‘You don’t need money to make a difference in people’s lives’

“What would you buy if you happen to win a large lotto?” my colleague Sonja asked me two weeks ago.

I explained to her that I would spend the bulk of my fortune on other people. “A new car for my in-laws. A little house for my son in which he and his wife can raise a family. A study fund for little Egg. The home which Snapdragon has always dreamt of. I will try to make a difference in their lives.”

That very next weekend, when Egg and I returned from the mall, there was someone waiting for us at our complex’s gate. It was Mason’s mom – Mason is a boy who goes to the same after-school as Egg.

She explained to me that they have just moved into the complex next to ours and that their family cat has disappeared. She believed he might have jumped the wall and that he could be somewhere in our complex.

The lovely Snapdragon helped her to look for the cat – a huge and clearly show quality animal, judged by the pictures on Mason’s mom’s phone. But they couldn’t find a trace of the animal.

ALSO READ: It’s the small things that matter

This past weekend – a week later – Snapdragon burst into the TV room where I was watching the cricket. “Mason’s cat is sitting on the wall outside the laundry!” she shouted and run downstairs again.

I watched as she patiently coaxed the beast with soft words and a bowl of cat food. Eventually it came close enough to allow her to catch him.

The huge cat was terrified and ravenous. I called Mason’s family, and his dad came over to fetch the beast.

That evening, I saw a grown man cry out of happiness. The beautiful animal was missing for almost two weeks and they had almost given up all hope that they would see him again.

“Mason asked me only yesterday if we would ever see him again,” he told us. “I assured him the cat would be back today.”

ALSO READ: The joys and pain of being a father and loving husband

And by some twist of fate, he was right.

On Monday morning I saw Mason on the bridge on the way to school. “Are you happy that your cat is back?” I asked him.

He said nothing. He was beaming.

“Did you win the lotto over the weekend?” Sonja asked me at work on Monday. I shook my head.

“You don’t need money to make a difference in people’s lives.”

ALSO READ: A zama zama mother’s story of sacrifice and love