Ben kept on walking. It was a cold night. The faint outline of houses appeared in the distance. Then, in the dark, he made out a dilapidated wooden shack. Ben kept his gaze fixed on the house. This had once been his home. How long had it been? He could hardly believe that ten years had passed since he left this abode. How could he forget the hardship, the struggle, the sorrow and the poverty?
Ben was the eldest child in a family of six. Life had not been so difficult when his father, the sole breadwinner of the family, had been around. By a cruel twist of fate, his father had passed away in a road accident. Ben’s heart still misses a beat whenever he remembers the tragedy. It had been the most devastating period of his life. There were four other mouths to feed. He was the eldest and the others depended on him. At a time when most other people would have resigned themselves to being helpless victims of fate. Ben had the fighting spirit. He resolved to go on in spite of all the odds being against him.
A typical day for Ben began at dawn. After gulping down his breakfast, he would take the refreshments his mother had made and deliver them to the cake seller at the market. He also supplemented their income by helping Roger at the food stall, washing the plates and glasses. With the meager income both mother and son earned, combined with their skilled husbandry, they had been able to make ends meet.
It was hard to keep a grip on him and not lose hope but he endured it for the sake of his family, whom he loved. His mother had been the driving force that kept him going during difficult times but it was his determination to rise above their hand-to-mouth existence which made him excel in his studies.
He had passed every examination with flying colors. Determination and perseverance enabled him to obtain a Grade One in his high school final test and straight As in his pre-University examination. After securing a scholarship, he went on to university, graduating four years later with an honors degree in Accountancy. That was the reward for all his efforts.
Now, working as an accountant, he finally had the means to look after his aging mother and educate his younger brothers and sisters. His recipe for success was working hard until one’s ambitions were achieved.
Vocabulary
dilapidated falling to pieces, old
abode the place where someone lives
husbandry management of resources
hand to mouth have just enough money for one’s basic needs
