The Honest Stranger.

The first thing Chinedu noticed was that the old woman had been shouting for ten minutes and nobody seemed to know what was wrong with the woman.

The park was busy, Buses were loading passengers, hawkers were selling water and snacks and conductors were shouting where they were going.

The old woman's voice stood out, She kept shouting "My bag! My bag!"

Chinedu had just arrived at the motor park in Ibadan after visiting a friend, He was curious so he walked closer to the woman.

"Mama what happened?" he asked the woman.

The old woman looked frustrated.

"My handbag I forgot it in the bus " she said.

A few people gathered around the woman.

"What bus?" someone asked the woman.

"The one going to Akure " the old woman replied.

"When did it leave?"

"Now " the old woman said.

The womans face looked like she was about to cry.

"Omo". Chinedu Said

The woman's bag had her phone, ATM card ,some money and important documents in it.

These are things you do not want to lose.

The problem was that nobody knew which bus the old woman had entered.

Many buses had left in the fifteen minutes that had passed

One man said "Try and call the phone".

The old woman borrowed a phone from one of the few people that gathered and dialed her number.

Everybody waited.

The phone rang.

Then someone answered.

"Hello?"

The crowd became quiet.

Chinedu said "Mama somebody picked it!"

The old woman grabbed the phone.

"My son please my bag is with you " the old woman said.

The person on the end laughed softly.

"Yes Mama I found it after everyone came down " he said.

The old woman was relieved.

"God bless you " the old woman said.

The person on the phone said his name was Tunde.

He had boarded the bus, and ound the handbag under a seat.

The only problem was that he was already halfway to Akure.

"Omo". chinedu said again

The crowd laughed.

Even Tunde laughed through the phone.

Tunde asked "So what do we do now?"

For that minutes everybody started giving ideas.

One person said to send the bag through another vehicle.

Another person said Tunde should return with it by taking another bus back

That option was quickly rejected.

Transport fare was already expensive.

Eventually they agreed on a plan.

Tunde would hand the bag over to a transport company branch in Akure and the old woman would collect it from their Ibadan branch the day.

The day Chinedu thought about the incident.

He had exchanged numbers with the woman before leaving the park.

Chinedu called the woman the next day

"Mama did you get the bag?"

The old woman laughed.

"My son I got everything " the old woman said.

"Everything?"

"Everything " the old woman replied.

Nothing was missing.

Not even a single naira.

Chinedu smiled.

These days people hear stories about dishonesty and moments like this feels rare.

A day later something unexpected happened.

The old woman invited Chinedu and Tunde to her house.

She wanted to thank them.

Tunde happened to be passing through Ibadan and agreed to come.

When they arrived the old woman welcomed them warmly.

"My children sit down " the old woman said.

Food appeared immediately.

Tunde laughed.

"Mama this is too much " Tunde said.

The old woman replied "No you returned something that could have caused me serious problems."

During the meal, stories were shared jokes were told.

Before long everyone was laughing like friends.

Chinedu looked at Tunde.

"You know many people would have kept that bag " Chinedu said.

Tunde shrugged.

"It wasn't mine " Tunde said.

The simplicity of the answer surprised everyone.

That evening as they prepared to leave the old woman smiled.

"You know what I learned from all this?" the old woman asked.

Chinedu asked "What?"

The old woman looked at Chinedu and Tunde.

"Sometimes what is left behind can help you find people " the old woman said.

Nobody said anything for a second.

The old woman was right.

The bag had been forgotten.

It had caused panic.

It had travelled to another city.

Somehow it had also brought three strangers together.

As Chinedu walked home that evening he could not help smiling.

For an item that had been left behind it had left quite a story behind too.

[image Generated with Chatgpt]