As the Superhero Undie Boys received their gifts, Ajallah looked on with patience. The children of the neighborhood were gathering to watch and some started clamoring for a gift for themselves. Little Ajallah just watched. And after all was said and done, and the children began to disperse, little Ajallah and her new-undie-brother continued to sit on their step together. I turned my back to go but felt a little tug in my heart, the one where I know I need to leave a dolly behind.
I crept up to Ajallah, knelt low to her height, and produced a dolly for her. A smile spread across her face in a way I’ve yet to see on a child receiving this gift. It was something like, wow…a gift for me? Oh thank you, I never expected that. The nearby maamas, not her maama though, thanked me for the gift and were so very pleased that someone like me (white) would come into their neighborhood and give gifts. Makes me want to come back and just sit and talk with them.