![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Bet-696x464.jpeg\" "\\"Bet\\"\/")
His\u00a0name is Timothy but he goes around telling people that he\u2019s Tim. When we first met he told me the same too. <\/p>\n
I asked, \u201cTim? Short for Timothy?\u201d He said, \u201cNo, Tim for Tim. That\u2019s the name.\u201d Not too long afterwards I saw his ID card and found his full name. He\u2019s Timothy. <\/p>\n
I started calling him Timothy. He didn\u2019t like it. He complained about it and even got angry anytime I called him Timothy. So I stopped but once in a while when he does something wrong, I call him Timothy. <\/p>\n
One day, I was in need so I called him. I was in a rush so when I called him I said, \u201cTimothy, I need your help. I\u2019m in a situation where I need some money to fix it. Would you help me? I will pay back if you want me to?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That was the first time I was asking him for money. Our relationship had gone on for over a year and he hadn\u2019t given me anything. Not that I expected him to but I know guys send presents to their girlfriends on their birthday. <\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t send one. He woke up that day and decided to send me a \u201cA-queen-was-born-today\u201d Message. That was all I had. Well,\u00a0\u00a0and a couple of Whatsapp status update with my photos and a lousy Facebook post that I was tagged in. <\/p>\n
On his birthday, I gave him a watch after posting him on all my handles. I thought he would learn but when Val\u2019s day came, he only sent a message. I responded to his message and kept the gift I bought for him.<\/p>\n
But that day I was in desperate need of money so I called and pleadingly asked him to help me. Every caring boyfriend would have asked, \u201cWhat is the problem? How did you get yourself into that situation? Wait for me I\u2019m coming to take you out.\u201d <\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t say any of those. His first statement was, \u201cSo why are you calling\u00a0me Timothy?\u201d I apologised; \u201cDear, my head is not in the right place. Forgive me but this is not the time to argue about your name. Would you help me?\u201d He answered, \u201cLet\u2019s see what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t ask how much I needed and when I needed it. All he said was, \u201cLet\u2019s see.\u201d I screamed, \u201cTimothy, you don\u2019t even know how much I want so how much are you going to consider when you see what you want to see? And the thing is I need it right now. I\u2019m that desperate so please do something now if you can.\u201d He got angry. <\/p>\n
His anger was for the fact that I was calling him Timothy. He screamed at me on the phone, \u201cYou\u2019re there looking for a favor but you still have the courage to annoy the one you\u2019re seeking favour from. How many times have I told you not to call me Timothy?\u201d He then cut the line.<\/p>\n
My mum\u2019s health was on the line so I wasn\u2019t going to chase him around for what he had clearly stated that he would see. I called a few friends\u2014My friend Tilly came up with all I needed to help settle my mum\u2019s medical bills.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t want to take it but when I had the money, I went to her and push it down her brazier. Even that, she removed it and threw it on me. \u201cWhat are friends for, Eli? I gave it out as a friend supporting a friend. You don\u2019t need to return it.<\/p>\n
I begged her to take it so I can come for it again the next time I needed it. Her actions broke a cord in me. I was so moved to the extent that I told Tilly about what Timothy did to me when I needed help.<\/p>\n
As silly as girlfriends would be, she picked the side of my boyfriend and teased me. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t want to be called what he doesn\u2019t want to be called. Why would you ask for money using a name he doesn\u2019t like? I support him. <\/p>\n
Next time call him with sweet appellations when you need something. Don\u2019t go screaming \u201cHerh Timothy and expect him to give you something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It took days before we talked\u2014Timothy and I. I was hurt. I was thinking about the future of us, \u201cA guy who won\u2019t help in times of need? No, I should walk away.\u201d But Tilly didn\u2019t agree with me. She told me to talk about it with him. <\/p>\n
She told me to sit him down and express all my sentiments about the relationship and ask him to change something. So when Tim Finally came around, we talked. We talked about the gift he never gives. <\/p>\n
We talked about how he hadn\u2019t been in the mind frame of giving. And we talked about his name. I told him, \u201cWhen I call you Timothy, I\u2019m not trying to make fun of you. <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone calls you Tim. It sounds ordinary. I want mine to sound special but if you say you don\u2019t want it, fine. I would make a conscious effort to stop calling Timothy when I had to call Tim.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time in our relationship, he apologised. He apologised for not helping and promised he would be better. I forgave him so we could forge ahead. When Xmas came, I got him a gift but he never did.<\/p>\n
He called to explain his financial situation; \u201cI\u2019m not doing well this year. You know my family and their constant calls for me to provide for them. I\u2019ve given them everything. But don\u2019t worry.<\/p>\n
@Your birthday is just two months away. I will surprise you.\u201d Two months later, my birthday came and all I had were excuses. So I took my mind off it. \u201cHe\u2019ll never give so stop expecting something from him every now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was with him because he was good in certain areas. He\u2019s one guy who respects my presence. I won\u2019t see him on his phone when I\u2019m around. I won\u2019t see him making weird calls in the night or suspect him of cheating.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s one guy who tells it as it is and I loved that about him. The ones I\u2019ve had in the past cheated on me. Some didn\u2019t even recognize my presence when I was with them. So to have a guy who gives me all the attention means a lot to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One afternoon, I went to his place and he was watching a football match. I\u2019m not a football fan. I don\u2019t even know the rules except that when the ball goes into the net, I know that it\u2019s a goal. I wanted to sleep and allow him to enjoy his football but this guy won\u2019t let me. <\/p>\n
He tried explaining things to me. He tried telling me the names of the players, the history of the team, the country they are from, and everything to get me interested. <\/p>\n
I started watching with him but all I saw were handsome players. I will point at one player and say something like, \u201cWow, he\u2019s cute. Look at his hair.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I guess he was trying to make me interested in the game so he said, \u201cPick one team and let\u2019s see who wins.\u201d I picked those in white because they had handsome players. When I picked a team, I became interested so we started arguing about the match. <\/p>\n
What did I even know except when they were trying to score and they didn\u2019t. That was all. He said, \u201cWe are going to win.\u201d And I replied, \u201cOh you lie bad. We are winning.\u201d He said, \u201cWould you bet?\u201d I asked, \u201cHow much?\u201d He answered, \u201cIt\u2019s your call. How much would you like to bet?\u201d I looked into my purse and saw GHC50. I said, \u201cHere\u2019s GHC50. Bring yours.\u201d Maybe he was so sure his team was going to win so he put GHC100 on my GHc50. He proclaimed boldly, \u201cIf you win, take the GHC100. Can women team like this one score us?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was dozing off when I heard the screaming fans on the TV. I opened my eyes to see my team has scored. I jumped up and took the money from the table. \u201cI\u2019ve won! I\u2019ve won!! \u201cI\u2019ve won!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the match isn\u2019t over. Wait until it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final whistle was blown and my team had won. I jubilated and tucked the money into my purse. He said, \u201cSeriously?\u201d I answered, \u201cBut I\u2019ve won? What do you expect me to do?\u201d I left his house with his GHC100 in my purse.<\/p>\n
He was quiet when I was leaving. Even when I told him I was leaving he didn\u2019t respond but I left all the same. I got home, called him and his voice was cold. <\/p>\n
The following day the attitude began. He would pick up my calls sometimes and would not pick up the next time I call. My messages were not responded to. My call to visit him was met with resistance. <\/p>\n
For a whole week, he was like that so I asked what the issue was. \u201cHave I done anything wrong? Did I say something I shouldn\u2019t have said?\u201d His response was, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong. I just want to be alone.\u201d I asked, \u201cFor how long?\u201d He said, \u201cI don\u2019t know but I know that I want to be alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
I know it\u2019s about the bet\u2014the GHC100 I took from him but I wanted him to say it. He kept swerving the discussion until I decided to leave him alone for a while.<\/p>\n
As I write this, It\u2019s been over a week since we spoke to each other. My friend Tilly thinks I should return the money if I want the relationship. I told her I wasn\u2019t going to return it. <\/p>\n
If he could behave this way just because of GHC100 then we don\u2019t have to be in a relationship in the first place. I\u2019m not talking to him but it hurts that he\u2019s behaving this way toward me. The bet started playfully. <\/p>\n
If he wanted his money back, he could have equally taken it from me playfully. I don\u2019t understand this childish attitude of his and I\u2019m ready to let him go if he treads the same way he\u2019s been treading.<\/p>\n
Do you think I\u2019m being reasonable? This is a guy who hasn\u2019t given me anything from the start of the relationship. If anything at all, he could take it as a gift to me but no, he keeps acting childish.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m ready to lose him when push comes to shove but Tilly thinks I should send his money back to him so peace would be restored. Should I listen to Tilly? Is a man like this worth keeping?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n