Thief

THIEF

 CHILDREN'S STORIES

James and Rongo were brothers. They lived with their parents in a house about two miles from the shopping centre. The shopping centre was like any other shopping centre with clothes shops, food shops, banks and an open air market. The boys loved to go to the shopping centre and would go there whenever they could. Sometimes with mum and sometimes with dad. Sometimes just the two of them.

 

As they rode, with their parents, to the shopping centre today, they hoped they could have a special meal like chicken and chips for lunch. But today was not just another day. Today was a special day because it was their turn to visit Destiny. Destiny lived halfway between their home and the shopping centre and every boy and girl had to face destiny at one time in their lives. Today, was the boys turn. Mum was so excited and Dad was happy that he had been able to book an appointment for the boys.

 

When they were all in Destiny's office, he asked them to sit down. He said he would speak to them in just a moment.  He sat at his desk, picked up some books and began to study them as if he was looking for something. He was not old and not young. But everyone said he knew exactly what he was doing. He shifted through pages and started mumbling to himself softly. He seemed concerned that he had missed something and kept coming back to this one book as if to make sure. Then with a final grunt and a shrug of he shoulders he announced " Well boys, as far as I can see, there is discipline and desire".

 

The boys sat quietly for a while then James said I'll take discipline. Then Rongo said "since you have chosen discipline, I will take desire.  "Are you sure" asked Destiny "Think again". But James said, "Discipline" and Rongo repeated "Desire". "Okay" said Destiny, "please wait outside while I talk to your parents". As the boys left the office, the boy's parents could not hide their excitement. They were so happy that the boys had been given such wonderful choices. But when they turned to face Destiny his face was very grave and serious.

 

"What is the matter" asked the boys parents "did the boys make bad choices?" Oh no said destiny. "Then why are you so grave" insisted the parents. "I am afraid I cannot tell you why" said destiny. "But I must tell you that your boys have been granted great powers by their choices and it is your job to help then control that power. If they never learn to control that power they will never be all they were meant to be". The boy's parents looked at each other and were beginning to feel a little anxious. "Tell us what this power is and how we can teach the boys to control it". Destiny looked up and said "You are parents, you will know". "Please Sir" begged the parents "at least tell us what they will be". Destiny replied "that is not for me to say but, I will tell you that you must work hard, because one has the potential to bring much gain, while the other could bring much pain.

 

Though the visit had made the parents a little uncomfortable, they soon forgot and concentrated on bringing up the boys. James and Rongo were two of the most energetic boys you could find anywhere. They soon forgot about Destiny and concentrated on growing up. They worked hard in school and worked hard at home. All the people in the in the area said they would make fine leaders some day. James was good at sport, but not as good as Rongo. James was good at Maths, but not as good as Rongo. James was good at agriculture, but not as good as Rongo. Even though James was second best, he was much, much better than the rest of all his classmates. However, slowly and surely, he began to become jealous of Rongo.

 

His mother noticed James attitude and told his father about it. Together they warned James to control his passions because they could lead him to harm. But this only made James more furious. Rongo, on the other hand, could not wait to move on. He complained that he knew everything his teacher was teaching and wanted to be moved to a higher class. His parents told him that attitude was not good and that he must be patient in life.

 

The boys finished school and Rongo decided to become a doctor. His parents advised him that it took a long time to train as a doctor and he would need all the patience he could muster. Rongo was disappointed that it took such a long time and that there were no short cuts, but agreed all the same. He said he would learn to be patient.

 

James finished school and decided that he wanted to make money, quickly. He said he would not waste as much time as Rongo in school. His parents told him that it took time to make enough money to build a house and buy a nice car. They told him that he still needed more training to get what he wanted. But by this time James would not listen to advice from anybody. He was controlled by the passion for the things he wanted.

 

It took almost ten years for Rongo to finish college and qualify as a doctor. His Father was very proud of him and his mother would have been too if she had not died a few years before. He began working as a doctor in a public hospital and treated very many people with all kinds of illnesses. He helped many of them get better. The people said he was a good doctor.

 

Rongo always thought that his mother had loved his brother James more than him, but his father explained that she only paid more attention to James because she wanted him to learn to control his passion. James never made enough money as quickly as he had desired and soon began stealing to make more money. Finally, he was caught and sent to jail for a long time, so he never attended Rongos' College graduation either.

 

Rongos' father still lived in the house two miles from the shopping centre and one day he decided to check with Destiny once more. "Why did you not tell us that James was going to steal?" "If I had told you" said Destiny "you would not have given him the same support as you gave the doctor". "But you did not prepare us" said the boys father "I did" said destiny "I told you to help them control the power their choices will bring upon them. Discipline demands patience and desire creates a driving passion. The choices were not yours, but theirs, so there is no reason to blame yourself or your wife". Destiny then explained a little further "I placed before them discipline and desire. They both, could have taken both or either. They each chose one and left the other. Your only job as parents was to help them realize their destiny". As the boy's father rose to leave, he asked one last question. "So tell me, when did you know that James would turn out to be a thief?". Destiny was silent for a moment and said "The moment he chose desire over discipline he became a thief".

 

Allan Bukusi, 2007