The Hidden Secret under My Car Seat: Why the Previous Owner Was Desperate to Get It Back

Samira considers it a success when she purchases a used car from a dealership because she did it alone. However, the enigmatic previous owner of the vehicle contacts her the following morning and says he left something “alive” under the car’s seat. Will Samira find the hidden package on her own or will she meet him?

Upon initially purchasing my car, I thought it would be a little accomplishment. In order to take time off to write my collection of short stories, I had quit my corporate job. I therefore wanted to wait to spend my savings until I had some significant financial success.

It was a used Toyota Corolla from the neighborhood dealership, nothing special. I forgot about its former owner, lost myself in the excitement of acquiring it. Whoever they were, I was sailing right into my future, and they were in my past.

That is, I believed.

However, everything changed when that chance phone call arrived.

I was in the middle of brewing my morning coffee at around seven in the morning when my phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number.

I would normally ignore it, but there was something about strange calls in the early morning and late at night that compelled me to answer. I was unsure if I was needed.

I yawned and said, “Hello?”

“Hi, is this the new owner of the Toyota Corolla?” With a tone of worry, a man enquired.

Indeed, this is who she is. Who’s saying what?” I questioned, suddenly uncomfortable.

He inhaled deeply.

“Oh, I’m so glad! I apologize for troubling you, but I need your assistance. When I turned in the automobile yesterday morning, I, the previous owner, had left something beneath the seat. You did indeed pick it up yesterday?”

“Yes,” I answered, not understanding what he was saying.

“All right. Good,” he said, pausing. “I have to retrieve what I left behind. It’s quite significant. It truly is urgent.”

How could I possibly be so essential that he would go to such lengths to find me? Was it really legal for the dealership to disclose personal data?

“What did you leave?” While trying not to panic, I asked.

He stumbled, “It’s something… alive.” “I must come get it as soon as possible, ma’am. Please.” I’ll give you an explanation when I see you, I swear.”

I said nothing for a while.

Living? The word rang clear in my head. Was this man sincere? What on earth may be in the car that is alive? My thoughts flitted from a newborn to a puppy to a box of drugs that he was dismissing as living.

However, I was aware that I would have picked up on that kind of thing.

“Do you want to meet me somewhere or give me your address?” he said.

Most likely, I ought to have declined all of the above. However, there was something about him—the fear in his voice—that prevented me from saying no.

At last, I answered, “Okay,” sounding firmer than I actually felt. “Please come to my community. The park where I reside is not too far away. There, I’ll meet you. I’ll give this number the address.

He exhaled in relief and replied, “That’s perfect.” “Don’t worry, it’s contained for now.”

Staring at my phone, I hung up the phone.

“What are you doing, Samira?” I questioned myself. “Are you really going to meet a random person?”

What might be alive beneath my seat, though? Once more, my mind strayed to more dire possibilities. What if the animal was harmful?

I was anxious because I didn’t know what to anticipate.

After twenty minutes, I was waiting for the unidentified stranger to arrive while standing behind the Corolla in the refreshing morning breeze.

I envisioned everyone in their homes slowly waking up or preparing breakfast for their families as the neighborhood remained silent.

Finally, exactly as he had texted me to say he would, a man arrived in an ancient pickup truck. His anxious gaze swept over the room before settling on me.

He introduced himself as Ben. “Thank you for letting me come.”

His dark hair gave the impression that he had run his hands through it too many times, and he was younger than I had thought, maybe in his late twenties like myself.

His unkempt appearance had a charming quality, even yet I could sense that he was truly anxious.

I told myself, Samira, stop it. This is not your typical romantic comedy tale. This isn’t a casual date.

“No issue,” I answered. “My name is Samira. What precisely did you leave beneath the seat, then?”

He didn’t respond right away. Rather, he unlocked the driver’s door, knelt beside the vehicle, and groped behind the seat. There was silence for a minute.

Ben then withdrew a small, airtight box with tiny holes drilled in the lid. As I visualized a tarantula inside the box, my stomach turned over.

“I sincerely apologize for troubling you in this manner,” he added, getting to his feet and taking the box.

“What’s in there?” Almost amused, I asked.

“Every day, I give live insects to my pet gecko at home. I must have forgotten to put the box beneath the seat as I was unloading the car when I stopped at the pet store yesterday to get some food, including mealworms and roaches.”

It took me a moment to process what he had said.

“You left a box of live insects under the seat?” I enquired.

“Not by choice,” he timidly retorted. “I also arrived late to turn in the automobile. I therefore hurried to the showroom to drop off the car… for you, as soon as I finished unloading everything else at home.”

“You’re lucky that they didn’t escape,” I replied.

Before I knew it, a chuckle burst into my mouth, and once it got going, it was hard to stop.

For a moment, he gave me a bewildered expression, but then a smile appeared on his face.

He remarked, “I know it’s ridiculous, right?” “I couldn’t even get any sleep because I was so terrified. I couldn’t stop picturing them scuttling about your automobile.

“My goodness,” I said. “That would have been quite the surprise.”

It was terrifying and hilarious to imagine driving around with a box full of escaping bugs hidden someplace beneath the seat.

He uttered, “I’m really sorry, Samira,” as his smile becoming more sincere. “I didn’t intend to frighten you. I was at a loss for what action to take. Samson the gecko is actually the pet of my younger brother. Even though it’s ridiculous, the child adores it.”

“No judgment here,” I answered. “I had a pet frog for a solid two weeks as a kid until my mother found it bouncing around my room.”

That was plenty to enrage us both once more. We were so happy we started crying.

He blurted out, “Let me make it up to you,” out of nowhere. “May I perhaps take you out for coffee? In remorse for the… glitch issue?”

I was taken aback by his abrupt offer and just gazed at him. This was not what I had anticipated. However, I also had the impression that I was in one of my romantic novels.

His questioning style had a certain something sincere and little optimistic about it.

“I… um,” I began to utter. “Sure, why not?”

He exclaimed, his face beaming, “Great!” “I am aware of a location not too far from here. Do you want to leave right now?”

His eagerness made me laugh.

“How about you take me to a car wash to wash away any bugs and my paranoia, and then we can grab a coffee?” Half-joking, half-seriously, I asked.

“Actually, that’s the least I can do,” he replied. “Come on.”

Ben closed the door of his pickup after placing the insect box inside. I tossed my keys to him, and he caught them flawlessly.

Ben told me all about his younger brother who lived with him as we drove to the car wash.

“There’s a big age gap between us,” he stated. However, a fantastic school is only two roads away from me. He has thus registered there.”

I responded, observing his hands on the steering wheel, “That’s wonderful.” “I wish I had a younger sibling to keep me on the straight and narrow.”

Ben made sure we would take the entire box when we arrived at the vehicle wash.

“Give her a good wash, guys,” he exclaimed.

While the car was being fixed, we went for coffee.

And I pondered over what might come next.

How would you have responded in that situation?