As she got off the bus and walked towards her flat, Dania’s mind raced with a hundred plans and ideas. The 26-year-old had made many sacrifices the last two years to make her dream-trip to Thailand a reality. She had skipped many smaller vacations, declined her friends’ invitations to go shopping, and took the bus to work everyday in an attempt to save money. And now, all the restraint had paid off. She finally had enough money to book her flight tickets for the next month. She was so ecstatic, she couldn’t help but grin at people on the street.
As she rounded a corner, her gaze fell on the old, homeless man who always sat by the mosque. He had lost his leg–she didn’t know how–and he wore tattered clothes. A few people dropped coins on the white cloth he had spread out in front of him, but he never asked anyone for money. And Dania, who was always on a very tight budget, never had anything to spare.
The man, who generally wore a serene expression, looked shaken that day. And when he saw her, he beckoned to her. Puzzled and a tad uncomfortable, Dania walked towards him.
“You seem like a nice girl, beta. Can you please help me?” he asked in a voice that was close to breaking down.
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