Ive met so many kind people in my life, people who have been very gracious to others. Even to me. A lot of times, people have come through for me. So many of those times, I've never had to ask for their helps. These unexpected assistance is one of the chief reasons why I look around me and try to make the life of another as easy as I can afford to. One of such act of kindness that blew me away happened a while back. It's been a while back but I have it at the back of my mind always. It's the kind that's ever etched in one's mind.
After secondary school, I began preparations to gain entrance into the university. When I had to take the JAMB(joint admissions and matriculation examination), I was posted to a center in a different state. The exam was to hold in Aba, Abia state. Being a native of the state, I was glad it wasn't so far off and at the same times, wasn't too close. The anticipation of a trip, you can call it.
The day came for the exam and I had to go alone. I convinced my parents to not go with me since I already knew the location(we usually passed by there whenever we were travelling to the village) and because my exams were slated for midmorning so It shouldn't be long befire I got back. And they let me.
They walked me to the bus station very early in the morning and put me in a vehicle going in that direction. I arrived, wrote my exams, which were delayed by an hour and some minutes due to poor organization.
By the time I was done and I got out, it was raining heavily. I found a spot in the exam premises and waited. It was approaching evening and I hoped that the rain would subside just a little so I could make my way to the motor park and catch a bus heading home. But it didn't. Well, not until about 5pm.
I hurried to the park and found a bus loading. I enquired about the fare and when I was told, I dipped my hands into my pocket and got out my money and started to count it befire handing to the driver. There was a problem; I lost part of it. I searched in the file I was holding but found nothing still. I became alarmed. Fear gripped me. What I had on me wasn't enough to cover the transportation. After standing at that spot for so long, tired, scared, confused, I tried to beg the driver to just take what I had. To have pity on me, but he wasn't listening. He did not take another look at me. A man who was onboard the bus and had been watching me and the driver said something in the lines of, '...young boys who would not go and look for work but would rather roam the street begging.' I felt hurt.
After walking around seeking help from people around to no avail, I stood at a spot in despair.
Then, I saw this raggity looking man walking up to me. The kind of guys that by their appearance and behavior we call agberos(louts). I became even more terrified. It was getting dark and I feared that he would do something terrible to me, maybe rob me of my money.
When he finally walked to me, he asked what I was doing there, saying he had been looking at me for a while. When I explained my predicament, he took me by the hand and walked to the driver I had earlier pleaded with. The man seemed to know him. He rebuked him first for not taking any pity on me even when I came to him. He questioned if he had any conscience and didn't have children of his own. I was surprised but was more concerned and aware. It could be a plot.
Surprisingly, he took out the exact money for the trip and gave the driver. I became teary. I even told him that I had some of my money, I only lost part but he insisted to pay the full fare saying that I should keep what I had cause I might need it.
As I jumped in on the bus, he told the driver, in pidgin English, but i translate, "drive safe and take care of my brother."
I wasn't his brother but I shared in that affection. Is it not said that brotherhood is beyond blood ties? That was the first and last time that I ever saw him. I learned a big lesson that has stayed with me ever since from the encounter, but most importantly, I learned kindness. That was kindness in it most tender, humane form.
Thanks for stopping by.
SOKA🖤