I can't eat all of it because its still early so I eat little and pack the rest into a small nylon bag so I can eat it much later.
I'm on my way home from my exam town. We stop at Minna so we can transfer to a bus going to Abuja.
At Minna, I am pressed. I ask for a place to urinate and a loader directs me to one. I can't discard the tissue I used because there is no waste bin so I wrap it in a bigger tissue and put it into my handbag.
A small hausa boy is beside the car.
He is seven, I think. He asks for alms.
I bring out the rest of the fried potatoes and start to eat.
He watches me eat. I plan to give him 10naira or 20naira after eating.
The food is finished. I put the wrapped used tissue into the now empty nylon bag and throw all beside the vehicle.
When I discard the nylon bag, the small boy picks it up and rushes to a corner with it.
There's very little sauce remaining in it. Mostly pepper. He starts to eat it.
I am touched. There's used tissue inside that bag. He might not have noticed.
I beckon to another loader to call him.
For the first time, I notice his eyes. They are weak and pale. He is a hungry child. Just to hear him say it, I ask him in my not too strong hausa, "What do you want?"
"Aunty, I am hungry. I want to eat", he replies in hausa.
My eyes are teary.
I reach for my purse. He begins to smile. His teeth are a deep brown colour. I give him some money; way more than the 10 or 20 naira I would have given him at first. Enough to buy him a good meal.
He kneels down and, says, "Thank you ma" more than five times. He asks God to bless me.
I tell him to stand up.
He might not use the money to get food but I don't care. I am only happy I was able to make him smile today.
If I had more, I'd have given him.
Our car leaves the park.
"Safe journey" he calls out and waves.
He is still smiling.
I am happy.
We live for these ones.
God bless every child on the street. May they always find help.
Amen.
#streetchild
#JayTeeSays
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