Half a Kite

Sami had a small jar of coins. He shook it. The coins made a happy sound.

He wanted one thing: a red kite from the shop on the corner. Mr Adeyemi sold the best kites in town.

Sami counted his coins on the floor. “Ten cents, twenty cents, fifty cents…” He counted them again. He had exactly two dollars.

He walked to the shop. “How much is the red kite?” he asked.

“Two dollars and fifty cents,” Mr Adeyemi said.

Sami looked at his jar. He did not have enough. He was fifty cents short.

“Can I buy half a kite?” Sami asked.

Mr Adeyemi laughed, but it was a kind laugh. “You cannot buy half a kite. But you can do a small job. Can you sweep the front step?”

Sami swept the step. He swept it well.

“Now you have enough,” Mr Adeyemi said. He gave Sami the red kite. “Fly it high,” he said.

Sami smiled. The kite cost two dollars and fifty cents — and one clean step.