26/04/2024
There's this small restaurant that always gives this mad man food for free. Whenever I go there to eat, the mad man comes to stand in front of the restaurant, staring without saying a word.
The person selling the food, looks at him for awhile then gives him food and tells him to hurriedly go.
The mad man keeps coming, and I wonder at the kind of heart the man that sells and serve people in the restaurant has.
But I noticed something strange whenever the man at the restaurant gives food to the mad man. He looks around, making sure someone doesn't see him, before he hands over the food to the mad man.
Five days ago, I came for my regular.
"Please sir, I'll like to have my regular food with a bottle drink alongside," I said before sitting.
"Okay ma'am," he replied.
The mad man came again as usual. Before the mad could serve me, he looked around again.
As he was about to hand the food to the mad man, a chubby woman - light skinned and average height walked into the restaurant and began to yell aggressively at the server.
"Are you mad? My food? Why are you giving it to this smëlly and dèrained mad man? Kilosé"
People gathered around to watch the scene.
"I'm sorry ma, I just had to give to him. My heart says so."
I decided to ask, "who's she?"
The server replied, "My madam. She owns the shop, I'm just trying to show compassion o, I---"
"Shut up jaré! Compassion with my business? Today you seize to work here!" The madam threatened.
"Ha!" Everyone watching screamed.
"Haba madam! E neva reach like that na. Na just small food wey he give am, abeg!" I tried to intervened.
"Wòò! No chook mouth put. Why didn't he tell me first?"
I paused for a second. "Guy, you didn't tell her you've been giving... Like you know this place and the food isn't yours, you only work---"
"I told... Like I discussed it with her but she refused." The server interrupted.
He continued... "But my spirit kept on pushing me to feed him."
"But madam---"
"Erhn! Don't even say another word. Na food carry you come, just dey go if you buy finish." The madam pointed her index finger at me. I felt embarrassed. I saw how everyone was staring. The mad man later left when he saw that the food wasn't sure anymore.
"I no buy again. You're too arrogant madam," I angrily said and left. I chased after the mad man and gave him the last 1k - one thousand naira I had on me to eat.
"Take," I stood a bit far from him. Honestly I didn't know what to expect. It was my first time interacting with a mad person.
He just stood there, staring at me. So I turned to the provision store behind me and got snacks and soft drink for him instead. He grabbed it from my hand and faintly said, "thank you," before he left.
I passed through the road two days ago while going for lectures and I noticed the server guy wasn't there again. It was a little girl I saw instead. Yesterday I passed there again, I didn't see him and decided to go ask questions.
"Small girl, what of that man that used to work here. Does he no---"
"Yes, he doesn't work here anymore. He now owns his own at elegba road. A very big one," she interrupted with a smile on her face.
I was shocked. "How? Like how do you know that?" I asked.
"Erhn nau! Everyone here knows about it. That's where all your school staff members and big - big men go to eat."
"What about that mad man that used to come here?"
The girl properly covered the cooler, then looked back at me, "We don't see him again too. Since Mr Brown stopped working, he stopped coming too."
"Seriously? His own restau... In just three days?"
"Do you know how I can get his contact?" I added. I needed to know how come about it, because It's suspicious.
She pointed at a young lady adjacent to their shop. I went to her then took it.
I met him today and he explained everything in details. To cut the long so short, he said the mad man wasn't actually mad. The mad man was actually doing a humanity test on people on the street but he was the only one who could feed him when he begged people for food.
So he gave out his mom's fast food to him as a reward and charity. I couldn't believe my ears.
This guy was literally looking like an expensive boss, just in three days.
I asked about the mad man. The mad man showed up, he wasn't looking mad like before. Luxury was seen all over his body - he looked neat, handsome and he was entering my eyes. So attractive.
"Hey!" His bass voice je**ed me back to reality. I was really staring at him while he walked into the fast food.
"Oh, yea! Good afternoon sir," I almost knelt.
"No, no. Don't do that."
"My name is Evanston not sir, please." He added.
I nodded my head in agreement, without uttering a word. I was just smiling.
He beckoned at one of his boys. The boy came back in, handling me a black bag.
The mad man, no! He's no longer mad. He said, "I have been searching for you, you're lucky today girl."
He gifted me a huge amount. It solved my school issues and I now have a side business to do alongside school.
I never knew that small act of giving him my last card would result to this. God is great.
Giving isn't a big deal for me, I don't know about you.
You should know, giving out to whoever it is shouldn't be for expecting in return.
Giving is humanity ♥️
© Odina Kachi Nwabugwu
