Roadblock

Under the raging sun of a hot summer day in Cairo and on the side of the street busy with speeding cars, he stands. He waits for an opportunity to strike. He has to go through this battle every day but victory isn't always on his side.

No matter how hot or cold the weather is, no matter how sick or healthy he is, he is always there fighting and hoping to return home with enough to keep his family going for another day. He has only lived for eleven years but looks like he's got eleven decades instead.

It seems luck has finally smiled at him as he noticed that the cars are slowing down. It's rare at this time of the day for the road to stop moving. Perhaps it's an accident up ahead or the security of a politician is closing the road for him to pass.

It doesn't matter, now is the right time to attack.

He grabbed his bag which laid on the floor and as soon as the cars slowed down enough, he burst towards them. He scanned the closest cars and their drivers quickly with his bright eyes and selected his target. By the time he got to it, it had already completely stopped.

He took another investigative look at the driver. A handsome, well-dressed man in his late twenties with a super clean and fancy car. He definitely has no kids or this wouldn't have been the case. Maybe a wife or a fiance? Maybe a girlfriend? Maybe a few of them?

He made his decision and reached with his hand inside his bag while laying it on the ground next to the passenger seat's side of his target's car and grabbed a small animal-shaped car accessory. He stretched his hand with the toy through the window.

"It's really pretty and will look great on your car's dashboard. Do you know? yesterday, a car with 3 pretty girls in it bought all the ones that I had. They bought like seven of these pretty accessories in different shapes" The boy said to the driver who ignored him completely and looked at his phone.

The little man wasn't going to be discouraged this easily so he proceeded with a big smile "It's only 5 pounds. What do you have to lose, Mr. Omar?"

"My name isn't Omar." The driver replied without raising his head from his phone

The boy realized he made progress so he added "I know but you look exactly like that character from that hit movie...I forgot the movie's name but he looked exactly like you. He was also very popular and he was called Omar. Will you buy it now?"

The driver smiled but didn't answer again, not looking at the boy at all

The boy noticed he's getting closer so he continued "Tell you what, I really like that movie and you reminded me of it so much so, I'll make you a deal. This toy plus a pack of tissues for just ten pounds instead of twelve. This way you'll have something to make her laugh and another to use when you make her cry"

The driver broke out in laughter and finally looked at the boy saying "Trying to create demand there, aren't you?" The boy looked in confusion and asked "What does demand mean?"The driver smiled and explained "It's just a term we have in marketing and it's basically what you're doing now"

The boy didn't understand what "Marketing" is either but didn't want to waste more precious time so he snapped out of it and asked again smiling "So, will you make my day and yours much better and take this great offer?"

The driver's smile widened and nodded with his head while grabbing his wallet to get the money.

"Thanks, Mr. Omar." the boy said while completing the deal to laughs from the driver.

The boy grabbed his bag from the floor and looked around him to pick a new target. The cars remained still and it seems like the road will stay blocked for a while.

That's great news because when life stops for them, it begins for him.