MY FIRST 419 EXPERIENCE - A TRUE LIFE STORY – PART 2

                                    ……Continuation

Just before we got to the destination, the stranger pointed out the place to the old man. I couldn’t even see where exactly, but I was relieved. As I was about making my way back, the old man made me wait behind with the stranger, who sat me down under a tree and began to talk to me about good deeds. My face looked as if it was paying attention but in my head I was so pissed and promised not to refuse any money they would give to me as a reward. I don’t usually do that at all, especially with old people, but these men got me so mad.

A few minutes later, the old man returned; feeling all grateful, shook our hands and wanted to reward both of us - The moment I was waiting for. It was at this point that, I’m pretty sure now, was hypnotism. The weirdest move after that moment was when he took us both to sit behind the walls of Accra High School. I didn’t give a second thought to how crazy the idea was and how he was being secretive with the whole gesture. I followed them like a dog.

Well, I can’t remember much from this point but when we were there, he pulled out the gold, which I’m most certain now that it wasn’t even gold, and rubbed it in my hair to prove that it was magnetic in way. Being the first time to actually see and hear such a thing, I just followed. He told me he was going to give me a bigger share than that of the other man. He began to explain to me how I could expand my small piece of gold using my phone and money and told me to bring them out to demonstrate. He asked me if I had a mobile money account too and made me open it right before his eyes; where I punched in my code twice. I gave him the GH¢40 I withdrew including my phone and he even suggested that I’d bring my laptop out if I had it (imagine my mood at the moment I was writing this). I just thank God I didn’t have my laptop with me. just when he was wrapping up the gold with my properties in his handkerchief, he told me to look around to see if anyone was coming. Foolishly, I obeyed.

He placed the wrapped item in my pocket himself and told me not to open until I got home. I was stupidly excited about the good news and reward and couldn’t wait to brag to my friend. When I got to the hostel, I was all happy and empty handed. My friend asked: “where is the food?” (at this point you can correlate this scene with the story of jack and the beanstalk, when his mum asked what he did with the cow)

After narrating the whole story to him, he looked at me in disappointment (like the emoji that has the hand over the face) and told me I’d been duped. I strongly doubted at that time and he dared me to unwrap the item. Now this is where the shock struck! I couldn’t believe my eyes. STONES!!!!

But why? I couldn’t fathom the whole story. I was confused. My senses had just crawled back in and the scenes re-narrated in my head. I was broken. Indeed, men don’t cry but I couldn’t hold back the pain either. A phone that wasn’t even six months old and GH¢40 that could feed two stomachs and still serve as offering to the Lord. It turned out that the stranger that directed us was also an accomplice. Aww! I cried very hard as I rolled uncontrollably on the ground as if I had lost a relative. It was so sad to even think of men old enough to be my granddads, would do such a thing to me. my whole weekend was ruined. I couldn’t even study for the next paper.

A couple of days after the tragic predicament, I felt like a dead man walking towards the examination hall. Sitting before my paper, all I could think about was how those old men swindled me but I had pick myself up. It wasn’t the end of me after all. That first experience thought me a lesson. There is so much evil in this world such that the common good ethics we’re taught are now used against us. Others narrate to me that even when strangers ask for time or beg for money to find their way somewhere, it’s all just a scam. Beware and stay cautious at all times; for the devil lurks in every corner.