To cut a long story short, It's very difficult for me to be free with people. I am very jovial, but to register a place in my life as a friend isn't easy.
Only a small number of people often possess the kind of qualities I look out for, and there is no pretending; if a person has it, he has it: there is no two ways about it.
What are those qualities? I know you are curious to know: humility, compassion, respect for people, and sincerity.
As casual as those qualities are, come life or death, I can not be close with anyone who lacks any of them.
But one person managed to break the rule and became my friend without possessing any of those qualities.
Some months back, I resolved that I was going to start following my mother to her canteen since I was not doing anything at home.
The first day was normal; I expected it to be so, since it was my former area. People were happy to see me. My old friends came around purposely to see how I have been faring.
I was quite excited, but something had already shifted in me; I couldn't mingle with them as I used to when I was living here.
Some of them have transformed into smokers and drug addicts, and that's a serious red flag for me. I am looking for a way to become better and not to add up trouble for myself.
Whenever I am less busy, I sit alone by the road under a mango tree and watch the latest cars passing.
I don't like noise, but trust me, I enjoy the noise from those fancy cars, especially the Mercedes Benz brands, it's usually exceptional.
There is this young man that always passes by and never smiles. He is tall, dark-skinned, and has a serious face.
The only thing I admire about him was his reserved nature, but everything else about him was a red flag; he does not greet, smile, or care about anyone.
One evening I was sitting by the road operating my phone after doing my chores at the restaurant, and I noticed a presence around; a shadow and strange weight were cast on me.
I instantly lifted my head only to see him already standing before me. “Good evening, my boss,” he greeted me with a faint smile.
I stared at him, maintaining silence for some moments. “Evening, how may I help you?” I composed.
“Please, can you share your hotspot with me? I want to buy data,” he requested.
The calmness in his voice pulled at my heartstrings. I never expected him to be that humble.
I looked straight into his eyes, and all I could see was a strange innocence. “Okay,” I responded and unlocked my phone.
“You can now connect. The device name is “Infinix,” the password is “1123456.”
“Connected,” he answered.
After a few seconds, he said, “You can now turn it off. Thanks a lot, sir.
I nodded and waved at him.
He lives in the street opposite my mother's canteen, across the main road.
About two days later, he was going out and he decided to come and greet me.
I was quite shocked. We chit-chatted, and I learned that he is a student of one of the prominent private polytechnics in our community.
Subsequently, we started getting along, but he was still serious and nonchalant in everything. I noticed he doesn't even have any friends, and he doesn't go anywhere after school apart from my place.
I am not the kind of person who likes intruding into people's private lives, so I kept my cool and interacted with him according to his personality; watching boundaries and measuring my words before I let them out.
One of those days, we were together under the mango tree talking about life struggles and how to make it when he smiled and began telling me about his experience before he came to school.
“I used to own a car and a booming electronics shop,” he started and paused for a moment.
“My life was moving fine until I got selected for my team to fly abroad in pursuit of my football career; everything began going south.
I broke my leg during one of the training sessions, and my business went down mysteriously. I had to sell almost all my assets to start life.
Life has become unpleasant afterwards; I am just struggling and trying to be fine, but deep down I am not fine,” he shook his head and went mute.
“Omo, you are a strong man, how are you coping?” I asked.
“Guy, that's not even the worst one,” he continued.
“My best friend, who always has my back; supporting me in everything, lost his life last year in a ghastly motor accident.
I feel like everything is against me; sometimes I spend my whole day and night indoors crying. I am not enjoying life.
I feel abandoned, I feel lost, I feel like I have lost it all. It's been a long time since I felt what it means to be happy.”
After he finished, I couldn't say a word; it was at that point that it dawned on me that he was not who I thought he was. The first impression I had of him was totally wrong.
“Sorry, man, you will be fine. Just choose happiness and start life again,” I encouraged him.
He laughed hard, “I hope so, my man, I really hope so.”
“Who would have thought that someone like you is depressed? It's not showing anywhere on your face,” I teased him.
“It doesn't need to be obvious; people are going through a lot of things, and a lot of them are just wearing fake masks," he replied.
"That's true, I didn't know you are actually suffering inside. I used to think you were just being proud and matured when you avoided conversations and always kept a serious face,” I confessed.
“I understand with you Emreal. If I don't tell you, you wouldn't know.”
“Well, you will heal. I'll help you do that, but you must be ready for it,” I told him.
He smirked, okay, Emreal, I hope I do. I need it, he responded.
Since then, Abdul and I became very close, and he started feeling comfortable around people.
He now freely talks to some of the guys that come around to see me. The last time we met, he was even cracking jokes and discussing football passionately.
I don't know what he is feeling inside currently, but I am sure he has been experiencing some level of relief.
N.b: All Images Were Generated Using ChatGPT
