The past should feed your present so that you come out a better person in the future.

Kibiko was my boyhood friend. Unlike association of grown ups, childhood friendship often has a little rationale. We were friends but i cannot remember what held us together since we were completely different. He was bigger in size and rough. This made us him a bully over the other smaller boys. Because of his roughness, many of us felt safe being on his side on many issues.

One day we walked to school we came across a man lying by the roadside. At first we were shocked since we thought he was dead. Kibiko, the biggest of us, went towards the man was laying. He immediatly recognised him and shouted back to us, "It is Munyaka, the man who limps! Come nearer!" He commanded. We went with the supportof crutches. Munyaka was good hearted and lively though he often got sick. He was unfortunate this morning since he had tripped, fallen and had been unable to get back on his feet without assistance.

As we watched the man helplessly, kibiko looked at us, at the man laying down and the water we are carriying, which was meant for the trees we had been assigned to tend at school.

"Pour your water on him man!" He roared, wearing sadistic smile.

"No! This is not fair. Instead, we shall help him on his feet again!" I shouted, not knowing where i got the courage to talk to kibiko this way. My reaction shocked him. He was not used to being challenged especially by small boys like me.

"Kiromo, who are you to oppose me? Do you want me to show you why birds fly?" he threatened.

The other boys became furious. In unison, we challenged him to make good his threat. He was booed and pushed away by all. When he discovered the force against him, he just walked by away, hurling insults and threats at us. We then helped munyaka to his feet. He was so pleased that he wished us alot of blessings. Since we had listened to and that such a misfortune could befall anybody. We all proceeded to school as was Munyaka walked away. His words have remained in my mind to this day.

The examination came. Must of us passed, but kibiko did not make it to secondary school or even to village polytechnic.

It was during the school holidays two years later that i took a walk to the local market center. The market had grown small urban center and it was fascinating to see how decelopement had changed the look of a place.

"Kiroma!" I heard a voice call out as i passed near a posho mill. "Come here, " the friendly voice told me. I walked towards the pisho mill and to my surprise, the person who was calling was none other than Munyaka, the man we haf helped years before when we found him lying by the road side. I had heard about how he was doing well in business. He looked healthy anf he gave me such a warm smile.

"Do you remeber me?" He enquired. I told him i remembered him very well. He then explained how he had joined a village merry-go-round. When his turn came receive money from the merry-go-round, he added it to his savengs and bought a posho mill. From the proceeds, he bought the building in which the posho mill was situated. The business did so well that he soon opened up a bakery which suplied bread to all the schools and shops.

"Kiroma, let me tell you, " he enquired."when you work hard, God helps you. You remember that morning when you helped me to my feet?" He asked. I told him that i remembered that day very clearly and that my challenge to kibiko had spoiled our friendship

"The other day kibiko came to me pleading for a job in my bakery. I saw how miserable he looked and i sympathised with him. Your friend Kibiko is now my employee. You know Kiroma, dusability is not inability, " he concluded. And i agreed with him.