An exciting Friday.

I had a exciting experience today! I did mention I was alone at home, right? (Sadly, I still am though.) I decided to not skip Friday prayers and walk a long road to the mosque - alone. On my way out on the road, the shopkeeper who works in a convenient store just a few yards from my place was waiting by the sidewalk. He was waiting for a friend to pick him up. He did ask me to follow him and his friend to the mosque in Bandar, but I declined. Thank you. I said that I was going to Jame 'Al Asr Mosque. I shook his hand, greeted him and I continued my journey.

While I was walking in between SOAS College and the terraces, suddenly, a car drove up beside me. He opened the passenger door and asked me if I was heading to the mosque or not. (Obviously yes, right?) He was a stranger at first. I thanked him for giving me a ride. He asked a lot of questions - if I was Bruneian, my age, where I lived, who lived there etc. I just answered every question truthfully. He said that he usually goes to the mosque in Bandar for Friday prayer, but for the sake of my intention, he insisted on going to Jame. Once we reached there, somehow, he knew where I wanted to go - to the place where I always sit.

After the prayer was over, I just followed him back to his car. I didn't go home straight though. He had something to do in Bandar. I was in no rush so I just followed him. From there, it didn't feel right. It felt like something was about to go down - in a worse way - to me. As if I was thinking he had his buddies over in Bandar to cut my head off or something. Ok, no. No pengait topic. First, he went to Standard Chartered Bank to withdraw some money. I thought he would send me home straight after that, but then he forgot to do one more thing - pay his car insurance at Baiduri Bank. On our way there, he asked me for my name and in return, I asked for his. He said that I will always remember his name no matter what. His name is the 6th day of the week. Yes, Saturday (Sabtu) - with all respect, Haji Sabtu. I waited in the car for a few minutes. It was okay. I felt less scared. I was chatting to Nisa, Fikri and Fathul over the phone. That kept me company. I did think of driving the car away, buuuuuuuuut I didn't want to. I don't want to be a criminal, not ever. Life is too short to get caught up.

After he had settled with his insurance, we stopped by a nearby shop and, to my surprise, he bought me a drink! Can you believe that? He bought Mr. Brown coffee and Seasons Ice Lemon Tea. He held up both drinks and asked me to choose which one I wanted. I let him pick first, but he was too kind. Of course, I picked the ice lemon tea. Out of the blue, I was curious about the national service in Brunei so I asked him if he has heard any news about it lately. Fortunately, he has! He said next month, in December, they will start making the uniforms and whatnot. He is still not sure of the recruit though.

We then reached my place and he dropped me off without even touching a single hair on my head. Thank you, Allah - for lending me a kindhearted man with transport to go to the mosque and bought me a drink to quench my thirst. If it wasn't for all of this, I would've missed the prayer. Alhamdulillah. Here I am home safe and soundly.