Happiness Campaign

The Heart of a Real Man

   I enjoyed playing with Banoy and started to smile again. The smile on my face came back because of him, of how he carried on with his life and of how he smiled despite the fact that his life was not that good as that of the other kids we see in Lincoln Park. Those kids were sometimes with their Nannies or Parents. There were times when Banoy would suddenly be silent and just sat at the bench and watched the kids being swayed in the swing by their father. I knew he was longing for the love that was deprived of him, that is why, he never felt being happy.

One morning we went off running because Banoy was about to be late for school again. His face was full of sweat. Five minutes... Three minutes... He stopped and I ask him why. He didn't answer my question and just walked the other way to help a fruit vendor. She was way too old to be in the streets selling fruits. She couldn't carry the basket full of fruits; that is why, all the fruits were scattered, and yet no one bothered to help her.

"Banoy, you are already running late for school," I reminded him.

"Yes, I know," he replied.

"Let's go!" I said.

"I can't go without helping her. I would never forgive myself if I didn't help her."

He helped the old lady in picking up all the fruits that were damaged because they fell on the ground. The old lady cried because she said that she was saving up money for her grandchild's education.

"Lola, add this money to your savings. This might help you somehow though it is not that big."

"Thank you, child. I have never met someone like you. You are just a child, but you have the heart of a real man."

I saw him smile as he led the old lady to the other side of the road and bid farewell. Because of that incident, I could clearly tell that Banoy was not a typical boy; he was special.

When we arrived in school, the usual thing happened. He stood at the back and squatted; he didn't sit until the teacher told him so.

The class ended and I remembered him telling me earlier at the bakeshop that we would take a bus on the way home that day because I told him I wanted to experience riding a bus.

"Let's go to the bus stop!" I excitedly said.

He grabbed his wallet from his pocket; and opened it and then closed it again.

"We'll take a walk for today. Walking is good for the heart and this is a good exercise," he said with a smile on his face, his trade mark smile.

I simply nodded but deep down, I knew that he didn't have any money left in his wallet because he gave all he had to the old lady a while ago.