A new friendship was beginning to grow. Sonny felt he had found a companion he could share with the joys and difficulties of city life. But he knew he had to show his friend the tactics he needed to survive.
"I'm so hungry. I've not had any good food since I left Mubende," Jacob began to complain.
Sonny pitied him. Then he reached out under the cart, and his hand came out holding a bottle of soda and some cakes. "I keep these for emergencies such as this. Here, take some and eat for the time being. It should hold you for now, then we shall know what to do in the morning."
Seeing his friend was offering him food, Jacob expressed his gratitude. He began to view Sonny differently; he was kind and quite friendly to him.
He knew he had found someone he could rely on in the city. At least, Jacob imagined, he had found someone who knew the city better than him.
"I am so overwhelmed, Sonny," said Jacob as he was taking his soda, "You're so friendly to me. Why, then, did you want to take my necklace?"
In the darkness, Sonny laughed. "That thing is so tempting. Do you know what? I came here and was about to jump into the cart when I saw something glittering. Then I saw someone lying in my cart. So I decided to take the necklace and let you rest."
"I wouldn't have known if I had not felt your hand touching my neck. It was then I knew something was wrong."
Sonny chuckled. He said, "Come to think of it, here's a word of free advice to you: don't wear that necklace around this city."
"Why do you say that?" asked Jacob.
"You will be robbed in broad daylight because it is so tempting. If I were you, I would stop wearing it in public but hide it somewhere safe."
Then again, Jacob remembered his dying mother's words: "That necklace is quite valuable. Jealous people may want to take it from you..."
He saw the truth in his friend's words. Like his dying mother, Sonny had also sounded a warning.
He was still thinking when Sonny resumed talking: "Be very careful with it. It looks gorgeous, quite valuable, and could attract attention. Many people are not good here; this is a big city with all sorts of people."
Later, the two friends covered themselves with their sacks and fell asleep.
They woke up early the next day. Sonny again reached under the cart, and his hands came out holding a tin of water. He washed his face and was ready to begin his daily activities.
To Jacob, he gave some of the water to wash his face. Jacob could now see his friend clearly and saw Sonny was almost his age; probably fifteen years.
Short and heavily built, Sonny had a confident look on his face and eyes. His hair was short, brown, and unkempt. He had black eyes, which were restless and appeared quite alert at all times.
Jacob noticed his friend had a dark complexion. He only listened to his friend as Sonny talked.
"Stay around while I check on how things are going on. You can go for a short walk if you wish, but see to it that you don't get lost in the city. I'll bring you something to bite when I return around ten," he observed as he left Jacob standing and went on his errands.
It was now daylight. From the distance, Jacob could see clearly the tall, erect, and large buildings.
Their cart stood hidden by the sidestreet, which seemed quite insignificant to the city residents. Jacob could see many people walking up and down the road that led into the city.
He decided to take a short walk around. He walked for a few metres, then stopped to look at the few shops he saw along the sidestreet.
Most of these were hardware and electronics shops judging from the goods that were displayed inside.
As he went further down the road, Jacob's eyes fell on the textile shops and noticed most of the owners were Indian traders. He was still walking around when abruptly he began feeling tired.
His feet ached from the previous days walk from Mubende. Jacob decided to go back to their little hideout.
He found Sonny waiting for him. "Hey, you have come earlier than expected. I just decided to take a walk around and had not gone far when I began feeling tired."
"Business is not good today. Too many cops around; so I couldn't see our agents, " Sonny said as he paused. "Look here, have this. I managed to get these for you, since I knew you would be feeling hungry."
He held something in his hands; it looked like a packet. Jacob opened it and saw it had cooked bananas or "matoke" as the city dwellers termed these.
"Where did you get this?" Jacob asked as he stared at his friend's restless eyes.
"I have a friend working in a restaurant
Once in a while I do some deals and odd jobs for him and he gives me food," Sonny replied and went on, "I told him I have a new friend who has joined us; he was very glad and gave me the food."
Even as he talked Sonny was smiling before going on, "Don't worry about food; I have many friends working in hotels and restaurants. Food is never going to be a problem to you, with me around."
He paused as Jacob listened silently before he resumed talking, "But you'll have to learn the tricks of the game to survive in the city. I will show you, in fact teach you the basics of how to get a few goods as need arises."
Jacob immediately got the hint. It came in a flash as he began to realise the kind of business Sonny did for a living in the city.
And so it was that Jacob knew Sonny was a shoplifter as he himself was to see later.