It was a hot sunny afternoon, where I needed to catch up
with an appointment and I was already behind time.
As I stood at a junction
patiently waiting for a bus, I turned to my right and saw this old man coming. He
was in a blue shirt with double pockets on the chest, a woven straw hat, a
sunglasses and holding a bag.”
As he got closer to me, he stopped and asked with a calm
phonation, “If I was in the military?” I replied that, “no” and gave a smile.
He
continued that, “I would perfectly fit for a soldier man and why don’t I apply
to be one.” I replied, “That’s fine but I am not interested in that.” He
followed up with another question that, “then what am I interested in?” “I would
like to make use of my talents”, I said to him.
He doffed his hat and asked, “What would I like to do with
my talents?” I replied that, “like solving the problems in the communities.”
He removed his sunglasses and told me again, “I look like a
soldier man.” I chuckled and looked unto the road if a bus was coming.
He continued that, “do I know am very handsome?” I chuckled
again and nodded. He added that, “What makes you more handsome is that, you have
a dimple and that the women will be flocking around you.” I felt overwhelmed!
He said, “What thrills me about you is the way you’ve tucked
your shirt into your trousers.” I took a majestic look at myself and raised my
head. He asked again, “what makes me handsome?” I smiled and turned my head
away, not knowing what to say. He went on to say, “what beats his heart is to
see young men of late with their pants down their buttocks and some of these
claim to be in their final years in the university.”
I looked at his gray hair, the energy in his voice and time
he is offering me, I wondered why, but my mind told me to show respect and be
patient.
He referred me to the Bible and told me to check Proverbs:
20: 29, “The glory of young men is their strength and the slender of old men is
their grey head.”
He asked, “How can a young man misuse his glory?” I replied,
“To involve in bad practices.” “Like”, he asked, I said, “Immorality, armed
robbery, drinking, smoking and womanizing.”
He showed me a small book, which was elaborating what a
young man should look for when in search of a companion. He asked me, “If I was
dating”, and I said, “Yes”.
The attributes the book indicated were spiritual mentality,
moral uprightness, trustworthiness and you can add the last one because I have
forgotten but it must exclude beauty, funny etc. The book meant not for us to
look for superficial qualities.
He said emotionally that, “because of the way I had dressed,
he could stick his head for me in every place and guarantee his support for me
and he will be looking to attend my wedding ceremony.”
He realised he was taking much of my time; he took my number
and told me he would give me a call.
Has the time spent with this gray man been fruitless?
Or what do you think about this incident?
