How I Became an SMS Buyer

Let me start by saying that I am embarrassed I even have to tell this story. Honestly, I can’t explain how I stooped so low.

The story begins in September 2018, during my first year at campus. I fell in love for the very first time and it was the greatest feeling in the world. Jason and I were always texting. He was not a calls person and I loved writing. We texted mostly via sms because it was more affordable. At only one thousand shillings, I got a weekly 700 sms bundle.

Jason and I used to chat ’till as late as 3:00am in the night. We just couldn’t get enough of each other. Little did I know that the more I talked to him, the more emotionally attached I got.

After several weeks, I noticed some laxity from him. He delayed to respond to my texts. One time, I asked him why on WhatsApp and he told me it was because he did not have sms bundles.

Just that? Easy. I bought him a weekly bundle. I was happy to help. It’s what friends were for. From then on, I kept buying him bundles every now and then. It was just 1k after all. He never even asked. Each time he went quiet, I would send a bundle.

If you have ever been in love, then you must have felt like keeping your lover from everyone that was a potential threat. This for me meant all my single girlfriends. However, after three days of not getting a response, I got desperate. I was financially on the wall, but I had to do something. I was so used to talking to Jason that I couldn’t imagine a life without us doing so.

I called one of my friends, asked her to top up 1k for me so I could send Jason a bundle. I had built my entire existence around this guy. Talking to him was everything.

Occasionally, I kept purchasing bundles for him. Sadly, even with the texts, sometimes he would not even text me. Suddenly, I felt like he was taking me for granted. Sincerely, how terribly broke could one be that they could fail to invest 1k in a relationship? That’s 4k a month. 5k if we push it. It’s not like he ever gave me anything. Where was all his money going?

One day it occurred to me that maybe he just didn’t know the procedure of purchasing an sms bundle. Taking initiative again, I sent him the code and steps of buying a bundle. Even with this useful info, he didn’t change a single thing.

That’s when the lights came on. I took a breather the moment I noticed that perhaps he just didn’t want to talk to me. However, once in a blue moon when I was feeling generous, I would send him a bundle.

One night in 2019, I sat very content at the front of a taxi waiting for it to fill up. I was on my way from visiting him. We had spent some lovely hours together and he had cooked for me. It was now several minutes past 10pm. While on my phone, I saw a notification from Airtel. “You have received 700 sms from….”  Wait, that was Jason’s number. He had bought me an sms bundle? I smiled. Finally. I recall feeling like, ‘aaaww, isn’t he the sweetest?’

I already had a running sms, data and voice call bundle. As soon as I saw the notification, I inboxed my sweet boyfriend. “Thanks hun, but I already have more than enough”.

To this, he replied, “Oh, sorry. That was a mistake. I was sending them to someone else”.

Eh! What? I was so demoralized. I sat in silence at the front of that taxi until we reached Kampala. I honestly had no words.

That night, I vowed with every fiber in my body that never….NEVER, would I ever send that guy sms bundles ever again. And not just that, I also swore I would never spend a shilling on him or any other man that I loved.  Like Never. And as God is my witness, I kept that promise to this day.

The End.

Disclaimer: The name(s) that feature in this story are fictitious. They were made up to protect the identity and privacy of those involved.

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