Punished for what I knew nothing about

The purr of the rain was soothing as I sat back at my desk, happy that I’d finally finished my schedule of work for the day.  I leaned back against my chair and reached for the TV Remote control but restrained myself.  It was already 10:00pm and any TV viewing should be done at home, I reprimanded myself.

My telephone beeped twice.  It was my assistant.

“There is someone here to see you sir,” he announced with some measure of disapproval in his voice. It had been a long day.

“Who is it?” I asked reluctantly. “I’m on my way home.”

“It’s one Shade Bailey. She said it’s quite urgent. She’s from Uncle Sam.

Uncle Sam was a respected friend and colleague.  I had to see the Lady, no matter how late.

A light skinned, beautiful, regal looking lady stepped into my office a few minutes later. In her dark designer skirt suit, she looked absolutely stunning! There was this unmistakable air of sophistication around her. I smiled at her but she didn’t smile back.

“I’m sorry to barge in this late” She apologized. “But I’ve been trying to see you for a month!”

 I apologized politely. My schedule was always tight.

“How may I help you?” I asked after she sat across my desk.

“I’m 33 years old and I’m still single. I don’t know what could be wrong with me!”

Surely, this was hardly an emergency, I thought to myself, trying to figure out a way to re-schedule the session.

“I really need help now” she announced calmly, staring straight at me.  Perhaps she could read minds!

There was a sense of urgency about her that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.  Even though the LG wall unit in my office was blasting cold air at us, I could see sweat on her brow! As she reached for her Gucci bag, delicately perched on my table, it tumbled and emptied the contents on the floor. A whole lot of tablets escaped and made their way towards me.

As I picked up a handful, I didn’t have to ask her what they were for.  I just knew they were sleeping pills.

Without a word, she scooped up the pills and other contents of the bag and sat down. I waited for her to speak.

“I was going to kill myself but something told me to see you first!” She finally blurted out!

She had my attention.

“I’ve had quite a few men interested in me but just when its time to take the relationship to the next level, they just fade away without any explanations. The last guy I dated was really fun. I liked him a lot and he even said he loved me. We dated for three months and then he said he had to travel abroad. That was six weeks ago. I discovered that he didn’t travel anywhere,  just this morning. He was trying to get rid of me!

I sat and listened and out came a tale of woes. I prayed silently under my breath wondering what I could possibly say to her. As she calmed down somewhat, I decided to ask her some questions. I had to find out the root of the problem so I asked a few questions. 

She was frank in her answers and everything seemed fine! But here was an attractive, educated, outgoing, hard-working lady who had never had a marriage proposal in her life!

We talked for about twenty minutes but I didn’t make any headway until I asked her some questions about her family.

“At what age did your siblings get married?” She had just told me she had four sisters. She was the last.

“None of them is married!” she replied casually.

 I breathed out heavily.  Things were becoming clearer. “Isn’t that a bit unusual?” I asked

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” she replied looking really frustrated.

“My Mum thinks it’s something to do with a curse in her family but I don’t believe such nonsense,”

I smiled. I could see what was going on. This was one beautiful, well educated, corporate, but ignorant lady in some twilight zone!

I leaned back in my chair and tried to figure out the best way to wake her up!

“A curse is not something to be trifled with,” I explained gently, choosing my words carefully. “If your mum is right and there is a curse, it has to be broken if you’re to ever have a chance of getting married!”

Shade’s eyes narrowed as she moved forward on her chair. “I’m sorry but I don’t think any curse is working against me. If I haven’t offended anyone how can any curse affect me?”

This was one ignorant lady from another planet! I suspected that her mother knew what she was talking about. Curses do indeed have the power to affect innocent generations, sometimes!

While talking earlier, she had informed me that she had lived in the United States most of her life. There was no point arguing with her.  I decided to give her some facts.

” I know you don’t believe in curses, but consider this. There was a curse called the Tecumseh’s curse that was said to be responsible for the death in office or assassination of American Presidents that were elected in any year ending with zero from William Henry Harrison in 1840 to Ronald Reagan in 1980″

“Ronald Reagan survived” Shade pointed out.

 “Yes, but that was because some Christians found out about the curse, formed a circle round the President, prayed and broke the curse! Six Presidents died because of the curse!”

I had Shade’s attention.

 TO BE CONTINUED!

 state:

PUNISHED FOR WHAT I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT