I saw him waiting but I turned around his car quickly and drove into the only parking space as soon as the red car moved out. He came down and walked to my window looking very ang
ry.

I sized him up. He was small in stature and wore a blue cap. There was a scar across his cheekbone that gave his otherwise calm face a certain hardness.

“Do you want to reverse and let me park here?” He asked politely despite his anger.

“Hell no” I replied, and chuckled. I stepped out of my car and entered the mall.

When I was done shopping, bags in hand, I returned to the parking lot. The man in blue cap wasn’t there and neither was my car. After ranting and shouting, I watched the security video feed and saw myself walk into the mall gates and straight into the entrance door. I hadn’t even driven there. Something was definitely wrong.

I got home and found my car parked in my garage. I heaved, relieved.

So, night came and because I live alone, someone tapping my shoulders had to be in my dream. The tap felt real but I didn’t want to disturb my beautiful sleep by really waking up.

“Do you want to reverse and let me park here?” I heard whoever was tapping me say.

I bolted up and instinctively pressed the light switch. There was no one. The dream had seemed almost real and my heart refused to stop pounding hard.

I decided to sleep over at my sister- Shally’s place. I called her. I got to the garage and my car wasn’t there.

I found it parked very close to the roadwalk. Maybe I really didn’t park it inside. Maybe I was starting to see things. I examined the car and drove off. I got to my sister’s place, parked right in front, got inside and jumped into bed.

She finished her assignments and came to join me.

“Do you want to reverse and let me park here?” she asked, starting to push me to the other side of the bed.

I jerked up in fright.

“What did you just say now?” I asked her, my voice rising with every word.

She looked honestly surprised.

“I said, that you should make room for me to lie down”

“No not that, don’t rephrase it. What exactly did you say? Your exact words.”

She looked worried now. “I said… do you want to reverse …. and … let me park here?”

“Why did you say that? Why didn’t you just tell me to shift? Ehn?”

I didn’t wait for an answer. I put on my shirt and bolted out of the house. My car wasn’t in front of her house anymore. It was right in the middle of the road, three blocks ahead. My heart pounded and my knees felt weak. I went after the car.

After walking for some seconds, I realized I wasn’t any closer to my car. As I walked forward, the car seemed to move away also.  The night suddenly seemed to get cooler. Cold whiffs of air swirled past me and I caught a little of one. My arms felt cold and tiny goose bumps sprang up on them and spread fast. I felt a chill at the back of my neck. It ran down my spine in quick ripples.

I broke up into a slight jug. Still, the car kept up the distance, reversing all the way. It had entered the major road now. The streetlights shone brightly and I could see inside my car. Someone was in it. Someone wearing a blue cap. I could hear the voice of the little man in the blue cap ring in my ears.

“Do you want to reverse?… do you want to reverse?…. do you want to? … Do you want to reverse and let me park here?” It played louder and louder in my head as I sprinted after my car. Soon, I couldn’t take it anymore. My heart was tired of pounding against my ribcage and the noises in my heard were overwhelming me. I stopped running.

After regaining my breath. I turned around and headed for Shally’s place. I got to the front door and sure enough, the car had followed me and was now where it had started- three blocks away.

I got into Shally’s house and jumped back into bed totally ignoring all her questions and nagging.

Next morning, Shally and I stood in front of her house. I was to take her to the Mall to get some fruits and then drop her off at her friend’s place.

“Why did you have to park that far away? Are you afraid of being seen with your sister? Are you ashamed of me?” she ranted.

I handed her the keys. “Idiot, Go and bring the car here. I want to lace my shoes properly” I said and squatted to fumble with my shoes.

She looked at me strangely but still went on. I watched her. She was getting closer to the car. The car didn’t move away this time. She got to the car and drove right to where I stood still perplexed. I tried convincing myself that last night was all a terrible dream.

It wasn’t easy touching the door handle but I finally did and got in. I let Shally drive. We got to the mall, turned round, and round looking for any empty space to park. Then we saw a shopper get into his red car to leave.  Shally sped to the space but a Benz got there before us.

As the red car drove out, the Benz was a few seconds slow but it was time enough for Shally to speed around it and enter the golden space. I looked at the triumphant look on her face but kept mute, afterall, the blue man in the cap was just a dream.

There was a quiet rap on Shally’s window. She wound down and standing by her window was someone in a blue cap. It wasn’t the man. No, it wasn’t. It was a small old woman.

“Do you wan’t to reverse and let me park here?” she said in a feeble and almost inaudible voice.

I heard her clearly. I shuddered. I felt a wetness between my legs.

“Hell no!” Shally said and started to wind up the window.

“Maa’m…” I said, fearfully “Yes, we’d reverse… and let you park here”. I gave Shally the coldest stare I could summon. She was angry but she kept quiet.

“Thank you, good child. You learn fast.” She replied.

“Reverse and let the woman park now… hurry up” I shouted at Shally.

She did and the old woman drove her Benz in, came down, winked at me and sashayed away towards the entrance.

“What the hell was that about?” Shally screamed at me.

I turned to her. I didn’t know where to begin.

“….and what was that ‘…good child… you learn fast’ about? Have you met this woman before?”

I promised to explain to her as soon as we were out of the mall. We went into the mall, did our shopping and returned to the parking lot. My car was still there.

“Thank you Man in the blue cap…. and woman in the blue cap… Thank you!” I screamed.

I didn’t mind that Shally was beside me wondering what was wrong with me. We got into the car and zoomed off.  As soon as I got to the gate of the Mall, I looked back through the side mirror of the car. I saw the little man in the blue cap waving. I honked loudly in gratitude to him for forgiving me and letting me be and then, continued driving.

***********