I had met an angel…

“UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” I texted him.

I just remembered of some incident that once happened, and it made me realize that angels don’t only dwell in heaven, but they live among us.. Might be the person next to you, and guess what?. You might also be the angel sent to someone who is at their lowest point, almost losing hope.

10th December, 2018, was the date. it was the last day of my exams, and I was in such a hurry to get to an annual meeting held by our academic sponsors. I did not want to miss, so immediately after I was done with the exam, I grabbed my bag, crossing fingers that I would get there on time, after all, better late than never right? Sent a quick text to the madam in charge, letting her know I might run a bit late, but she never replied. But as fate would have it, the traffic was so awful, but yes, I was going to assign my blame on something. What else would fit perfectly if not an excuse for heavy traffic?

Darkness was setting in, and I got there, few minutes to 7pm. I instantly texted one of the coordinators who are usually in charge of us, letting them know I got held up doing my exam, but nevertheless, I made a point of getting there as soon as I could. On reaching at the gate, the guard was astonished, telling me that everyone had proceeded to the place that had been reserved for sleeping, for those who usually come from far, since they couldn’t go home at night. “But me contact the organizers, they are still in a meeting, perhaps one of them will come down and address your issue” and I gave him a weak smile, my heart already beating, the phone in my pocket ringing endlessly , and I knew it was my mum,worried sick, wanting to know if I got there safe and sound .

I am not sure if you’ve ever been stranded, so far away from home, with no fare absolutely, since you had anticipated that you would get some cash from some place at the end of a meeting or something of that nature, but you didn’t get anything.

As the lady stood there, two gentlemen at her side, here’s what she told me, ” Joyce you are a grown up, I expected you to know better than this. What time are you coming for sure? What do you expect me to do?. There’s no way I can help you. ”

With my mouth feeling so dry, my throat so congested from what I knew not, I feebly, told her, ” I’m sorry, but I had an exam. I actually texted you, that I would run a bit late, then there was traffic, reason I got here late” and I could feel the tears in my eyes ready to gush out any moment, since she would hear none of it.

“Get in the car, will we drop you off at the highway, that is the same place Mr James will also be dropped off, then you can catch a bus to school” the lady continued. And as I got into that car, feeling so belittled , so hurt, I wondered, yes you will drop me off at the highway, but what’s next?. I have no fare on me, not even a single cent. And tell you what, I broke down there and then, trying so hard to muffle my cries as I sat on one corner of the car, gazing outside at the busy street, cause yes! That is where I would have spent the night. There was no warmth in the car, even as they went on, talking of work and how the day had turned out, complaining of how students failed to bring their transcripts, and so on. I didn’t really care about what they talked of, complained about, or laughed at. All I was thinking of, is how I was going to spend the night out in the streets, avoided picking my mum’s call, cause that was all it would take for me to cry endlessly, just by hearing her voice, on that other end.

Maybe if I got there on time, I would have received my incentive, just like everyone else, that is some few thousands, enough for transport, food for that night, send some to mum back at home, and still have enough to last a few weeks back in school. But no, that wasn’t the case, none of it would happen.
I literally held on to my chest,feeling like my heart would fall off, my mind reeling with unpleasant thoughts, Mr. James sat on that other side, the lady riding shotgun, and the other guy whom I didn’t bother knowing who he was, was driving. Must have been his car, that was quite evident.
As we approached my drop off point, a text beeped, and this time, I took my phone from the pocket and guess what guys?. It was a text confirming that I had just received 800ksh from James Mugandah. Tears fell on my screen. For a moment there, I was shocked, I couldn’t believe my eyes. My current balance had been 0.00, and now it was loaded. This was a miracle!!!. I raised my tear wrecked face and looked at him, and even in the dim light that had penetrated itself in the car, he smiled and nodded at me. It was a smile of saying sorry for all that had befell me, a smile of saying that he understood what had just happened, a smile that assured me everything will be okay.

We both got off, his jacket well clenched in his hand, pushing his spectacles with his finger. “Joyce, I am heading the opposite direction, but please make sure you let me know when you get to school ” a nod and a weak thank you was all I managed. As he disappeared into the crowd, I stood by a kiosk that was behind where the people waited to board a bus along the highway and cried so hard, no muffling, no holding it in this time, as I looked towards where Mr. James had disappeared to, and I told myself” that was an angel, i just met an angel” and looked into my phone, at the text, once again, holding the phone to my chest.

When I finally composed myself, brushed off my tears with the back of my hand, I boarded a bus, and i was riding shot gun, the music volume was so high, but I didn’t mind, it sounded just right. I called my mum, narrating what had happened, and among all the things she said what I recall her saying, was” God bless his good heart”

Once I got to Juja, which is the small town where the campus is located, I got to a cafe and it was almost 9:30 pm, ordered a plate of hot fries and looked at the mirror in front of me, and the reflection of my sad face, eyes swollen from crying hit me, but if anything, I felt so grateful that I was safe, and that I had gotten something to eat, after a long day of having done 2 exams on an empty stomach, the verbal spiel jabs, and the angel who had just saved me when I thought I was done for.

On entering the school gates, I texted him that I was safe and sound, grateful for what he had done for me and that I would always be grateful for that.
“I am glad to know you are safe and already in school.”

As I walked from the gate to the hostel, it made me realize that unless someone like him had not cared a whole awful lot, nothing would have been better.
Guys, I felt so emotional while putting this piece down on paper, wondering why I had never shared it before.

So, have you ever had someone come through for you, when you least expected it? and thought, wow!!