The story of the dirty old man

In my third year of university studies, I had to write a long essay. I was studying to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy and naturally, my essay was supposed to have something to do with Finance. Therefore I had to pick up one or two companies to do my research. Having grown up and spent most of my life in the South West Region of Cameroon, it only made sense that I pick a company which was close to both home and school. A company which wouldn’t cost me much in terms of travelling to and fro for interviews and the like. And so I chose the biggest agro-industrial company in Cameroon. After obtaining the necessary authorisations, I set to work.

On the first day, I travelled to Limbe and held some interviews with a few people in top management and left some questionnaires for those who were not available (left the questionnaires with their secretaries to hand to them). As per my budget, I had just one more journey to make to Limbe (where the company’s headquarter is located) and in all honesty, I really couldn’t afford to go there a third time. The school year was drawing to a close, the deadline for my submission was even closer and I had run out of cash.

So on that second day, I had left home and travelled quite early in the morning to ensure that I finished everything for good that day. So Imagine my shock when I step into the HR Director’s office and her secretary told me she couldn’t attend me and when I asked for the questionnaire, she mentioned she hadn’t given her boss. I insisted to see her boss, when the Director finally saw me, I explained why I was there but she refused categorically that she wouldn’t receive me. I pleaded with her and promised it would only take 5 minutes but she refused. You see women? I’m not trying to be sexist because I am a woman too but her refusal was brutal. I tried to explain that I had been there before when she wasn’t around and I had even dropped a questionnaire for her but she would have none of it. She sent me away. Truth is the time I spent pleading with her was even greater than 5 minutes I wanted.

So when I left her office for the next, I was close to tears and very tense. The man in the next office was very sympathetic. He was an old man, he could have been my grandfather’s age mate. No kidding. When he asked me what was wrong, I burst into tears. I remember his secretary bring me tea and handing me a handkerchief. He was so nice that after asking me how many questionnaires I had left, he called a few other colleagues and handed them the questionnaires while he completed his. During this time, I was waiting in his office and trying to regain my spirit and composure.

When he finished filling his questionnaire, we waiting some more for some of his colleagues to return theirs. When I had all the completed questionnaires, I made to leave but he asked me to wait a little more saying it was almost his lunch time and that he was inviting me for lunch. I felt better immediately and of course, I accepted his invitation. First I had not had breakfast that day and secondly I was going to get a free lunch. So when we left his office, entered his car and left the premises I knew we were going to have lunch just close by. However, when I realized we were leaving town, I thought I was also going to save part of my return transport fare. While he drove for over 50km, I just sat there quietly thinking to myself that maybe he had business in Buea (for that’s where I lived) or maybe he was senile and had forgotten he invited me for lunch.

We got to the Mile 17 and he drove to Muea, to a hotel and ordered lunch for us. I still was like “wow, not only does he bring me back, he still gives me lunch, what a cost saving”. True, you might be wondering how naïve I was and why I was only thinking about the money. Yes, I certainly was naïve but I was very broke too. When I thought he had gone to pay the bill, the dirty old man was actually arranging a room behind to bang me. Me!!!!!! What an insult! Yes, I know university girls were well known for sleeping around with rich old men, but seriously????!!!! And yet, I had no idea what was going on. It was when he told me there was something he wanted to show me behind the restaurant and that I should follow him, that I started getting wise. But still, I was trying to act politically correct to him, after all, he was an old man. As I walked to “see” what he wanted to show me behind, it finally dawned on me that the man wanted to sleep with me. I decided to act maturely. I didn’t want to bolt and run or insult him out there in the open but inwardly I told myself, if he tried anything, I will break his glasses, hit him on his head with my shoe and not hesitate to harm him. I was young and agile and I knew I could easily tackle him, I had taken judo classes in my first year at the University and could very well defend myself.

So when we got to room, he said “sit down” to which I sat I on the chair.

He then sat on the bed and then tried to touch my laps causing me to stand abruptly.

“What are we doing here?” I asked

“Oh, come on, you are a big girl. Don’t pretend you don’t know”, he replied

I wanted to start arguing that though I was a university student, it didn’t imply that I was a big girl and I didn’t sleep around. But who had time for that and what did he care?If he wasn’t ashamed of himself for trying to have sex with me, why would anything I had to say matter?

“I want to leave this place right now”. I said

“Don’t be shy, come on”, he said

“I WANT TO LEAVE THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW. THAT IS WHAT I SAID” I shouted

“Ok, it’s alright. Let’s not do something that would embarrass you”. He said clearly embarrassed

And so I left, and waited by his car for him to pay the bills after which he dropped me off close to my house. I thanked him when I left but he didn’t reply. Inside, I was seething with anger. Good riddance to bad rubbish! The nerve of him!!

Gosh, I was in shock for days to come. I shivered at just the mere possibility of him succeeding in doing what he came for. Today, when I think of that incident, I just can’t believe how trusting of people I could be. I’m happy I got out of that place the way I went in but I learnt my lesson. You can’t trust everybody. You always have to be on the lookout. Do not think that some of those old men whom you see as your grandfathers see you as their granddaughters. What a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all need to be very careful. These old men can't be trusted. Infact, trust no man.