#thebeggar'slunch

credit: www.itsamazed.com

He had begged for enough to afford a good lunch.
A plate full of rice, a slice of ugali, beans, two pieces of beef and a wedge of avocado.
He sat at the side of the road, that road above the old taxi park that is so dusty as contractors repair its potholes. A youngish man, probably in his early twenties.
His umbrella, sitting at his side, was obviously forgotten as he hunched forward and munched away, savoring each spoonful he shoved into his mouth, blowing on it because it was so hot.
The Baganda say that “Omufumbi yabadde ayomba.” That the cook must have been quarreling as she cooked, because the food is so hot.
And he ate with such art, carving the meal into small portions on the rectangular plate. He started with the side farthest from him, shaping it into a little ball with the spoon which he then lifted to his mouth slowly and carefully.  He chewed with relish. He moved to another corner of the rectangular plate. Then the left one closest to him, and then the right. The process was repeated continuously.
He was in love with the food and did not want to see it go, but his hunger commanded that it was better off in his stomach.
The lunch was soon gone, devoured with quick small sewing machine-like bites.
Sitting at his side was a mini-sized bottle of Coke.
Today was a good day.