An early Christmas present

“Pass by the boutique later, ok?” my host papa says to me at school this morning.

“Alright,” I say, in one of those circumstances where I’m not quite sure into what I’m getting.

I forget about it until he calls me again later this afternoon.

“Are you going to come by?” he asks. I’m at a bar with my post mate, not quite sure whether hanging out with Beninese people is a good idea right now.

I stop by the boutique a few moments later. Papa and my Mama wave me into the shop and gesture to the fabric in display cases. Fabric that I’ve always admired, but has always been a little out of my price range.

“Pick whichever one you want,” he says. “For the holiday.”

I am dumbfounded. This is not what I expected from this visit.

I’m touched. I’m touched that they wanted to give me something. I’m touched that they thought of me.

Top 5 Christmas presents of all time.