The window cleaner

A need for bravery

"Well heart attacks happen for a reason don't they. Are you very sure you don't know the cause of his ailment Mr Reginald . Remember only the truth can set you free." Said Siin in humble tone.

" Okay . Okay I also heard that the death of his daughter was the cause of his ailment. " Said Raginald in a voice that resonated of fear and guilt.

" Hmm. So he had a daughter. What was her name.?" Siin asked amidst the intense feelings of emptiness the mention of Kaltumis topic had caused him.

" Kaltumi .Her name was Kaltumi sir. Please don't harm me sir. " Said Reginald and struggled once again to set his self free.

" Was . You said was. Where is she now ? " Said Siin with a voice so fierce it made Reginald peece on him self.

" She's dead sir." Said Reginald and burst into tears.

" She died ? What happened to her was she sick or was she involved in an accident?" Siin asked in tone too humble to appear legit to the hearing of Reginald who was silent.

" I don't like to be ignored Mr Reginald. Whats with the silence. It's rude and deafning." Said Siin Siin as he tapped softly on the top of his steering.

" She .. she was involved in an argument with my boss and his cacus and it cost her life." Said Reginald in sorrowful tone.

" Oh . So you killed her." Said Siin as his eyes moistened in Sadness.

" I am just a messenger sir. I work on orders." Said Reginald and burst into sobs.

" I work on orders to . " Whispered Siin and reach for his bag. He reached for nose mask and wore it before pulling out a can of Nitric manoxide which was lethal to the human life when inhaled. He opened the door of his car and went to the trunk . Upon opening the trunk.

" Farewell Reginald Thiam. It's time to return to your maker. " Said Siin sprayed the lethal gas to the face of Reginald. Whose plea had fallen on a deaf ear. Siin shut the trunk and stepped away from the car to avoid the poisonous gas from penetrating through his nose mask. Five minutes was all it took and Reginald was no more. Siin drove his mustang to a crocodile infested lake that wasn't far from the beach and donated the lifeless body of Reginald to the Hungry reptiles. He looked up to the sky. It was a peaceful night and a lonely one to. No one was in sight just a dozen crocodiles struggling to get a pound flesh. He went back into his car and drove off.

[Some days later]

The failure of her last attempt to convey her feelings to Siin didn't go down well for her. Even though Siin had treated her as nice as a lady, she had yearned for something much more better and that was his love. She however blamed herself for not being brave enough to convey her emotions to Siin. Giving up was a phrase which never existed in the world of Ramlah. She had always been a go getter and nothing could stop her from attempting to succeed as she believed it was only when you attempted to succeed that you could either succeed or fail.

" Nothing ventured , nothing gained." She sighed as she stood before the mirror tying her pink Vail over her black gown. She hadn't visited her family in the suburbs for a while and she felt the need to see them once again. She picked up Mahir who was playing innocently on the bed and held him warmly to her bossom before reaching for her maternity handbag that contained diapers ,milk and other things used in the smooth tendering of the Baby.

" Let's go and visit Grandma." Said Ramlah and headed straight for the car where the driver specially assigned to her was waiting to convey them.

" Please take me to the suburbs. I would like to see my parents and Siblings." Said Ramlah upon entering the car.

" Okay Lady Ramlah." Said the driver Kick-started the cars ignition.

" How is The Young heir doing today ma." Asked the driver with a tone of modesty.

" Very much okay sir. Mahir is very Fine. And how are you doing today sir.? Said Ramlah with a touch of courtesy.

'" i am very much fine and you?" .said the driver with a smile as drove off.

" I'm doing good sir. Thank you she said and continued. " Is that newspapers fresh from the vendor ?" She asked after spotting a news paper from the Dash board.

" Yes malady it is . Its very much interesting. Lots of strange stories keep on popping up on the dailies this days." Said the driver as he drove .

" Please . May i have a glance at it." She asked and stretching her hands forward in reflex even before the driver had stretched it to her.

" Sure . Here you are my lady " said the driver as he passed the newspaper to Ramlah who sat at the back seat of the car.

" Thank you sir." She said and got a hold of it. Of all the headlines that were outlined on the cover of the newspaper, it was the story of a missing person that had caught her attention.

" It seems people keep dying and missing mysteriously these days. One has to be very careful in any location one finds himself. " Said Ramlah.

" Yes my lady. Just last week a seven people were found dead in a pond . Some people say it was a mass suicide as there was no signs of t*****e . Others believe they were murdered. A man named Reginald Thiam has also been declared Missing by the Hozayn petroleum inc. they said he was last Siin jugging on the streets of Burj Mayana. Hmm some one might be out for General Hozayn and his men. Those guys are all tyrants. I sometimes wonder why the Sheikh still does business with him." Said the driver as waved his head in disappointment.

" What. You mean the Sheikh has affiliations with general Hozayn." Ramlah asked in shock .

" Yes he does. The two have been doing business for a very long time now and they are also quite good friends. There was a time when they used to be best of friends. But now they aren't as close as they used to be." Said the driver.

" Oh my goodness. I have heard very terribly things about General Al Hozayn. It was his troops who bombarded my home in Sharjah and rendered us homeless. He is such a heartless man. The Sheikh should have nothing to do with such a person . She said with a frown on her Face.

" Well my lady as they say . No permernent enemies and no permernent friends in the line of business. All we need to do is pray that the good lord safeguards the Sheikh from all his enemies . I can't imagine what my life would have been if the Sheikh hadn't found me homeless and hungry on the streets." Said the Driver and waved his head slowly in reflection of his past life.

" The Sheikh is a good man. I am a living testimony. Sir, so you are also from the streets.?"kaltumi asked with mild curiosity.

" Yes . But that was many years ago when I was still a young man. I had just lost my job and was facing a d**g addiction which was gradually ruining my life . I couldn't pay my house rents and any other bill at all. When I had money I was either drinking or smoking . I fed from the dustbin. Well it would be safe to say I was a mad man. But I wasn't. I was just depressed." Said the driver without much seriousness.

" Oh my goodness. You really hard a rough past . I'm glad all those suffering are all in the past. So the Sheikh saw you and stopped?" Asked Ramlah who seemed to be very interested in the story that the driver was telling.

" Yes my dear . But nothing goes for nothing. I had to put myself out there. I had heard that the Sheikh was a good man and was coming to visit a newly launched tower in the vicinity which I wandered. I knew I had to come up with a plan or I will never have such an opportunity again." Said the Driver with a great deal of seriousness.

" So what did you do next. What was your plan." Said Ramlah as her eyes widened in awe.

" Nothing much. All I needed to do was be brave. I ran through the body guards of the Sheikh and lay at his feet while saying his praises. Meanwhile I was pleased with my swiftness, the Sheikh was rather disappointed at the weakness of his guards. I still remember the fear on his face . He thought I was an assassin who was about to assassinate him,thus he felt at ease when he found out that I was only a poor loyalists of him who needed a job." Said the Driver and smiled.

" A job. ? Nice point . I like the fact that you asked for a job rather than asking for alm. It gives you much more dignity than the latter." Said Ramlah with a subconscious Smile on her face.

" Yes.that is my point exactly. The guards of the Sheikh were quick to pounce on me like a leopard and it was the timely order of the sheikh that saved my life. Can you imagine being hungry sick and then battred all at once . I broke into tears and it was then I began saying the praises of the Sheikh and at the same time asking him to help me get a job. " Said the Driver as his gaze hawked over the coming cars on the road.

" That just brings a sad picture to mind. I'm sorry about that." Said Ramlah in a emotional tone.

"Thank you my lady. All that are in the past now. I remember the Sheikh asking me , what I could do .i said I could clean the house, cut the grasses and do any other legal labour that was inline with the policy of the state." Said the Driver with a smile to appreciate his listener.

" So glad for the happy ending. So how did you transform into being a driver. " Said Ramlah with an air of curiosity.

" I had no idea that the Sheikh would ever allow me come close to his luxry cars , I didn't even mention I could drive. Well the job I lost was a driving job which I towed frozen goods across different states. I started as a Gardner until one day a truck had brought a load of marble to the Mansion and the driver was finding it difficult to pack the truck in proper direction. I offered to help them and to everyones surprise I packed the truck in a perfect position. That act had made the Sheikh to ask Busayna to transfer me to the unit of drivers. However he asked me some questions to ascertain my knowledge on the skill. He was pleased with my experience and that's how I became a driver in the Sheikhs Mansion. " Said the driver and nodded slowly in self satisfaction.

" I'm so happy for you. Your decision to be brave paid off. " Said Ramlah as she rested her head on the soft sofa of the car.

" Yes my lady. Had i not ventured past those huge and fierce looking guards , I would still have been on a the streets by now. " Said the driver as he neared the Suburbs.

" I really I'm impressed with your success story. I believe there is a lesson or two for me to learn from them." Said Ramlah with a Smile as she fondled the ears of Mahir very softly till he smiled in excitement.