It’s your car, not you!

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 A story is told of a man called James who had a very interesting encounter with a group of guys at a traffic intersection he uses every single day. I saw this story some 24 months ago and thought, his experience was interesting and strange until a similar thing happened to me at N’Adom’s school on the last day of school in December last year. Let’s talk about the experiences of James first after which I will share mine with you.  

James drove a BMW X6. Those who are into cars know the caliber of a BMW X6 car. If you have no idea, just Google it. Whenever James got to the traffic light at Opeibea in Accra, the boys who wipe car windscreens for coins rush to him, smile, and attempt to clean his car windshield. He always prevented them from cleaning his screen, but that did not stop them from smiling at him, showering him with their usual praises “Boooorsuu, Honorable, Chief Justice and to a point IGP”.  He always gave them some “coins” because he was of the notion that these boys at the traffic light liked him.

One fine afternoon, he was returning from town as usual. When he got to the Opeibea junction, the boys were there but did not attend to him. He wondered.  He wanted to give them a bundle of cash that day because he had struck a good deal, was “liquid” and besides it was a time to share in the spirit of Christmas, December 24th.

He beckoned them to come but they ignored him. For a moment he wondered again and then he realized, he was not in his usual BMW X6. He boarded a taxi because his vehicle had developed a fault on his way back from work so the mechanics had picked it up for repairs. He realized that it was not him the boys liked, it was his flashy, luxurious vehicle. This reality hurt him.

I take my son to school every morning during the week. The school has a bunch of security men in the school who direct traffic within the school compound and outside because the school is in a traffic-prone area.

There is one particular security man who has a “JJ Rawlings military look”. This man is always the last one you will see driving out of the school compound. Anytime I drove towards him to drive out, I honk at him and wave him goodbye. He waves back or sometimes gives a half salute just before I drive past him. I always enjoyed the drive-out experience out of the school because of this security man. I still do enjoy it even to this day because I still honk at him and I get the wave back.

On the last day of school in 2022, I decided to go pick N’Adom from school and give this security man GHC 50 as his “Our Day” gift. When I got to the school, could not get a parking space within the school compound so had to park outside and walk through the school gate to go pick up my ward. As I approached the main gate, I put my hand in my pocket ready to dish out the GHC 50 and give it to this security man who I have been greeting on my way out every day. At this point, he was about 10 meters away from me.

When I got close to him, he looked at me as if he had not seen me before. He did not even greet or smile at me. I was so surprised and disappointed to the extent that, I instinctively released the money back into my pocket and walked passed him like I had nothing planned for him.

Walking back past him to my car after picking N’Adom, I asked myself several times why he didn’t smile at me, greet me, or even wave or salute like he does when I drive past him every morning. Was it because I was not in my car that afternoon? I was so disappointed that day.

Most people show you respect and behave well towards you because of your possessions and what they think they will get from you. If they do not see you as having many, they will or may shy away from you.

Don't be surprised whenever this happens to you!

This writeup is dedicated to my late father, Nana Serfor Kagyah II, who would have celebrated his 87th birthday today June 2nd. He called me Wofa Ampong Kwesi naming me after his uncle. 

Wofa Ampong Kwesi writes to share his life experiences to help you learn the lessons so you can live a better and fulfilled life. 

Think positive, be positive, and stay blessed. 

Email the writer at wofaampongkwesi@gmail.com

 

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