When The Boda Rider Falls
Lessons in Reading the Signs
There have been moments in my life when the writing on the wall was clear to everyone—except me. Whether it was the end of a season, rejection, being taken for granted, or emotional abuse, the signs were all around, but I chose not to see them.
One such instance stands out vividly.
I was waiting for a service when the said service provider – motorbike rider (known locally as a Boda) arrived 15 minutes late. As the gate opened wide, I watched in disbelief as he struggled to maneuver through it. Then, in what felt like slow motion, he fell flat on the tarmac, bike and all.
I was stuck in my chair, thinking, Is he okay? What just happened? For a split second, I imagined something as ridiculous as him slipping on a banana peel—anything to lighten the growing sense of concern.
He was quickly helped up and walked over to me. I asked if he was alright, and he assured me he was fine. Then, as if nothing had happened, he sat next to me, answering one phone call after another. Despite being late and flustered, he assured me he took his work seriously, and we agreed on a delivery date that felt almost too good to be true.
Fast forward to delivery day—nothing arrived.
Looking back, I realized I had ignored all the signs. He was late. He struggled with simple tasks like entering a wide-open gate. He was distracted and preoccupied with his phone. Yet, I chose to trust him, because I wanted the service so badly.
The lesson? When the Boda rider falls, take it as a sign. Trust your intuition when something feels off. It’s often better to walk away rather than hope for the best when everything is telling you otherwise.
Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. The writing was on the wall, and now I see it clearly.