Olumide Adewale

The following is a conversation between me and a little beggar at an event 2 weeks ago.
The boy could not be older than 12 so I was interested in what he needed money for.
Note that the entire conversation was in yoruba but I'll translate anyway.

Boy: Ejo e fun mi lowo (please give me some money)

Me: Really, what do you need money for?

Boy: We are resuming school soon and I need to buy note books.

Me: Oh really, that's a good reason, what class are you?

Boy: Primary 4

Me: Oh I think you're too old to be in primary 4 but that's none of my business, so how many books do you need in school for this term?

Boy: 12 notebooks sir

Me: How much is 1 notebook now sef?

Boy: 250 naira sir

Me: Oh okay, so what's 250 x 12?

(There was no answer, the boy started staring at me)

Me: So you don't know 250 x 12 and you come to me with an excuse that you want to buy books for school?

Boy: 250 x 12 is 450 sir

Me: (I smiled) Listen to me, I need you to leave my sight right now, don't come back until you know what 250 x 12 is, if you can give me the correct answer within the next 30 minutes that this event will last, I'll give you the money for 12 books...

The boy left and went into the crowd. I followed him with my eyes and saw him go to a man to ask for an answer to 250x12. But here is what's funny, the man didn't tell him straight away, he took out his phone and used the calculator to do the math 😂

I thought the boy would definitely come back with the right answer so I took out some cash from my pocket and counted 3000 to give to him when he returned. Afterall, promise is a debt. And as expect, he came back and stood in front of me, so I asked him.

Me: Do you know the answer now?

Boy: Yes sir

Me: So what's 250 x 12?

Boy: 300 sir?

Me: 😳😳😳 What! Are you sure?

Boy: it's 300 sir

Me: I will give you 300 now since you are sure that's the correct answer to 250x12 but I want you to think careful. Is that the correct answer?

Boy: Yes sir.

So I gave him 500 naira and told him to keep the change. The man that sat beside me at the event shook his head a few time. I'm sure he didn't want to intervene but he couldn't help it so he called the boy after I had given him the money and said "You're very stupid" 😂 😂 😂

My question is, is it the calculator that his helper used or the boy has hearing problem 🤔

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