Please I am hungry! Part 2

Good day,

I wanted to tell you about something that happened to me lastweek.

I was on the queue to buy fuel (usual periodic scarcity of fuel) and a young lad sent greetings to me. I looked up and it was a boy of between 11 to 13years of age so I responded.

He lingered for a bit so I figured he was trying to communicate and said is there a problem? I am hungry he responded timidly.

This was when the war in my head began. 'To give or not to give?' I wondered.
I finally decided to ask the young man some questions before taking a stand albeit being careful not to be called a 'kidnapper' or an 'abductor' (I don't even want to be called conductor so it won't sound similar to abductor. I am not trying to test whether jungle justice exists).

I asked (I): where are you coming from?
He answered (H): School

(I): Where is mum & dad?
(H): Mum will be home, Dad have kick (sic) bucket

(I): why are you hungry & did Mum say there will be food when get home?
(H): I did not eat in the morning but Mummy promised me food in the evening

(I): Has Mummy ever broken her promise to you?
(H): No

(I): Do you know me at all? Do you know if you will jump into my car as a frog after taking money from me? Why did you not tell your teachers in school to give you something to eat?
(H): No, Nothing

So I decided not to reinforce begging as a habit to him, I told him I would not encourage him to beg but however gave him my phone number to give to his mummy as I would be more willing to help her.

I still felt bad that I did not give him anything but I felt better that I had told him it was not in his place to fend for himself and opened his eyes to some of the dangers of roadside begging or talking to strangers.

I welcome your comments,
PEARL.