oil or toilet paper? “You are my last resort. I have an assignment due tomorrow. I haven’t typed a letter.

Please, can you help me do it? I was so busy watching ‘Game of Thrones’ that I forgot to work on it.” She hands me a paper I hadn’t noticed she was holding. “I’m kind of in the middle of my project. It is due next week. So I cannot help you,” I say softly. She starts pacing the room and keeps murmuring that she is going to flunk the paper. I can’t let the poor girl fail because I couldn’t take a few hours off my schedule to help out.

I reason that since my project is due the following week, I can take time off it to help out a neighbour just like the Bible says we should do. I close my laptop and make space on the bed for her as I spend the entire night hours helping her complete her assignment. She leaves with a smile on her face but I hear the word- PUSHOVER for the second time that day.

by: Melanin Monarch