Agizo la Leo Leo ni siku ya mwisho ya mwezi katika soko la Mtoni. Mama Nuru anauza chakula na maji. Leo anataka kufunga mapema. Kuna mkutano wa shule jioni. Mama Nuru anaweka wali mbele yake. Anaweka maharagwe karibu na wali. Anaweka maji upande wa kulia. Watu wa soko wanaanza kuingia. Asha anasimama mbele ya chakula. Mama Nuru anamwangalia. “Asha, wali na maharagwe?” Mama Nuru anauliza. “Ndiyo, wali na maharagwe,” Asha anasema. “Na maji?” “Na maji moja.” Mama Nuru anaweka chakula kwenye sahani. Asha anaweka fedha kwenye meza. “Leo unaenda mapema?” Asha anauliza. “Ndiyo, nina mkutano wa shule,” Mama Nuru anasema. “Basi nitakula haraka.” “Kula polepole, Asha.” Juma anakuja na kusimama nyuma ya Asha. Mama Nuru anasema, “Juma, wali mbili na maji?” Juma anasema, “Wali mbili, bila maharagwe.” Mama Nuru anaangalia uso wake. “Leo bila maharagwe?” “Leo bila maharagwe.” Mama Nuru anaweka wali mbili kwenye sahani. Juma anaangalia maharagwe. “Weka kidogo,” anasema. “Umesema bila maharagwe,” Mama Nuru anasema. “Nimebadilika sasa.” “Sawa, kidogo tu.” Mama Nuru anaweka maharagwe kidogo. Juma anaweka fedha kwenye meza. “Mkutano wa shule unaanza saa ngapi?” Juma anauliza. “Unaanza saa kumi,” Mama Nuru anasema. “Utafunga saa ngapi?” “Nitafunga saa tisa.” Rehema anafika akiwa na mtoto wake. Mtoto anashika mkono wa Rehema. Mama Nuru anasema, “Rehema, chakula kimoja cha mtoto?” Rehema anasema, “Ndiyo, na maji kidogo.” Mama Nuru anamwangalia mtoto. “Leo hakuna wali?” “Leo anataka maharagwe,” Rehema anasema. “Anataka maharagwe peke yake?” Mama Nuru anauliza. “Anataka maharagwe na wali kidogo.” Mama Nuru anaweka wali na maharagwe kwenye sahani ndogo. Mtoto anaangalia sahani. “Hii ni yako,” Mama Nuru anasema. Mtoto anasema, “Asante.” Rehema anaweka fedha mbili. Mama Nuru anazirudisha fedha moja. “Hii ni nyingi,” anasema. Rehema anaangalia meza. “Nina fedha kidogo leo.” Mama Nuru anasukuma fedha moja kwake. “Baki nayo kwa maji,” anasema. Rehema anasema, “Lakini wewe unaenda mkutano.” “Ndiyo, lakini maji ni muhimu.” Rehema anachukua fedha hiyo. “Kesho nitatoa fedha yote.” Asha anamaliza chakula. Juma anamaliza maji. Watu wengine wanaingia kwenye soko. Mama Nuru anajua maagizo yao. Mmoja anataka wali na maji. Mwingine anataka maharagwe tu. Mmoja anataka chakula cha jana. Mama Nuru anasema, “Chakula cha jana kimeisha.” Mtu huyo anasema, “Basi wali na maharagwe.” Mama Nuru anasema, “Wali na maharagwe, kama kawaida.” Mtu huyo anaweka fedha kwenye meza. Jua linaendelea juu ya soko. Maji yanapungua. Wali unabaki kidogo. Maharagwe yanabaki kidogo. Mama Nuru anaangalia saa yake. Ni saa nane na nusu. Asha anarudi kwenye meza. “Mama Nuru, umebaki na chakula?” anauliza. “Nimebaki na wali kidogo,” Mama Nuru anasema. “Nipe wali huo.” “Maharagwe?” “Maharagwe pia.” Juma anasema, “Mama Nuru, mimi nitasaidia.” Anachukua chombo cha maji. Rehema anachukua sahani mbili. Asha anafunga mfuko wa chakula. Mama Nuru anaangalia watu hao. “Mnafanya nini?” anauliza. “Tunataka uende kwenye mkutano,” Asha anasema. “Lakini watu wengine watakuja.” “Waambie chakula kimeisha,” Juma anasema. “Kesho tutarudi.” Mama Nuru anaweka sahani ya mwisho mezani. Rehema anamuita mtoto wake. Juma anafunga chombo cha maji. Asha anahesabu fedha za siku. “Fedha ziko sawa,” Asha anasema. Mama Nuru anafunga mfuko wake. Anaangalia soko, meza, na vyombo. “Kesho mtaagiza nini?” anauliza. Asha anasema, “Wali na maharagwe.” Juma anasema, “Wali mbili na maharagwe kidogo.” Rehema anasema, “Maharagwe na wali wa mtoto.” Mama Nuru anacheka kidogo. Anaweka fedha ndani ya mfuko. Anafunga meza. Kisha anaondoka na watu hao kuelekea shule.