How Young Boys Rewarded a Man after Nearly 30 Years!
In the year 1994, Najib and Shakib, ten-year-old boys who were very good friends, were in grade five at school. They did everything together, such as playing football, going places, and eating during break time. They spent a lot of time playing, and their parents attempted to separate them to encourage them to focus on studying, but they were inseparable young friends.
One day, Najib accidentally threw a stone at a passing lorry, breaking its front mirror. The driver became very angry and chased him. After capturing him, the driver took Najib to a police station. Despite being a child, Najib was jailed. Since Najib’s family was very poor and could not afford the expenses to repair the car, his father requested the driver to wait for a month and release the boy, but the driver refused. Consequently, Najib remained in prison for three more days.
Shakib was deeply saddened to be separated from his closest friend and felt lonely. He decided to visit Najib’s home and inquire about the situation from his mother. She explained that they were unable to afford the expenses and were simply waiting for a miracle to occur.
Upon returning home, Shakib thought on how he could assist his friend. Despite being a child without money, he was determined to take action that could be the “miracle” his friend’s mother had mentioned. He approached his father, a businessman, and shared the incident involving his friend, requesting financial assistance. His father, a kind-hearted individual, provided him with half of the required amount, explaining that he couldn’t cover the full cost.
Shakib joyfully returned to Najib’s home and asked if the family could contribute the remaining half, but they had nothing to offer. The following day, Shakib approached the owner of the car directly and said, “Dear uncle, Najib accidentally broke your car’s mirror, and you are aware of his family’s financial situation. Therefore, I request your permission to contribute half of the required amount.” The man was surprised by the young boy’s initiative in resolving the matter and inquired about the timeline for receiving the remaining sum. After a moment of silence, Shakib responded, “We do not currently have the means to provide the remaining amount. Please forgive us.” The man hesitated but eventually agreed, though he harbored doubts due to the boy’s young age and the uncertainty of the future.
Najib was eventually released from the police station, and the boys happily walked hand in hand to his home, talking and laughing at the same time.
When Najib’s mother saw her son and his friend, she was overjoyed. Shakib explained how he had helped free Najib, and she expressed deep gratitude towards him, impressed by his courage. The boys then enjoyed Somali food called “sambus” and began playing with their other friends in front of the house.
As time passed, Shakib and Najib completed primary and secondary school together. While Najib chose not to pursue university education and instead started a small business—a kiosk selling cold drinks, biscuits, and similar items—Shakib enrolled in university and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
In 2011, Shakib borrowed $5,000 from his father and sought advice from his friend Najib, who had been a businessman for four years, on how to utilize the loan. Najib, who had saved $4,000, proposed that they join forces and establish a store selling essential items such as sugar, flour, oil, rice, millet, sorghum, and other products. They agreed to the partnership, and the store quickly grew successful. They expanded their operations and acquired lorries to transport products from port cities.
In 2021, thirty years after the day when Najib accidentally broke the mirror and was jailed, an elderly man driving a small old lorry arrived at the store to deliver one ton of flour to a customer. Shakib barely recognized the man’s face and inquired about his name. When the man revealed his identity, Shakib immediately recalled him as the individual whose car Najib had damaged in their childhood. Shakib called Najib over, but Najib initially did not recognize the man. However, upon hearing his story, they embraced him warmly. They welcomed him and offered him $6,000 as compensation for the half of the money he had forgiven thirty years earlier. The man, who had faced financial difficulties, became overwhelmed with happiness at this unexpected gesture.
Hamza Yassin
