Times are undoubtedly rough and tough, but if only we can allow our aspirations, desires and struggles to be absolved in the love of humanity, the weight on each other won’t be too heavy. A very kind hearted Nigerian Youth Armstrong Amobi Ophoke, popularly known as KAA saw a distressed man, he was moved by compassion and the outcome is so glorious.
He had this to say
Walking in, he greeted me as usual; only that this time around he looked lost. I couldn’t see that bright charming smile I had known him for. I was such in a hurry that I didn’t pay much attention to him. I simply greeted back and walked past. 25 minutes later, I walked out of the building with a carton of Paradise Chicken Pizza in my hands. Towards my car I noticed him sitting on a pavement with his face buried between his legs. I paused for a moment to observe him better. Whatever was his problem, I didn’t want to get involved. I drove off. But the appetite for the pizza was suddenly no longer there. I was going home but it was as though my spirit was left behind. I made a U-turn.
Five minutes later I was looking at this man again. This time around he was holding on to a crossbar above his head. I observed from a distance as he stared unconsciously at nothing. I was in my car for a few minutes, watching him through a tinted glass. After a while, he slumped back on the pavement and leaned on the wall behind him. His colleague who has been manning the entrance came and talked to him briefly, patting him on the shoulder as if he was consoling him, and then walked back to the door. I came out of the car and walked up to him. He only noticed me when I sat next to him. Looking at his face I noticed the fading wrinkles of dried tears. His uniform was not even properly buttoned and his lips were so dry and looked like it needed thorough scrubbing. He said good afternoon sir with a very weak voice. I told him that my name was KAA and asked his own name, he said Ade. I asked if he was sick, and he said no. I persuaded him to tell me what was bothering him but when he opened up to talk, tears rushed out from his eyes. I waited patiently as he struggled to regain his composure and the little strength he had left. His story was a very pathetic one. He was sent out from his house with his wife and two little kids because he could not pay his rent. What’s most painful is that rain had beaten them the night before and his employer vehemently refused to help him. This is a man who’s unlike his colleagues. Despite his hardship, he does not go about harassing people with corporate begging. He does his work professionally, with a smile on his face, same face that was now soaked in tears.
I asked how much is the rent, he said 350k. It was previously 250k before the landlord increased it. I asked him to call me after work and he did. He took me to a Church where his wife and children sat among other less privileged people at the church gate. I don’t even want to talk about what I saw them eating. The children were looking like they were going to drop dead the next minute. I and the man went together to see the landlord. I pleaded that he should accept them back to the house. I cleared their six-month debt and paid for another two years. Hopefully, we will be able to find an easy-to-learn skill for the man. Having a skill will unburden his 50k security job. This was how my yesterday ended. May God see every one of us through our struggles.
Kind people sure exist, if you can’t find one, be one. HUMANITY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE