Shaima Abdullahi, "Shay" to her friends, would be considered a living paradox by even the most understand of souls. Nearly six feet tall, deliciously curvy, with golden brown skin, long black hair and lively brown eyes, this Afro-Arabian gal is a unique beauty by anyone's standards. Don't let those good looks and that easy smile fool you. There's a sharp, calculative and at times opportunistic mind behind that pretty face. Incidentally, it's that mind which I fell for.
My name is Salomon Andre, although I go by Suleiman these days, and I'm a Haitian Muslim brother ( recent convert from a Catholic background ) living in the City of Barrhaven, Ontario. I met Shay almost three years ago, while walking around the East End Mall on the other side of Ottawa. I lived in Vanier at the time, and was fond of walking around the mall. Lots of stuff to see, pretty girls to look at, and delicious food to be had at the food court upstairs. What's not to like?
Whenever I have a day off, or some free time, I hate to say inside unless I'm sleeping or something. I like to go out. The way I figure it, we miss out on a third of our lives because we spend it catching some Z's. Damn shame if you ask me. I like to step out, head to random spots and see what kind of trouble I can get into. Might sound a little risky but that's what being the adventurous type is all about.
One of my favorite spots at the mall was the Green Bargain Store, located the lower level. That's where Shay worked. Every time I came in, I would notice the gorgeous gal with the easy smile and the bubbly personality. Always wondered what such a cutie with such obvious potential was doing in a shabby place like this. We'd spoken a few times, and I found her...puzzling.
"Got a business proposition I want to talk to you about, Suleiman," Shay said to me one Friday night, as we ran into each other in one of the little store's aisles. I looked Shay up and down, and stroked my bearded chin. Normally, I am weary of people approaching me with business proposals but Shay struck me as a smart and capable person, not a fool. So I decided to hear her out.
"I'm listening," I replied, and Shay smiled, and then told me about this financial services company that she was starting to work for. Truth be told, the company's name sounded disturbingly familiar. Like a certain pseudo-pyramid scheme I read about back when I lived in New England. Start-up businesses are fairly common in Massachusetts where I grew up, and so are pyramid schemes. Shay's idea sounded shady, but I didn't tell her as much.