Son Without a (Present) Father

Further to my 'Fathers and Sons' blip of yesterday, I'm sure this boy does not have a fine father present in his life for whatever reason or through whatever twist of fate or circumstance that has transpired during his short life. Maybe his father died prematurely like mine and, unlike me, he does not have a safety net of a remaining and supportive family. Or maybe his father is in prison (justly or unjustly) or maybe the father has run away or tends to another family or is at home but it's one to which the boy is afraid or can't afford to return to or doesn't even know where it is. Who knows, but whatever the reason, it's a crying shame this lad is crashed out at 11 pm on the pavement of one of the principal streets in Zamalek, the upmarket embassy area of Cairo. There are many like him tonight all over Cairo and the rest of Egypt and, I know, Rio de Janeiro and the rest of Brazil and, no doubt, Mumbai and the rest of India . . . you can add to the list, I'm sure. One thing's for certain, every one of my speculations is the reality of existence for hundreds of thousands if not millions of kids around the world's block tonight.