The Wheelbarrow Pusher Episode Four
Sarafina and her boyfriend saw the police officers coming down from their van to arrest them and there was nothing they could do. It was too late to run and they have already been identified. The case of Sarafina’s disappearance was so popular in the media that almost everyone could identify her by looking at her face. She has become a popular person because television stations kept showing her face to the audience. Sarafina and the wheelbarrow pusher were bundled into the police van. They were arrested and the policemen vowed to drive her to her parents.
However, they wanted to first take them to the police station for questioning before they would take Sarafina to her parents. The wheelbarrow pusher was already handcuffed and accused of being a kidnapper. The policemen insisted that he was the one who kidnapped and kept Sarafina in his house with the intention of asking for ransom from her parents. Even though the wheelbarrow pusher denied the charges, they did not believe him. Even Sarafina defended herself but they told her to shut up. They were already thinking of how much they would earn if they successfully delivered them to Sarafina’s parent.
“I did not kidnap her. She is staying with me on her own volition. Is it a crime for someone to be poor? I know that I’m poor, but don’t I have the right to love whoever I want to love? I love her and she was the one who came to me. I have no reason to kidnap her. She is staying with me because she loves me. She does not love the rich man who was chosen for her by her parents. Why are you people chasing her around like a criminal? I’m not a criminal. I earn an honest living from my wheelbarrow pushing.” The wheelbarrow pusher said to the policemen who surrounded him.
“My friend shut up! You are a kidnapper. How can you say poverty is not a crime? Don’t you know your class? It is crime when you leave your class and you are looking for someone who is higher than you in all angles. You are not rich and your parents are not rich. You are not educated and you have nothing that qualifies you to be the boyfriend of this lady. It is a crime for you to be her boyfriend. Even if there is no law that forbids you from being a boyfriend of a rich girl, didn’t you know that she is higher than you? Why didn’t you push her away? You knew that your relationship with her would not work and you are still keeping her. We will show you pepper.” One of the policemen said sarcastically to the wheelbarrow pusher.
“Why are you going to show him pepper? He did not commit any crime. He did not kidnap me. I was the one who went to meet him. I was the one who accepted him as my boyfriend. Is it by force to marry someone you don’t like? I hate the fact that the poor man is another poor man’s enemy. All of you here are poor. All the policemen in this van are poor. It baffles me that you are the ones arresting another poor man for choosing to love a rich girl. That is why I said poor man is another poor man’s enemy. Instead of you to support another poor man, you are the ones arresting him. How would you feel if you are the one who found a rich girl to love and the society is trying to stop you simply because you are poor?” Sarafina asked the policemen. What she said struck them but they refused to release them.
“What would you gain if you take me to my parents? They will not give you any money. They will not even allow you to detain me. Even if you detain my boyfriend, I will convince my parents to ask you to release him. So, just know that you stand to gain nothing by driving us to the station or even taking us to my parents. You will gain more if you release us. You have no interest in this matter. Just release us and allow us to go. I will give you $5000.” Sarafina said to the policemen.
“How much did she say she will give us?” The police boss sitting in front of the van asked those at the back.
“She said she will give us $5000 sir.” One of the policemen responded.
“Stop the van. Pack by the roadside let us talk things out.” The police boss said to the driver. The driver packed by the roadside and everyone came down. They removed the handcuffs from the wheelbarrow pusher’s hands.
“Do you have the $5000 here? I mean, all of us here cannot earn that even if our salaries are put together for the whole year. There is nothing to gain if we deliver you to your father. You were right when you said you have committed no crimes. We are ready to release you if you pay us the money. We will also help you to escape to wherever you want.” The police boss said. Sarafina reached for her handbag and produced the money. She handed it over to the police boss who collected it with happiness.
“You people are wise. You promised to help us to escape. Because of that, I will give you additional $2000.” Sarafina said.
“Take us to my village. And you must not mention it to anyone that you saw us. If you mention it, we will expose the fact that we gave you money. I have recorded a video of you taking the money from her. Take note that the video is in my phone. If you ever mention it to anyone that you saw us, we will post the video online.” The wheelbarrow pusher warns the police boss.
“No one will ever hear it from us.” The police boss said. They drove Sarafina and the wheelbarrow pusher to the house and they packed their things into the police van. The policemen drove them to the wheelbarrow pusher’s village using their own van.
“We will hide here. No one will find us here.” The wheelbarrow pusher said.
“This place is beautiful. I love the village. Even if it means getting married to you here, I’m ready.” Sarafina said.
Watch out for episode Five
