The year was 2001 and I was in Hargeisa on a dhaqan celis tour. Arsenal were still a wining team and I was a new fan, one night I went downtown to watch a game being broadcast live at the old cinema. Since I was headed to the suuq, my mom asked me to exchange $300.

So I walked into the game with a bag full of shillings, enough to cover our family expenses for a month. It was a great game. Arsenal won. The exit was chaotic and triumphant. I was halfway to the bus station when I realized that I didn’t have the money on me.

My heart sank and I ran back to the cinema in a panic. I told an employee that I’d lost a bag and he let me back in to search. I stumbled through every row of seats in the dark but couldn’t find it. I finally gave up and came back out, thinking what am I gonna tell Hooyo?

There was still a small crowd outside and I started asking anyone carrying a bag if they’d found it inside, but no luck. I was heading off when someone came up to me and asked if I was looking for something. I told him yeah, I’m trying to find a bag.

He asked, what was in the bag? 195 thousand shillings I replied. He handed me the bag of cash and told me to be more careful with my money (lacagtaada ilaasho). To this day I make dua for that kind stranger.