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“We are getting you new shoes tomorrow,” Ada said to her son as they walked out of his school.
“Really mom? I thought you said there was no money…this one isn’t that bad…I can still use it.”
“No, I’ll get you new shoes tomorrow, don’t worry” she responded with a smile.
Derek was so excited, his friends had been teasing his old worn-out sneakers for a very long time but he knew how hard his mother worked and how little she earned so he never mentioned it to her.
On the days when she had time to get him ready for school, she would pick up the shoes and say “Sorry Dee, I promise we’ll change this soon.” But soon never came.
As he went to bed he dreamt of what kind of shoes he would get, he wished he could get a brand new pair but he knew that would cost so much more and he wouldn’t like to be a burden to his poor mother, he made up his mind to be content with whatever she gave him and be grateful because it was a sacrifice, she never got anything new for herself.
In Ada’s room, she sobbed into her pillow as she wondered how her life had gotten so bad. If only Derek’s father was around, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad. She knew the new shoes she had promised would cause quite a dent in her paltry budget for the month, but she also knew that she would spend the entire month hating herself if she didn’t do it for him. She had closed early from work and decided to stop by his school and pick him up for a change instead of letting him walk home alone as he did most days, on getting there she noticed her son sitting by himself on the playground, she saw a child walk to her boy and ask him to join them in a game of soccer and she saw her son gesture to his shoes and say he didn't want to spoil them any further. The child had laughed at her son and suggested sarcastically that he play the game barefoot, when she saw Derek start to take off his shoes her heart broke.
Her son never asked her for anything, she watched him play barefoot whilst other children ran around the ball in their colorful sneakers. She saw him gently slide his foot into his old grey shoes at the end of the game and she could see in his eyes that he wished he had better shoes.
It wasn’t just about the shoes for her, she had been determined to give Derek more than she got as a child, if she couldn’t get him shoes for his feet then she was already failing.
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Early the next morning she went to see Aduke the treasurer of her Esusu group, it was a group of women who saved money together and took turns receiving the money in bulk to solve their problems. Aduke was seated in her huge living room, on those soft leather seats that seemed to swallow Ada on the rare occasions when she visited. Unlike the other women in the group, she was very wealthy and that is why the women trusted her with their contributions, they knew that if she used the money it would cost her nothing to put it back.
“Aduke I need to beg you for a Favour, I know it’s not my turn to take the money and I don’t even want all of it, I need just enough to get some shoes for my son”.
Aduke was a very strict woman, being the treasurer of the group meant knowing that some of the members would attempt to make up stories to cheat the system. She always stuck to the rules, if it was not your turn to take the money then you would get nothing.
“You know the rules Ada, there’s no money even…Chidima was here yesterday to take the money because it’s her turn…you know the rules”. Aduke responded coldly doing her best to ignore the tears that began to fall freely from Ada’s eyes.
“It’s just shoes Ada, he won’t die if he doesn’t get shoes, why are you getting so worked up over shoes?” She asked.
“It’s not about the shoe ma, my son never asks me for anything but I am not blind!!! That boy does everything I ask. His grades are perfect, the chores are done before I get home, he is the perfect son. And I am such a failure of a mother!!! I have never been able to get him anything he needs. I barely pay his fees!!! His uniform has been patched so many times I’m scared to scrub it when I wash!!! It is not his fault I am poor Aduke. He deserves to have good things in his life…I watched my son play barefoot because he didn’t want to spoil the ugly shoes he uses now that are already spoilt and so old that I can’t remember when my brother first got them.” Ada sobbed.
Aduke understood what she meant, she knew what it meant to live from paycheck to paycheck and had struggled to raise her children before they had grown old enough to take care of her.
She had sold everything she owned to send her son to the university when he first gained admission to college. Now he had repaid her by building this house she lived in and making sure that even if she never worked again she would be taken care of.
Derek was indeed a respectful and responsible young boy, and Ada was one of her favorite members of the Esusu group, she always made her payments on time even though it took away more than half of what she earned. She hoped Derek would grow up to be as successful as her son so that he could spoil his mother as her son spoilt her now.
“As the treasure of our society, there’s nothing I can do for you Ada” she started, her voice a little softer than it had been earlier. “But as a mother who has been where you are, I understand and I want to help.”
“I’m sending you money now, take your son and get him shoes, get him some new clothes and get some for yourself as well.”
Ada was hesitant, everyone knew Aduke as a heavy-handed woman, where was this kindness coming from she wondered.
“I have been where you are Ada, someone helped me out…let me be your someone…someday when things are better for you please remember me and assist someone else as well,” Aduke said standing up to hug the little woman in front of her.
Ada broke down and began to thank and pray for her, she had always known that things were rough for her and her son but she had thought the boy's father supported them one way or the other. Finding out that they had entirely no family and no support from anyone strengthened her resolve to help.
“I will be your family, his father is gone? I will be his father…he already has a mother”. The older woman said resolutely. “Don’t tell him it came from me, you must remain his hero.”
Later that day Ada and Derek walked into the store at the mall. “Mom the shoes are going to be more expensive here…shouldn’t we just go to yaba? We can get two for the price of one here.” Derek said to his mother.
“We’ll buy two here, and we’ll get you a new uniform on Monday and some new clothes on the way home” Ada responded with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.
“We don’t have to mom, I know how hard money is for us…” Derek started to object.
“No my son, we can and we will…and I will do my best to make sure we get new ones before these are worn out…”
Derek couldn’t believe his ears, he hugged his mother so tight she could feel his heart racing.
“I love you mom…one day we won’t have to worry about anything at all I promise”
His mother prayed silently in her heart that when that day came, she would be able to take him to Aduke and say thank you for the new shoes…they meant more than she would ever know.
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