DIARY OF A SUPERHERO - TALES OF IMAGINATION

My name is David. I'm 18 years old and I just woke up. Today is just another day in the boring routine that is my life: I wake up, get dressed and go to my mom's shop, make and have dinner when I get back, and stay on my phone till I sleep off, to wake up and continue the same routine the next day. Okay, I might be exaggerating a bit, its not ALWAYS very boring. Every now and then some pretty exciting things happen, but most times I find myself wishing my life was more interesting. I rush through the normal activities and head out to the bus stop and as I board the market-bound tricycle, I silently hope that today is going to be one of the happier days. Twenty minutes later we're at the market as there was not much traffic that morning. I get down at the usual junction and pay for myself and the pretty young girl who sat beside me and smiled at me once during the ride. The young Keke (tricycle) driver took his time getting change for me while I stood waiting. Finally he stopped rummaging through his bag and handed me a bunch of rumpled naira notes and zoomed off. I was still standing there trying to make sure the notes were complete and in good condition when a small girl approached me and tugged at my cloth. With one hand outstretched and begging, she pointed in the opposite direction toward her parents, a middle aged couple who were both blind and standing a few feet away. Filled with pity for the girl and her parents, I took the girl by the hand and walked towards the blind couple. I asked the little girl, "is this your daddy and mummy?" and she nodded a yes in reply. "Tell them I'm going to help them" She spoke in a dialect foreign to my ears as she repeated what I said to them. The couple turned toward me in eagerness and stretched their hand out to me. It was obvious they didn't understand what I meant. "No, tell them I'm going to make them see again" The little girl looked at me, confused and surprised. "Go on, tell them", I insisted. The little girl did as I said and I could see the woman's expression mirror that of her daughter as both them came closer. The ongoing conversation had attracted the attention of other passersby and a small crowd was converging. Seeing the onlookers, I grew bolder and raised my voice. "Yes! I'm going to make this blind couple see!" There were murmurs among the now growing crowd as I touched the woman on the shoulder and asked her: "Do you want to regain your sight?" Her daughter hadn't even finished translating when the woman started nodding excitedly. Her husband joined in too and started talking excitedly. I could hear the eagerness in their voices even though I couldn't understand them. With no further need for words, I touched both their eyes and after a few seconds asked them to slowly open them. There was a moment of complete silence and the crowd held their breath as they waited to see what would happen next. The woman was the first to shout. Her piercing scream filled the air as her husband joined her in shouting. I couldn't understand their words but it definitely sounded like: "I can see! I can see!" Immediately, the crowd went wild. Cries of joy and jubilation filled the air as the young girl rushed to hug her parents, who were both overjoyed and beside themselves with ecstasy. "Thank you, thank you", she screamed at me over and over again. I tried to calm everyone down but before I knew it I was being carried shoulder high by the jubilant crowd who were already singing songs of praise. There was joy and happiness everywhere. Even the gestures of appreciation and thanks from the now healed couple were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. I was still basking in the euphoria and smiling from ear to ear when a second tug at my cloth jarred me back to reality. I looked down to see the small girl standing in front of me, hands still outstretched and begging. I was still standing at the bus stop, still the holding the crumpled naira notes in my hand. I took out two 50 Naira notes and gave to the girl, and she muttered a 'thank you sir' as she ran back to her parents. I could only shake my head and shrug my shoulders and a sigh escaped my lips as I made my way towards the shop. My name is Dave, and I wish I had superpowers.