In the far east, in a quiet village located near the river banks, it was a bright morning with the sun rising and the chirping sounds of birds were heard loudly. The bright green leaves moved with the direction of the soft wind. Cassandra sat outside sorting some fruits she was going to sell. Her tray was full and she had to finish selling them all in order to earn her stay under her aunt’s roof.

Cassandra lost her mother to the cold hands of death before her aunt came for her. As for her father, she never saw him nor knew who she was. Cassandra has lived with her aunt for so many years, but each day birthed a new challenge for her. Now her aunt has threatened to throw her out of her house if she doesn’t finish selling the fruits that were given to her each day to hawk around.

Cassandra readied her tray of fruits, placed it on her head as usual, and left the house. She hawkked her fruits with joy, which helped her get customers easily. But that particular day, Cassandra had walked and walked, but the fruits were much. She had sold barely half of the tray filled with fruits. She was tired and decided to rest for a while before she continues her sales.

Cassandra was seated and singing a song when she looked up and saw a young man standing in front of her. He didn’t speak nor say anything for a few seconds. Then he stretched out his hand, still not saying anything. Cassandra knew what the man dressed like a mad man wanted. He wanted some fruits. She looked at the young man and he looked hungry. Her aunt had counted the fruits, but she missed one. She had planned to eat the fruit when she was almost done selling, but the look on the young man’s face spelt that he was hungry.

She heaved a sigh and picked one of the fruits and gave it to him. The man smiled and then walked away. Cassandra shook her head, then stood up and continued hawking her fruits. In less than 30 minutes, she sold the whole fruits inside the tray. That was faster than she had expected. Cassandra went home so happy. She gave her aunt the money, and her aunt was surprised. That was the biggest sale Cassandra had ever made, and she did it so quick.

Her aunt Felicia began to nurture a thought. Maybe Cassandra was already seeing men who slept with her in exchange of money. Even if that was the case, she didn’t care. Provided she comes back with money daily. She would use the money to help in paying the school fees of her own daughter who was in the university.

The next day, Cassandra left the house with her tray of fruits. She met the mad man again. This time, he was the one who stopped her as she hawkked her fruits. He stretched out his hand again, begging her for some fruits. Cassandra knew the fruits were well counted by her aunt. She was going to be seriously questioned if she gives some portion to the mad man. She wanted to say no, but the look on the mad man’s face spelt joy. She didn’t want him to be sad.

She handed one of the fruits to him, and he continued his way with a smile. Sonia, Cassandra’s friend who halked with her that day, saw how Cassandra had given her fruit to the mad man. She teased Cassandra, saying the mad man was her boyfriend.

“How can I keep a mad man as a boyfriend? I’m just helping him out. Please, oh, I will get married to a rich man. I don’t know how God will do it, but I know that one day I will stop suffering,” Cassandra said to Sonia and continued her way.

Two days later, there were no fruits available to be hawkked around. Cassandra left the house to stay with Sonia in her mom’s shop inside the market. Sonia’s mother wasn’t feeling well and she was at home.

“Cassie, see your boyfriend. He’s in the market today,” Sonia said, pointing at the mad man who was just walking around inside the market. It was as if the madman saw the finger pointing at him. He started walking towards where Cassandra was seated.

A young man arrived in front of Sonia’s mother’s shop. He was well-dressed and looked rich. He was holding a car key which dangled. “Hello, beautiful one. Your goods are as beautiful as you are. How much is that one going for?” he asked the girls.

Sonia stood up to serve him and he insisted he was speaking to Cassandra. He said he wanted only Cassandra to serve him. Sonia happily let Cassandra to do the selling. Cassandra came to serve the man and at that point the mad man had already arrived to where Cassandra stood. He smiled at Cassandra and she smiled back and then focused on the man she had come to serve.

When the young man was done buying, he asked Cassandra for her number. She told him she had no phone. The young man promised Cassandra he was going to buy a phone for her. Then he asked her to keep the change. As he walked away, Cassandra was smiling, but the smile on the mad man’s face had dried up. He turned and started walking away.

“I told you that this mad man is your boyfriend. Can’t you see he’s jealous and walking away?” Sonia said to Cassandra.

“Mister, mister,” Cassandra called out to the mad man, but he didn’t respond to her calls. Cassandra followed him with a fruit in her hand. When she got to where the mad man was, she tapped him. He turned to look at her and she handed him a fruit.

“I don’t want your fruit,” the mad man said and kept walking. At first, Cassandra was shocked. That was the first time she was hearing the mad man speak. The man spoke fluently like someone who wasn’t mad. Cassandra followed him again and stopped him.

“Are you really mad?” she asked with a brow raised. The young man shook his head from left to right, then walked away, leaving Cassandra confused. She turned and walked back to Sonia. Cassandra told Sonia that the madman wasn’t mad, and Sonia was surprised. They wondered why he acted like a mad man if he wasn’t really mad.

The next day, Cassandra left with her tray to hawk her fruits. She expected to see the young man as usual, but she didn’t. She was worried. She wondered what must have happened to him. That night, Cassandra couldn’t sleep well. The thought of what took place at Sonia’s mother’s shop never left her. She wondered who the young man was and why he was acting like someone who was mad.

The next morning, Cassandra readied the fruits she was about to go hawk. She placed the tray on her head and left the house. She hoped she would lay her eyes on the mad man. As she walked around in hope, she saw him seated alone in a quiet area, his head bent and he looked sad.

Cassandra walked slowly towards where he sat. She brought down her tray and he raised his face to look at her. “You said you are not a mad man. Why are you dressed this way? Why are you looking dirty?” Cassandra asked and sat beside him.

“I’m not a mad man. I’m sane and I know how what I’m doing. I was banished from my village after my mother was accused of being a witch. I don’t have a good place to lay my head or good clothes to wear. I work on people’s farms just to get money to eat,” he said with a sad countenance.

“I’m sorry for thinking you were mad. I’m staying with my aunt, but I will try to bring you some portions of fruit whenever I can,” Cassandra said.

“My name is Benjamin, but you can call me Ben. What about you? What can I call you?” he asked.

“Well, my name is Cassandra, but my friend calls me Cassie,” Cassandra responded with a smile.

“I like you so much, Cassie,” the man said to Cassandra, which came as a surprise. She wasn’t expecting that from him. She was only trying to help him, and he is confessing love to her. Cassandra didn’t say anything. She just smiled not to hurt the young man’s feelings. Then she carried her tray back on her head and left the place.