A tragic situation

I live just around the corner from a small shopping complex. So I often walk to the complex, or walk through the complex on my way to and from work.

For years there have been a group of ladies informally selling arum lillies outside the shopping complex. Lately a few of the street kids have taken to selling them too. I often walk past them and they try to convince me to buy their flowers, but I haven't ever brought from the kids. I've bought from the ladies who were first selling flowers though, quite often, over the years.

Yesterday as I was driving somewhere I passed two of the street kids with their bundles of flowers. I stopped at a stop street and they came up to my car and asked me to buy their flowers. And I thought, why not, I haven't supported them so far, let me support them now. So I said, sure, how much are they? Then scrambled around for R10.

So I bought the flowers. Then came the next request - ah please sisi, can we have some small change? Shame, its horrible to say no to kids, but giving money to street kids is just not helping them. (Paying for flowers might not be helping either - tough one!)

So I said no. I don't give money, as a general rule. And especially not to kids. I've thought about it quite a bit over the years, because there are lots of people begging in my town. And that is just a principle I have decided for myself. So saying no to requests for money is okay.

Then they said, but sisi, we need money to go home, its getting late.

It was getting late, it was nearly 6pm.

But no, no money for your taxi fare. Sorry.

Then that said, okay, could you give us a lift?

And in that moment I thought, well, what a reasonable request. How could I possibly say no to that? Two kids who want a lift home?

So I said sure, hop in. And unlocked the doors. They scrambled in and (to be hounest) I hoped I hadn't left anything valuable lying around in my car!

But you know, after thay got in, I started getting pretty nervous. Very nervous. They must have been around 10 years old or so. But a ten year old with a knife can be as merciless as a 19 year old with a knife. I actually have a friend who was mugged by a posse of kids with knives. In Grahamstown.

I drive them. And it was all fine. Shame they were actually quite sweet.

But when I told my flatmate what I had done, she gave me an earful. And I had to admit, it was a bit of a reckless thing to do.

What a tragic thing it is that I am afraid of a couple of ten year olds. And more tragic, that being afraid of them is probably a sensible position!