MASKS

My face was already bloated from all the glorified pimples and rashes that could court a nineteen years old, but it glowed even brighter that day because we were joyously celebrating our tenth year anniversary. Quite pathetic!

I remember being extremely angry at no one in particular, i just wanted to be angry and so i journeyed to the bank to withdraw the last #2,000 I had in my account. 

The realism fueled the alacrity of my anger!

“Aunty good afternoon”, a little boy who I perceived to be below the age range of 12-15 years old greeted me that sunny Monday afternoon, and by sunny am very particular about hell in form of the flaring sun of Uniben!

“Any work for me?”, he urgued on, refusing me an opportunity to reply him. He appeared smart for a little boy, and as pitiable as he looked, he gave the richest smile i had ever seen.

“No”, I replied, shocked at the audacity of the young child, as the word “work” did a double swirl before settling in my head. What could a little boy of his age need a job for?

“Do you have any money to give me to buy something”, he added, his smile fading with the glow that once greeted me. 

“No”. 

Instantly he left me, his smile back and his glow even brighter as he hurriedly crossed the road to approach someone else.

“Any work for me?”. He’d chant….

As I watched him leave, thousand questions flooded my head. What was his story? Why did he go around seeking jobs from strangers? Are his parent aware of this? Or does he even have parents? What can a little boy of his age possibly do? 

He looked so happy and sad at the same time, and as curiosity overwhelmed me, I turned to look at the boy, but he was gone…leaving traces of himself on every faces that stared back at me. 

The sad truth is, there are more people who are just like that little boy, broken yet they put on the best smile, scared but bold enough to put themselves together and start all over again,  those who the world has said “no” to countless times, but will never give up.

I wonder about them too.

What is their story? 

 

P.S: Forgive my rough write, I’ve been ill for a short while, but I really wanted to share this.

Stay blessed!