Month end closing taking a strain on me, anyone who’s ever worked in Finance would know what I’m talking about. From work I head straight to KFC (to grab some wings, fist pump if you understand) as I dont see myself cooking. As normal its a bit packed and infront of me is a young little girl with a R100 note in her hand.

 ‘leg day’ had been stealing my joy for the whole day so I randomly decide to stretch my thigh muscles by pulling one leg to the back; the young girl curious in her eyes looks at me with a questioning intention, before she could say anything I try make it easy for her by explaining.

“I’m stretching”

She stares at me and then looks away. What the hell? lol did I just scare the poor little girl?

She turns around roughly after 15 seconds, her eyes lit up and smile resonating that of my little sister. She then with the cutest voice I’ve ever heard goes

” O000000h that answers my question”

So immediately I reply back, ” Yeh I know I’m telepathic”, to my amusement the little girl knew what the word meant. “Uhm doesnt that only happen in movies” she asks. Still shocked I laugh a little, what followed next is a list of questions that caught me off guard.

Mind you I just came straight from work.

“Uhm why are you dressed so fancy?” She asks with that contageous innocent heart warming smile kids always have on.

A little giggle comes out of me as I try justify my attire.

” I just got back from work, that’s why I’m dressed this way”

with eyes still glittering she slowly goes

“OOOOoooooooooh that answers my question”

At this point I’m cracking up with laughter!!

I then explain to her that this is normal work attire for me and It’s not really fancy, she then looks at my shoes and says “your shoes are fancy”

Lets flashback, I am now having a conversation with a stranger, a 10 year old I had just met in the queue mind you.

She starts telling me that she is 11, then looking a bit guilty proceeds to explain that she is turning 11 soon. Another giggle from my side. Yet another question ensues,

” Why do you have 2 phones?”

To be honest I do not know why I have two phones, balleritis maybe? dont know but one thing I knew is that this young one was looking for answers!! And you thought Gerrie Nel was intimidating.

“One is for work and the other is for personal use”, do you wanna guess what her response was??

“OOOOoooooooooh that answers my question”

There I was half looking like a mad pedophile. If there was a Genius Level Humor slot on this blog I’d surely give her residency. She asks me if I like Krush or not, I’m like I do just I havent had one in like forever and she then insisted on buying me one. Of course I said no thanks.

Goes on to tell me she loves Krush so much so she cant believe she is standing in line to get it, then starts talking about she doesnt wanna grow up because its so much responsibility. I ask who she with and then tells me her dad just he is waiting outside, she finds him boring for that, “he cant really have Krush becuase he is a diabetic”.

NEXT CUSTOMER!! the lady by the till calls. I order 8 super dilicious finger licking zinger wings straight from the Kernel’s oven. and then the question that I hate followed.

“Sir would you like to donate R2 to charity?”

I had a good mind of asking why they cant just take it out of their revenues as their prices where crazy as it is. R15 for 4 Zinger wings? thats almost R4 per wing! I must have imagined the question as a slight case of deja vu hit me.

“sir would you like to donate R2 to charity?”

Normally I just shake my head and continue starring at my phone. But this time it was different, two round big glittery focused eyes where starring straight at me as if she was waiting to hear my response to the question.

That was a really funny and heart warming encounter. As I got home I thought to myself, that possibly was the smartest kid I’ve ever come across. There was a mini flash of Genius in her.

and yes to answer your question I gave in and donated the R2, never disappoint the kids right? cant say the car guard was really happy with that decision.

” and Oooooooohhhh, that should answer your question”

The moral of the story is do not let life and social media become a substitute for heart warming, humorous and value add conversations. We at times get too caught up with life, work and stuff that we forget to interact with other beings. One of my friends once told me that she too gets caught up in this vicuous cycle of life that she was at a point where she’s craving human interaction. You then immediately start thinking about the Roseto Mystery article, the positive correlation of a community to one’s health. The great gift of conversation lies less in displaying it ourselves than in drawing it out of others. He who leaves your company pleased with himself and his own cleverness is perfectly well pleased with you. Release the inner Genius, it’s damn well within you!!

A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.Truman Capote

Article by Kagiso Maloma, editing by Tshego Makoe

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