I had occasion to travel to sub-Saharan Africa on business a year ago. While staying there I did my best to try and find internet-cafés as I wanted to check investments and email as frequently as I could.
One evening I went to one of the web-cafés and was busy until around 11:30pm surfing the web and going about my business. I was thirsty and asked the manager if they had any Cokes or other soft drinks. He informed me that if I crossed the street there was a small shop that served sandwiches that was open late. I paid him and left.
As I approached the shop I noticed some movement in the shadows and a small boy came out and looked at me. I greeted him. He said to me: “Please boss, can you buy me something to eat I am so hungry.”
I answered: “What is your name?”
”Lucas”, he replied.
“Lucas, do you know what time it is?” I asked.
“No boss, I saw you come over here though and I wondered….”
“Lucas, of course I will buy you something to eat. What would you like?”, I asked.
“Could you buy me a packet of potato-chips?”
“I’ll be right back”, I said. I returned a few minutes later with 2 Cokes, a beef sandwich and a packet of potato-chips”. I kept a Coke for myself and gave him the rest.
“Thank you, thank you boss”, he said and he started wolfing down the food.
While he was eating I asked him: “Lucas, why are you out here so late?”
“I live over there”, he said gesturing to a shop doorway.
“But where are your parents?”, I asked.
“My mother is dead from AIDS and my father took a new woman and told me to leave”, he said.
I asked: “Lucas, how old are you?”
“I am 8, boss”, he answered.
We walked a little together until we came to a better-lit area. I looked at him more closely. He had on a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and a gray sweater, which was filthy. I looked at his legs and they were scarred and one of them was festering. His little face was full of sores and his cheeks hung loose. At this point my heart felt as though it was being totally ripped from my body, but I managed to choke back any clear my obvious tears.
“Lucas, can I help you find a place to stay?”, I asked.
“Boss, no one will take me to their house…I am like my mother…you see my mouth?”, he said as he pointed to his sores.
“But Lucas what will become of you then? You need help…”
“Boss, am I too young to die? I am so scared…I see how my brother he died last month…he was 11 and he was much stronger than me”, he said.
“Lucas, everyone is too young to die. Please let me take you to someone who can help you”
“Boss, I must go now…I have been to the children-home and they try to make me go to school. I don’t want school…I will never use the stuff they learning me. You going to take me there? Please no, no!!” and off he ran back into the shadows.
I looked for Lucas, many times over the next week but I never found him. I cannot eat a packet of potato-chips even now. I have tried but I keep hearing that little voice asking: “Boss, am I too young to die?”