chapter 18

One day, during his fifth month at Benin House, Esther comes by and Ishmael tells her, “I feel as if there is nothing left for me to be alive for. I have no family, it is just me. No one will be able to tell me stories about my childhood.” Esther tells him, with a hug, that he can think of her as his sister. She reminds of him of his childhood friend, Abigail, with whom he could laugh and laugh. He wishes Esther was Abigail so they can “laugh with all their beings, longer and without any worries as he had done with Abigail . . .” Then, Esther smiles at him, and he forgets about his loneliness for the time being.The following day, Esther tells Ishmael that there are visitors coming to the center and they want the boys to hold a talent show. Esther wanthakespeare him to sing his reggae songs, but Ishmael suggests a monologue from shakespeare. She says yes to that idea, but still wants him to sing. the visitors are from the European Commission, the UN, UNICEF, and several NGOs. When they arrive, they melt into the crowd of boys to get to know them and then sit in anticipation of the talent show. It consists of stories like the Bra Spider, Ishmael’s monologue, and a short hip-hop play that Ishmael had written about the redemption of a former child soldier. Mr. Kamara, the center director, is so impressed with Ishmael’s play that he asks him to be a spokesperson for the center. Ishmael’s rehabilitation continues as he finds a real family but he still has a way to go.