A grown kid

There’s this boy in my street who, despite being grown in age, acts a lot like a child. He’s always running around with the younger kids, playing with them everywhere, even in the market.

One day, I was nearby when he accidentally knocked over a bottle of oil from a shop stand. The owner, angry, gave him a harsh slap right there in front of everyone. The boy was shocked and embarrassed, and the market people were murmuring. That same day, he continued playing as usual after the mother settled the oil woman.

But recently, while messing around with his friends on the roadside, a keke driver didn’t see him run out, and he was hit. Thankfully, the injuries weren’t too serious, but he had to go for treatment and was out of area for about three weeks.
Now that he’s recovered, it’s like he’s a different person. I haven’t seen him in his usual spots, and he doesn’t run around like before. People are saying his mom must have really talked to him, and maybe, after all that, he’s finally realized the need to act his age.