The Hose

My Story Standing Up
It took me fifteen years of hard work to be able to build a home for my family.
My four children, now grown up, were quite proud of their early widowed Mom to be able to present them with what they can call ‘our house’.
They all wanted to contribute something valuable and succeeded to a great extent. The latest accessory was a hedge outside the wall to give a pleasant front view of the house, and to make it easy to give directions to those who want to visit.
What else do you need mama?
A hose, a long hose that can go around the house is all I need now.
The hose came.
Shshshshshshshshs…
Who is it? Silence!
Next morning: shshshshshshshsh…
Who is there? Silence!
The water leak from the hose continued for weeks. Then it stopped miraculously until the incident was forgotten and started all of a sudden one very early morning after the hose was placed in the usual place to water the hedge.
And again the shshshsh sound left only the water splash all over the corner where no one from the house can see unless they come out. It happens too early for any neighbor to be outside to see.
It was an exceptionally hot summer day when the door bell rang. I went out to answer the door.
A tall dark slim man, obviously from Southern Sudan, stood there smiling timidly while three seven to eleven years old boys hid behind him.
Salam Aleikum madam, these boys want to thank you because we are going.
Thank me for what? I haven’t seen them before.
No, but they seen you. The teacher scolded them one day and said if they don’t wash in the morning he wouldn’t let them into the class. They stopped going to school. You see, we have no water where we live in that unfinished building. I saw the hose one morning and told them to pass by and wash before they go to school. I thought you knew.
I never thought a hose is so valuable!
No I didn’t but I am pleased they did. Let them come whenever they want and I will leave the tap on.
Ah, madam, they are sending us to the South today. Goodbye madam.
I lost a bit of my heart, irretrievable!
asha