The Aftermath

The Day I Haven't Exactly Forgotten About V
...one of my neighbour's found my hand bag 3 days later in her backyard. Most of the contents were strewn on the ground next to it. All the items in the bag were intact save for my purse and the mobile phone that had to be held by 2 rubber bands. Another neighbour found my purse in her backyard a day later also with its contents strewn on the ground next to it. Everything was there except the GH¢10.00 ($3.33). Unfortunately, the bag plus all the items found were soggy because of the dew (I guess) so I threw most of the items including the bag away and held on to those I wanted to like my drivers license and the GH¢150.00 ($50.00) mobile phone, which actually still worked. I'm guessing the robber missed it because it was in an all black case. The other mobile phone, the one with the rubber bands he must have seen and took. The guys who caught him in my neighbourhood mentioned there was a mobile phone on him, but I was too traumatised to go take a look at the phone. I have no idea who eventually ended up with that phone.
Turns out the car the robber used had been stolen a couple of days before the incident occurred (was a good thing one guy stopped the rest from damaging the car any further).

This incident could not have happened at a worse time for me. I'd just emerged from a rigorous selection process to be one of 12 finalists on the reality TV show, "The Challenge" (I call it the Gh version of Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"), which was to begin the very next morning. Fortunately for me, the morning was a televised visit to sponsors. I had to miss out on it because I was needed at the police station to give my statement.

With the drama of everything that happened, everyone, myself included, forgot I needed to put ice on my chin  that night. Result? I woke up the next morning with what looked to me like a double chin. The second chin was blacker than the rest of me, I had bruises on my face, neck, arms and chest, and I was to be on television. Fortunately, it wasn't a beauty contest I was taking part in, but I didn't want the rest of the world (yeah, right), maybe the rest of Ghana that watched the TV station the reality show was on seeing me the way I looked. I was so self conscious that whole time especially when I had no makeup on and the cameras were in my face. Surprise, surprise, especially since I usually love the camera with or without makeup.

Thank God for makeup artists and thank God most television shows have makeup artists working on them. I had a long weave fixed, makeup hid the bruising, but my chin still looked weird (fortunately, just to me and to those that knew me). Thank God the very first task was a group one because though hair and makeup could cover up most of the physical signs of what I'd been through, none of that could help my psychological state. I was absent minded throughout most of the task, I couldn't concentrate or focus on anything (though I tried real hard), but my teammates were such gems. They just let me be and did all of the work themselves. When it came to presenting the results, they spoon fed me the easiest part to present (just so I didn't get kicked out for non-participation).

Aside the fact that the task for the next week was an individual one and I needed to up my game, I was determined not to let that incident mess up my shot at winning a postgraduate scholarship to the UK and a job in Gh upon completion.
No, I didn't win. I just didn't. Nothing to do with what happened (I think), but I got mad love for you guys, Nana Afia and Seth. You guys held me up during a very terrible time in my life, and thanks to you both, I made it past week 1 of "The Challenge".

Eviction was worse than terrifying that week. I knew if my group came up for eviction, I'd be the one to go (there was no way I could convincingly fake knowing what that week's task was about)

Thanks Nana Afia and Seth, you guys had my back the whole time and your hard work saved our group from coming up for eviction (I can so see that double chin in this picture and I'm so not imagining it)