It Worked

There’s a street I pass by often in the evenings, and it’s always lively with children playing. They greet me with so much joy whenever they see me, their energy contagious. But one day, something felt off. From a distance, I noticed the street was unusually quiet. None of the kids were there, which was strange because nothing ever seemed to stop them from playing.

As I got closer, I noticed the ground looked rough, with marks of little feet and scattered game equipments. It was clear they had been playing there earlier. I brushed aside my curiosity, thinking they might have gone home early, and continued walking. Suddenly, out of nowhere, they all jumped out of their hiding spots, shouting, "Uncle, we played you!" I couldn’t help but laugh. These kids had actually planned to prank me, and it worked perfectly.

One of the kids ran up to me with his report card in hand, beaming with pride. He had finished the term in third position and couldn’t wait to show it off. I congratulated him, then asked why he hadn’t gone home yet since school was over. His answer was predictable; they were too caught up in playing to even think about it. I reminded them that it was getting dark, and it was time for everyone to head home.

But of course, these kids weren’t letting me off that easily. They insisted I couldn’t send them away without giving them something, as if it was a tradition I had somehow signed up for. They were so persistent that I couldn’t say no. So, we all walked to the nearest shop, and I asked the store owner to give each of them a sachet of Hollandia yoghurt.

After that, everyone finally went their separate ways, and I continued my walk with a smile, knowing I had made their evening just as they had made mine.