Going to the mall is always a drag for him. He did not like going to the mall because he is the type of person who preferred being indoors. The type of guy who enjoyed his own company. But, no one man is an island and paying a delivery fee for someone to deliver milk or soap is something that he never fancied. However, with only one bar of soap left, it was time he went to the mall.
He lives relatively close to the mall. Well for him it is close. He has heard some people complain that the distance is quite far. Growing up in the country, he walked greater distances. For him, a walk to the mall was a stroll.
He crosses the busy streets and beautiful cars pass him. Some driven by old Black people, some by old Whites. Ironically, he is yet to see an old Indian driving one of these beautiful cars. Stereotype has it that Indians have money. Stereotype has it that Indians drive nothing but beautiful cars. Only a Coloured or Indian can transform a mundane Datsun Go into a car that can rival a Lambo. So suggests the stereotype. And yet, in his walks to the mall, he is yet to see an Indian pass him in a beautiful car.
After crossing the busy streets, he turns right into a quieter road. He finds it weird that the street tends to get relatively busy. If this street was a street in his hometown, it would definitely be a quiet street. But, he thought, this is the city. A place where hearing birds sing is a luxury. In this street, there are benches strategically placed on the pavements. On one bench, under a large evergreen tree, live these two women. Yes, live. He has been in the city for over two months. Every day he finds the two women sitting there. Sometimes laying on the bench. Sometimes cleaning themselves. The two women seem to be mom and daughter. It seems they are homeless because perhaps, they lack the finances to purchase a home. He believes this because they do not look homeless. The mom and daughter are clean. Very clean. Cleaner than him on this day as he did not even bother to bathe. But he also noticed that the daughter tends to have deep conversations. Conversations by herself when her mother is not around.
It breaks his heart that there’s nothing that he can do for the mom and daughter duo. He once met a homeless person who was desperate for some cash. He has the belief that if he feels his Spirit orders him to help a homeless person, he will help the homeless person. He will not help a homeless person if he is driven by emotions such as pity or such. In this case, he felt his Spirit compel him to help this man and so he did. Against his better logic though, he gave the man R50. The homeless man burst into tears. He explained that R50 was what he needed. That even though he appreciated people giving him food and such, what he really needed was the money so he can hike back home. It was one of those moments that for both the homeless man and himself, they saw the Grace of God.
So with the two women, he is yet to feel an instruction from the Spirit about how to help them. He fights his emotions every day when he passes them. But in his heart, he has seen the Face of God so he knows the Lord will never forsake him- or them.
He passes the two women and ahead of him, there are cars lined up. The drivers all wearing blue reflector vests, ready to deliver food to those who have ordered. Since arriving in the city, Mr D has been his favourite app. He would not pay to have his soap or milk delivered to him. But he would definitely pay someone to deliver him some fried chicken or some meaty burger. He admires the drivers. Most of them are his age group and some are younger. He admires the fact that here are his peers doing something to generate extra income. Numerous sources suggest that Mr D drivers earn anywhere between R4 000 to R12 000, depending, largely, on the number of hours they put in. Being a student of wealth, he cannot help but admire that these young men and women have found a way to increase their wealth.
True, it is something that he would not do. He has read a number of books that suggest that it is wise to find a way to generate wealth without trading time to generate the wealth. However, it did not change the fact that these individuals found a way to increase their monthly income while he was figuring a way to increase his own.
After passing the team of Mr (and Ms) D drivers, he finally reaches the mall. The mall. People minding their own businesses. The young couples crawling all over the food court. The older couples at the steak houses and the ones at the burger joints. The young working class at the coffee and juice bars strategically placed near the bookstore. The beauty of business unfolding before him. It is not by chance that the coffee bar is near the bookstore. The smell of coffee inviting him. This section of the mall is his favourite. The smell of coffee and the smell of new books more intoxicating and charming than the scent of a woman you love. He savours this section of the mall. The only section he loves at the mall.
But on this day, he business in the mall, his only business- was to buy soap.
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