The Blind Beggar: Part VI

It had been nearly three weeks since Amal saw Ali but she had not seen him since.  Had there not been a buzz about the town regarding a blind beggar suddenly appearing, she would have believed it was a dream. 

Having sent her children to school and cleaned the house, Amal rode the elevator to the ground floor to walk to the market to purchase herbs and vegetable for the evening meal.  She loved this time to hear the hustle and bustle of the market.  She enjoyed chatting with the vendors.  It was a chance for Amal to escape the drudgery of the house.  While she loved her home, there were times it felt like a prison.  Her husband would not allow her to work.  She was expected to keep the home and care for the family. 

As she exited her building, Daiwik extended a warm greeting.  Amal smiled and the two exchanged pleasantries.  Then Amal asked, “Have you seen the blind beggar that has suddenly appeared?”

“Yes, I have.  Just yesterday, I brought him some food from McDonalds.  We do not eat there ourselves but when I saw this pitiful man, my heart was moved to do something.  The gods want us to care for people such as this.  Since he was only a block from McDonalds, I walked in to purchase something.  I saw they have chicken sandwiches and believed that to be a safe thing, not knowing his diet.  He is a kind young man who gave me blessings of health and wealth for my actions.”

Amal felt a thrill quicken her heart.  Her ears rang with Ali’s voice.  She could hear him giving a blessing.  She asked, “Do you know where he came from?”

“He did not give the town or region other than saying he took a bus north.  At the first stop upon entering the city, he exited the bus to stretch his legs.  He carried his small bag of belongings with him and was beaten and robbed by a group of boys.  They took every belonging he had save the clothes on his back.  Even they have holes in them.”

Amal gasped and began to tear, “Oh that poor man.”

“Yes, I have spoken with friends.  We are contacting churches, mosques and other charitable organizations to help this poor man.  It is not right for us to have one in our community with such need and do nothing.  The gods require us to move on his behalf.”

“How kind of you to help this man.  By chance, did you learn his name, that I might pray for him by name?”

“Yes, when attending to a dear soul, I believe it gives them dignity to speak to them by name.  His name is Boulos.”

Upon hearing the name, Amal could only think of retreating to her home.  Her dear Ali was close by and in desperate need of care.  She quickly thanked Daiwik for the information and conversation returned to the elevator.  She vaguely remembered a mention of forgetting something and her need to get it before going to market.  Upon closing the door of her home behind her she sunk to her knees and sobbed.  Ali was near but in desperate straits. 

The thought of her dear Ali being beaten was too much to bear.  Her mind saw him guarding himself as best he could not knowing from where the blows would come.  He could not identify his attackers.  They must have seen an easy target and attacked.  Was there no one to come to his aid?  What has become of our community?

When Amal last saw Ali, she was but a girl with no options to help him, let alone truly express her love and care to him.  While she still had few options and power, she too knew good Muslims and Christians who could help Ali.  She would do what she could to ensure Ali never suffered again.  She would fight for him until the day she died.