Darkness , everyday is a doomsday

Darkness

It was a sunny and dry day. A group of people sat, some standing, at the side of a road inside a bus shelter. They were all male. Although it was a bus stop, they were not waiting for a bus. They were waiting for someone to come pick them up in hopes of a construction or labour job.  Jamal was one of the men waiting for this opportunity, patiently waiting. Jamal was a married man had three kids all starving at home. They were anxiously watching as cars passed by, for anyone to come in need for a worker. Ideally they would have loved for a day job, this day job is what would provide them with a piece of bread for their hungry and starving children and family.

A car then suddenly slowed down, parked on the side of the road. He requested to take 1-2 people for a job. Suddenly everyone rushed towards them and begged to be chosen.

They yelled…
“ I will do better job less many”
“I’m a “hard working guy”
“I will stay late too”
“I can do anything, Please take me,  please….!”

They were soliciting to be taken for one day of work. Jamal was amongst one of those people pleading, but sadly he was weaker than most, because of his fragile body and his age, they hardly looked at him. He was thinner and older than most of the men there. Aside from that he was starving. He and his family had not eaten in almost two days.  In fact, it was even tougher for Jamal to stand on his feet properly as he was so delicate.

Afghanistan was under a Taliban regime at this time. A regime against Islam, Afghans, and humanity. Quickly enough, doctors, engineers, teachers, specialists, scientists, government employees and majority of the afghan citizens were jobless. Men and woman who studied half of their lives and worked hard, all their hardship, desire and wishes wasted away.

Very few people were working at this time. In major cities most people escaped to neighboring countries. People who were not able to escape were living like prisoners in fear, in the major cities and villages.

Jamal was an intelligent and specialized teacher. He taught in a local high school for the last 18 years, a chemistry teacher. He was loved and honored by his students and by the local community. Sadly, he used to be respected and known as a great teacher everywhere, but once he lost his job, he lost everything. Due to the regime, students had to keep away as the subject of science was forbidden. With no teacher salary, Jamal had no way to feed his family.

Before the regime, his wife was an employee for the Ministry of Finance, but most women were prohibited working outside their home. They were not even allowed to go outside by themselves. They had to have a man accompany them. The only field a woman was able to work in was the health industry. Life was very tough for most people in Afghanistan. They all lived in a city like a prisoner. Men were not allowed to shave their beards, or able to grow their hair, listen to the music, or watch videos, let alone take pictures. These were strictly prohibited. Everyone in Afghanistan had to wear the traditional cloths. Women were not allowed to show their face or any part of their body. Then there was the sport stadium which was known to be the place of a punishment. A “sinners” hands & feet, or even their head was cut off, people were beaten by weapons made from metal and people were beheaded there.
People were mentally and physically damaged and broken. Finding food for their families were very difficult, every day was like doomsday.

One day Jamal as per usual had no work. It was 2pm in the afternoon and it was too late for someone to ask Jamal to come work as by then they already had a worker with them. Jamal didn’t want to go home because he knew that when he gets home his kids and his wife will wait for a piece of bread. Sadly, he didn’t even have an old hard piece of bread to feed his kids. He had nothing. He owed a lots of money to his friends, neighbors and relatives. He knew if he asked them for help they would not be able to as they were in the same situation, suffering and jobless.