Returning from school, Isaa got off his chauffeur-driven car. He headed straight to his room. On his bed were brand new toys, neatly arranged and gift wrapped. His father had got him more toys from his recent trip abroad.
The five-year-old, however, was not his usual self. He seemed distracted. On his way back home, Isaa had seen children begging for food at the corner of the street. Their hungry faces bothered him. Isaa went to the balcony and peeped into the street below. There they were, on the street, fighting over a bar of chocolate.
“Isaa?” his mother called from downstairs.
He quickly changed into his pajamas and hurried to the dining hall. On the table were tea and snacks. Seeing Isaa lost in thought, his mother asked him what was wrong.
Isaa made a strange request. “I saw other boys playing outside. Can I play with them?”
His mother’s expression conveyed a clear “No”. She changed the subject instead. “Have you seen the new toys daddy got for you?”
Dejected, Isaa went to play with his caretaker Raza in the backyard.
“Why shouldn’t I play with the boys in the street corner?” he asked Raza.
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