The walk

By Zama Zwane

Copyright -By African Storybook, 2025
This storybook is part of the African Storybook Project and is openly
licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution.
Author - Zama Zwane
Illustrations - Skye Joseph
Translation - Kenneth Magobane
Copy editing - Lia P-Meyjes
Setting - Bernedette Etchells

Joseph walks down the stairs, his mom is waiting for him. They're walking to go buy groceries.

On the walk, a lady in a wheelchair passes them. "Mom, look! That's so cool! I want one!" says Joseph.

Joseph's mom hears this, she quickly apologies to the lady and then turns to Joseph

" Honey, it's not made for you. It's for people that can't walk at all. The wheelchair helps them move around like you and I ".
Joseph understands and they keep walking.

They get to the robot to cross the road, a blind man being led by a guide dog approaches the crossing too.

Joseph excitedly goes down to pet the guide dog. "Awww, he's so cute!". The blind gentleman chuckles and thanks Joseph.

"Can I cross the road with him?" Joseph asks his mother. She says no and proceeds to quickly hold Joseph's hand across the road, leaving the blind man and his dog to walk alone.

"Mom, why did we walk away?" , "Honey, that was his guide dog," Mother says. Joseph blankly looks at his mother confused. "The gentleman walking with the dog is blind, so he needs the dog to guide him wherever he walks. So if you crossed with the dog, the gentlemen wouldn't have moved". Joseph finally understands and keeps walking with his mother.

As they continue their journey ,Joseph still seems to be confused. "Mom, how come there's so many people that aren't like you and I?" he asks. Joseph's mom sits him down on a bench.

"Honey, have you ever wondered why we don't look the same?" she asks him. Joseph nods . "Well ,it's because you were adopted when you were very young. You are still my son and I still love you very much. But just like the people we saw today you're also different. They have their own stories that make them unique, do you understand?". "Yes mom. I love you ma".