12/07/2025
ABDUL HAYI MOOMEN, FORMERLY OF GTV writes
THE DAY I BOUGHT A FAKE IPHONE!
It was a hot Thursday afternoon in 2010. One of those days when the sun felt extra committed to its job. I remember it clearly because that was the day I emptied my entire savings account and made my way to Tiptoe Lane at Circle, heart pounding with excitement and a hint of nervousness.
At the time, iPhones had become the ultimate status symbol among my friends. Everyone seemed to be flaunting one. Group chats were filled with blue bubbles, sleek photos, and the kind of confidence only an Apple logo could bring. Me? I was the odd one out, still managing life with a humble Nokia that struggled to open WhatsApp without freezing.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed an iPhone, not wanted, needed. Not for the specs, not even for the camera, just to feel like I belonged.
But the Apple Store? Way out of my league. Even the local retail shops were quoting prices that made me question my life choices. That’s when someone whispered the magic words: “Go to Tiptoe Lane, you’ll get it cheaper.”
Now, if you’ve ever been to Tiptoe Lane, you’d know it’s a place where phones are displayed not in glass cabinets, but on plastic trays like oranges on a vendor’s head. The energy there is chaotic, the hustle aggressive, and the bargains... suspiciously sweet.
After hopping from one seller to another, I finally found what looked like my dream come true: a “slightly used” iPhone. It was sleek, shiny, and when the guy powered it on, everything looked perfect. I tested the touchscreen, flipped through a few menus, all was good.
“Charge it for six hours before using,” he advised, with the calm confidence of a doctor giving post-surgery instructions.
I carried the phone home like a newborn baby. For six long hours, I watched it charge, imagining the admiring looks I’d get from my friends the next day.
Then came the moment of truth. I pressed the power button, and there it was… but instead of “iPhone,” the screen proudly flashed: “Lpone.”
My heart sank. I blinked. Maybe I was tired? Nope. Still “Lpone.”
But the real heartbreak came next. The interface booted up, not with the sleek elegance of iOS, but with the unmistakable layout of… Android.
I had been played.
Since that day, I’ve never bought another iPhone. Not because I don’t like them, but because every time I see one, I remember Tiptoe Lane, “Lpone,” and the six hours I wasted waiting for a dream that never powered on.
Hmmmmmm!!!
