The attitude of many of our youths never ceases to amaze me. Recently, I had an interesting encounter with a young person in my hometown. I had come out of my house one evening on my bicycle to do a little exercise when I found him about to pass in front of my gate.
He looked at me, recognized me, hesitated, came back and greeted me. Although I did not recognize him, I flashed a smile at him and answered his greeting cheerfully. It seemed a mistake because it encouraged him to introduce himself. These days it seems you have to pay for smiling at people.
He said he was a grandchild to a woman who lived near my father's house. I asked which of the woman's children was his mother - I know all her children. He claimed to be the son of one of her male cousins. I remembered the man, who had also passed on. Looking at him, I could see that he resembled members of that family and I was reassured that he was telling the truth.
I asked whether he was a student or a government worker and he said neither. According to him, he had attended secondary school but had neither furthered his education nor was he employed. He wanted me to help him get a job. I said fine, if I hear of anyone needing his service, I'd let him know. But he told me that he also did menial jobs to make ends meet. But that right now he had gone for days without getting any job. I asked what kind of job he could do and he said he was a mason. And that he wanted me to give him some money. I reached into my pocket and gave him something.
As I made to go, I did a little thinking and decided to give him a little job. I called him and pointed at a portion of my wall where the plaster had come off and asked if he could mend it. He answered in the affirmative. I said, ok, here's what we'll do: "Do you know so so person, who is also a mason?" He said yes. And I told him to go to his house and ask him to come tomorrow so that they could work together and plaster the place.
The following day, the other mason came ready for the work but my friend never showed up. I asked the mason and he said the boy told him to come and do the work. That since the work was small there was no need for both of them to come.
It was then it dawned on me that he was only interested in getting easy money through begging rather than working for it.
Isn't that what many youths are interested in these days - easy money?