Through the dark streets of Amenia, Adel wandered around kicking off the pebbles on the sides of the streets. After aimlessly walking on the unknown streets for hours, Adel knew he was lost and for a change was happy being lost. He was happy to be away from the restricting world of adults. While he was still smiling, lost in his own world, a sound came. A stone which he had kicked off had hit some metal object. A small child was sitting on the pavement playing with a metal utensil and the stone had hit his utensil.
Adel walked up to the child and asked what he was doing there? The child laughed seeing Adel and said a few unrecognizable syllables. Suddenly a young lady came and lifted the small child in her arms. Adel then saw a very small hut on the other side of the pavement where a few other people were staying. The lady started walking towards the hut when Adel called the lady in a reflex. The lady turned and asked what he wanted. Adel had never seen people living in huts built on street-sides. Innocently he asked why she is going towards the small dirty hut with her child. “That place is so dirty. Don’t go there,” said Adel.
The lady amused by Adel’s innocence and care replied, “Kid, we live there. That is our house. We don’t have enough money to live in a proper house.”
Adel, “Why don’t you have enough money? My dad has a lot of money. You can take some money from him and build a good house. I live in a big house at 8th floor and it’s very clean and beautiful.”
Lady, “You are still a small boy my dear. This world is not as good as you think it is. May you be untouched with the harsh cruelties of this world! But why are you wandering alone at this hour? Are you not scared? Do you know your way back home? Where are your parents?”
“You are such a good mother. You allowed your son to play even during the night. You love your child. But my mother scolds me a lot and never allows me to play. She does not love me so I have left my house,” Adel started walking as he said these words.
Adel increased his pace of walking fearing that the lady might get hold of him and return him to his parents. His mind was running at the same pace or even faster than his feet. The small and shabby shack was still in front of his eyes. How can anyone live in such a place? That place smelt so bad. Poor people have to suffer so much still they are happy. I want to be poor. At least then my mother would let me play the whole day and not shout at me even once!
Meanwhile, Adel’s parents were questioning all his friends & neighbors, frantically searching the nearby roads but Adel was nowhere to be found.
....continued in Part 3
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