I met a man recently who was very good to me. He gave me a lift because his office was closer to mine and told me if I needed help anytime I’m going to work I could call or wait for him at the same place. We exchanged contacts and parted ways. The next day, he came around the same time and I was there. Two days later, he was there and gave me a lift. I didn’t have to call him or text him. It could be a coincidence or he intended to come around for me, I won’t judge because he was a lot of help. When it happened the fourth time, I felt I was being ungrateful for not saying anything to him so that day after I alighted, I texted him, “Thanks so much for being kind to me these couple of days. I’m grateful. 

He didn’t respond to my message until late evening that day. He apologized for the late response and told me his job didn’t allow him to use the phone until he closed from work. That sparked a conversation between us about our jobs and our lives. It wasn’t anything deep and I didn’t sense any deep affection in the kind of messages we exchanged. The next morning, he was there. Again, he gave me a lift and when he got to work, he texted, “Before I put my phone down, let me say you looked awesome today.” I texted him my thanks but I got a response later in the evening. Again, we talked for a while. 

I woke up the following morning to see an angry message from a strange number. She introduced herself as Susan and was warning me to stay away from her boyfriend; “Who are you and why are you all over my boyfriend? Do you know where we started from and the trouble we’ve been through to get here? Now he has a car so you think he’s your dream man? When I met him, he didn’t even have a job. Stay away before I descend on you.” 

She ranted without mentioning the name of her boyfriend. I thought it was a mistake. Maybe she was sending it to another lady and she missed a digit and it came to me. I didn’t respond to the message. I got up, bathed, dressed up and went to the roadside hoping my helper would come my way that day too. I stood there, had a taxi and I left. I was in the taxi when he texted; “You’re not here. If you’re not gone I can wait for a few minutes.” I told him I was gone and thanked him for caring about me that much. All this while, this guy hadn’t made any attempt on me or said anything that suggested he was interested in me. He was just being kind and I appreciated it. 

During lunchtime, the lady, Susan, texted again. The things she said were worse than what I read in the morning. She said she was going to curse me if I don’t stay away from her boyfriend because they’d suffered to get to where they were. I responded, “I’m sorry but it looks like you’re texting the wrong person. Yes, I’m single but I don’t remember talking to any man lately, let alone being in love with such a man.” The next thing that followed was a voice note. She said her boyfriend’s name was Philip. I told her I didn’t know anyone by that name. She called me a liar. She called me a whore for intentionally forgetting the name of the man I’m snatching from her; “You think I’m dumb, right? I’ve seen your kind before but all of them didn’t survive. I’ve been here and I’ll be here long after you’re gone.”

“Susan, so your Philip knows you’re sending this text to me? Is he aware that you’re fighting this battle? And what’s the need to fight over a man who goes after other women? Is it that you enjoy fighting other women or you love staying in a toxic relationship? The man you’re fighting for doesn’t care and you’re still fighting?” She ranted and ranted while I stayed in my corner laughing at her ignorance. And then she mentioned Agyeman. The name rang a bell. The guy who gives me a lift told me he was Agyeman. I asked her, “You mean Agyeman? The guy who works at so-so-and-so?” 

She felt I was still pretending so she continued on the tangent of insults and name-calling. I called her phone and she picked up. I patiently explained the relationship between me and Agyeman to her. “I met him just a week ago. He’s been kind to me and nothing else. He picks me up on his way to work when he sees me by the roadside. We have nothing going on and I didn’t even know he was called Philip. That should tell you how far our relationship goes.” 

I thought I’d said enough to calm her down. I felt the patience in my voice will work magic on her but I was wrong. Come and see insults on the phone. She insulted my upbringing, my education and my parents. She insulted my ancestors and even insulted my shoes. I don’t know where she saw my shoes but she told me; “You can’t come between me and Philip with your Cantamanto shoes.” I don’t know who told her I shopped at Cantamanto. That was the only thing she got right about me. 

I sensed Agyeman wasn’t aware of what Susan was doing so after work that day, I called him and told him everything. He was very angry about the whole thing and apologize profusely to me. He said, “I don’t know what I should do for that girl to trust me. I tell her everything yet she goes around attacking people in my space.” I told him not to be angry with her because a woman in love will go to every length to protect her territory. He said, “You don’t understand. That girl attacks everybody, even my male friends. She had mistakenly attacked my mom before because she read a message on my phone where my mom was asking me to send her money.” 

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I left them to settle their own issues the way they always settle them. I stopped calling Agyeman and stopped texting him. Whatever I had to say, I waited until I saw him. I wasn’t sending him messages but every day, I woke up reading messages from Susan, threatening me with curses and making unfounded allegations. 

There’s a limit to everyone’s patience. I felt I needed to stand up for myself so the next time she sent me a message, I faced her boot for boot and later blocked her line. The next morning, she sent a message with another line claiming I was the reason Agyeman was leaving her so she was going to make my life a living hell. I ignored and blocked that line too but she came back with another line telling me it just started.

I’ve even stopped telling Agyeman the things his girlfriend sends to me so I don’t stoke the fire but Susan is fierce and will come at you like a mad dog all because of assumptions. I stopped seeing Agyeman. I went to work early just to avoid him. He didn’t like that. He told me, “Are you also leaving me because of that girl? Do I have to lose everyone because of her? Ignore her and live your life. What she’s saying is not true so why bother?”

Even though I’ve stopped going to work with Agyeman, every now and then Susan will text me, insulting my future and my shoes. I don’t know what else to do to get her off my back. I wish she would attack me physically one day so I report her to the police but all she does is attack me through the phone. Agyeman is a good person but even good people make bad decisions. I don’t know what he did to deserve such a woman and I’m not going to judge but I hope he doesn’t end up marrying such a woman all because of how long they’ve been together. It’s stressful how she attacks and never stops.

I’m out of the picture for now but I’m not out of her radar. Whenever she gets problems with Agyeman, she’ll come attacking me. The last time she texted me she said, “He’s not home and I know he’s with you. Please release him so I’ll see him too. Don’t be selfish.” 

For the first time, she didn’t talk about my shoes. It was an improvement and it made me hope she’ll leave me alone soon but I pity the next person she’ll attack because this lady doesn’t know when to stop once she starts. 

–Freda

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