Darasimi Cole saunters into the luxurious car dealer shop on Wall Street with credit cards, shopping bags and grandiose aims.
Scouting for the Sales rep with palpable impatience, she yells……..’Excuse me, you there, it is considered rude to keep an esteemed customer like me unattended to.’
‘Apologies ma’am,’ Her frail looking recipient immediately responds in a bid to appease her.
‘I am Ade, and it would be an absolute pleasure to take you on a tour of our collection,’ He affirms with a wide grin.
‘Go ahead then, I have no time for chit chat,’ She snaps and follows his lead.
The exquisitely designed vehicle garage on which they toured is far from your local car dealer’s shop. As opposed to price haggling which is the pillar on which sales are secured over at the locals, Smith & Co stood firm on non-negotiable grounds.
Adorned with a vast array of automobiles and conjoined monitors displaying a visual representation of each vehicle, it is no wonder that they stand out as the very best in the game.
‘What brand of automobile best suits your persona ma’am? Just so I know what to recommend?’ Ade stutters.
’You are quite slow.’
‘‘As you can see, I am made for luxury only. It must be the best of the very best!’ She responds with a frown.
‘My apologies Madam, we would go straight to the luxury section.’
Having a customer walk into the garage was an unfathomable miracle, considering the bad publicity the company had been dealt in recent times. Ade’s boss, Mr Fola Smith sat comfortably on the historical cause table of this bad press.
Each day at work seemed pregnant with unprecedented mishaps. Aside dealing with a spoilt
brat, whose battle with journalists was becoming overwhelming, unrepentant reporters hovered around the building every now and then, like bees swarming happily in a honey’s hive. The entire staff of Smith & Co swiftly learnt to deal with their chaotic work environment.
Ade also copped some useful hacks for dealing with entitled humans, thanks to Fola Smith.
He was assured that these hacks would come in handy in his dealings with the uncouth client.
Walking into the garage with disregard and pride stemming from her pockets, her manners
leave far more to be desired.
Does he blame her? Certainly not, the aged politicians who pose as Sponsors to undeserving
young ladies like her in a bid to satisfy their secret fantasies are to blame. Or perhaps, her wealthy parents who fuel her disrespect with their opulence.
He couldn’t care less about her ill manners, so long as she was dropping the Benjamins, she could spit over him if she found it satisfying. Ade was in fact, unbothered.
With garnered confidence, he leads her straight to the garage’s most expensive vehicle.
‘This right here is the Mercedes EOS all electric ride. It is spacious, stylish, comfortable, and absolutely loaded with advanced technology. To top it off, I am sure it was made in this colour specifically for you,’ Ade winks to complete his pitch.
‘Oh! he’s got charm. Sorry darling, they won’t work on me. On to the next please,’ She speaks brusquely before striding towards the Range.
‘How about this bad boy right here?’ Dara caresses her vehicle of interest as though she is about to begin an explosive love affair.
‘This is the Land Rover discovery Velar, a clean and dramatic work of art from the Range lineage. Let’s just say this is luxury at its peak! It retails for 50, 000 dollars; about 21,000,00 in our currency.’
‘Yes, I can see! This is the one! There is no need to look further,’ She jumps in excitement.
‘Can I take it for a spin?’
‘Sure, that’s no problem, but I would rather we finalise the payment plan before getting behind
the wheel,’ Ade cautions.
‘Permit me to run you through our payment options in my office.’
‘Ok,’ she replies quietly, as they head towards his office.
His pristine office is vast and impeccably clean without a single paper out of place. Though sparsely furnished, there is a warm and homely feel to the space. Ade obviously has a unique style of decorating. The stunning blend of classic and modern colours such as silver, dark chocolate, and the grayest of blue shades announce his creative prowess.
‘You can have your seat Madam…….., what do I call you?’ He asks politely.
She adjusts in the comfortably padded leather chair opposite him, stealing quick glances round the office before responding………’Dara is fine.’
‘So, Miss Dara, we have several payment plans to suit your needs. Payment could be made either in installments , or at once if convenient. I would run you through each plan shortly.’
‘That won’t be necessary, I am making payment in full,’ She chuckles before slamming her credit card on to the mahogany, paint rich, office table.
‘Ok ma’am,’ Ade replies with a smile, and carefully slides her card into the Android point of Sale machine.
‘Please punch in your pin Madam,’ He urges, handing over the device.
In only ten seconds, they are both met with the embarrassing print out of a failed transaction.
Reason? INSUFFICIENT FUNDS!
‘It was unsuccessful ma’am; do you have another card we could perhaps try?’
‘Yeah, sure! The rate at which these dysfunctional banks mess clients up is alarming. On
second thought, is it possible to meet with your boss to discuss a transfer of funds instead?’
‘No ma’am we don’t do transfers over here, and besides, I don’t think Mr Smith is available
for a meeting now. I am sorry about the inconvenience, but trying another card is a better
option.’
Dara was obviously offended by his statement; her disgust was unmasked.
‘Try this one then,’ she responds, flinging a second credit card.
The second card is just as useless as the first.
Ade instantly had a sinister moment, where he imagined a million and one ways to dish her
a befitting ridicule. However, following the declined transactions were strange, and quite
frankly, hilarious events.
Dara took to her heels and fled towards the Range like an unsuspecting thief, leaving behind
her shopping bags and pride. Ade, moving swiftly behind her, struggles to make sense of the
drama.
‘Sorry Miss Dara, is there something I am missing? Why did you take off like that?’ He asks
panting.
Her facial expression immediately becomes gloomy, and hot tears begin to escape from her
hooded eyes.
‘Why won’t you let me take my new ride away? After all, I paid you. Please tell no lies about receiving the credit alert. I literally saw the money move into the company’s account,’ She speaks through tears.
‘I demand to speak with Folajimi Smith, he owes me much more than mere audience. Call him out!’
Ade was initially startled by her familiarity with his boss. Perhaps she heard about his recent exploits from the ever-spinning tabloids. That was no concern of his. Her theatrics to usurp a vehicle she obviously couldn’t pay for was his bone of contention.
‘Wow! You must be delusional ma’am. What credit alert? Is this some kind of sick joke?’ He struggles to keep well deserved insults for her at the tip of his tongue.
He instead picks up the land phone lying fallow on the table to alert security, but he is cut short.
A loud, and piercing cry escapes from her lips following the defeaning tone from her mobile
device. Tossing the phone aside, she looks at the device as though it is the devil itself.
‘Why won’t they let me be!’ She mutters, expressing her displeasure with a frown.
Something was not adding up. ‘Why did you do that?’ Ade asks before moving to salvage the mobile device.
The caller ID read……”Daddy.”
He knew this was none of his business but was far too curious and involved to back down.
‘Hello,’ Ade whispers into the phone’s speaker.
‘Oh, thank Goodness!’
‘We have been worried sick. I am Dara’s Dad. She somehow left the house this morning whilst still under observation. We were on the verge of getting her to a proper hospital.’
The tense and deep tone at the other end of the line made Ade aware of his client’s disposition, she was indeed ill and truly delusional.
‘Wow, I see,’ He replies before casting a quick glance at the culprit.
‘What side of town are you speaking from please?’ Her dad asks, his voice laced with worry.
‘We are at the Car dealer’s garage on Wall Street, you can’t miss it.’
‘Ok, kindly ensure she doesn’t leave the garage. I would be there to get her soon. Apologies for every inconvenience caused.’ This time, the urgency in his deep tone hit different.
‘I would try my best Sir, ‘ Ade replies before ending the call. He takes another look at Dara who is already seated on the floor, wailing as though bereaved.
‘How am I supposed to do this?’
With a forced smile, he moves towards his assignment, and offers a helping hand.
‘There, there Miss Dara, I absolutely understand your plight. You see, these things happen all the time. It must be the poor network. Let us proceed to my office to find a possible solution to this predicament,’ He persuades with quick thoughts on the imminent consequence of his actions.
‘Yes, I agree,’ She immediately replies, sobbing, and still quite delusional with grandiosity.
