The day my neighbour knocked on my door at 2am holding a baby and a bag of garri

It was during the rainy season, maybe 2019. I was still working then, Ministry of Education. My wife and I were asleep when the knock came. Soft knock, not the kind that wakes the whole street. I opened the door and saw Mrs. Adebayo from the flat next to ours. She was holding her baby girl, and a small bag of garri was hanging from her shoulder.

She said her husband had not come home for two days. No money for food. She was ashamed to ask earlier. I just stood there. My wife came behind me and took the baby from her. She started crying.

We gave her rice and stew. She ate like someone who had forgotten what food tasted like. The next morning, my wife went with her to the market and bought her small provisions. Mrs. Adebayo kept saying sorry, sorry, like she had committed a crime.

I learned something that night. People are carrying heavy things quietly. The Yoruba say bi oba ti ri ni mo ti n ri, but sometimes you must look beyond what you see. Since then, I greet my neighbours well. You never know who is holding a bag of garri and a baby at 2am.