"Thank you Sisi Rudo, without you we all would have starved to death a long time ago," Tatenda, one of the street kids I know says as I hand him the last plate of leftover sadza.

There are countless street kids in this busy city but I can only help the few that I know. And I only help because I know their sad story. If it's just a run away kid, help will not come from me.

"See you tomorrow, guys," I say waving to them.

After a long day of work, I have to say, I'm deliciously tired. I love this feeling of knowing that my day is over and I just have to get home, fill my tummy and slumber.

I mean, it's nothing new, I do it everyday but still it gives me joy each day. Knowing that I have made it through another day in this man eat man world and being a woman is not easy at all.

In this city of Harare, nothing is easy and a twenty year old woman like myself can get swallowed pretty easily. And believe me, you do not want to fall into the dark side. I have known a few girls and boys who have been swallowed by the darkness now they're unrecognizable. They had wanted an easy way out of this hard life but alas, there isn't any.

My Aunt Katherine always told me, "Honey, you should never accept handouts from people. Work hard and be the giver not the receiver because some people out there, they will use you and squeeze you dry just because of a gift they gave you in the beginning of time. When you realize what that little gift is costing you, you will regret receiving it. Hard work is always key to an easy life nothing else."

Maybe it's because of all she taught me, how she raised me before she succumbed to her health, that has made me into a lover of a tired body. I just love a productive day and today was one of the most productive days I have had all month.

Ohh yes, I sold over three hundred plates of Sadza (a thick porridge made from mealie meal) today. My Aunt Kathy used to run this business when she was alive. I used to help out whenever I could but she always said I was destined for more than this little hot room and an aching body.

She had done great sending me to school and I had almost made it to college, unfortunately she fell ill after I was accepted into the University of Zimbabwe. So instead of school, I had to come help out here while she was in the hospital.

She had been my everything, the strongest woman I knew. I had always thought she was made of steel but old age came early for her. She said that's what happens when you put your body through hard labor everyday. And being couped up in a tiny hot kitchen everyday, from morning till sundown for many years, had done bad things to her body.

She made me promise that I will close that little kitchen and I did. It's been two years since she passed and I have almost reached my target. I want to expand and turn this into a very lucrative business. But I also want to finally attend college, I owe it to my aunt who sacrificed her life to raise me all by herself.

Anyway, I'm closing up shop now, ready to heard home. Home, to my shower and warm bed and...

"Hey, Baby."

I hear someone call out behind me. The most annoying voice ever. This guy gets on my nerves on so many degrees. I don't even show that I heard him. I increase my pace of locking up, trying to get away from him but no such luck today. He jogs over just as I'm pulling out my key.

"Hey, babe. How was your day? You must be tired, should I give you a ride home? I am an excellent cook and masseur," he says blocking my way.

I ignore him and turn the other way, I can just walk around the block. I don't have time for this. He's always getting in my face after work. I swear he has nothing better to do.

This is a very busy part of town, even though it's getting pretty late, there's a lot of activities here. I am walking so fast to get away from that annoying guy I have never bothered knowing his name. I don't hear him behind me and I'm releaved. I guess today he decided to let me have my peace but I know I will see him again tomorrow. Tomorrow morning if I'm unlucky.

Urgg, why can't he take a hint and just leave me alone?!

I'm passing by a little cafe and I suddenly feel like coffee. It's everywhere here, the smell of coffee. It makes my mouth water.

It's probably not a good idea to waste money on a cup of coffee that I can easily make when I get home. I have never had brewed coffee before so it probably won't be the same as instant coffee but still, it's coffee.

I almost walk past but I'm curious, does it taste any different? If so, how different?

I walk in as a little bell above the door dings, startling me. I have never seen any shop, cafe or any place like this one. It looks straight out of a novel I read once. A very old novel, I forgot the title.

I look around and I think this is what the medieval times would have looked like in that book I read. After a little more looking I notice some very modern looking pieces among the antiques. But the way it blends together like it was meant to be makes me wonder if the owner here was mixing the old with the new? Anyway, it looks good and I love it.

I approach the counter where a barista is waiting to take my order with a wide smile. She's a very young woman, who might I say, has embraced her thick curly hair with pride. It looks very neat in a Afro hairstyle. I wish my hair would do that too but my own hair is another kind of kinky that we should never talk about.

"Welcome to Destiny's cafe. What can I get you?" she says with an accent that I can't recognize.

But then again, how many accents do I know? Let's see, Malawian accent, Ndebele accent and... Yah, that's about it.

"Can I have a cup of coffee, please."

"Which kind?"

I have never been to a coffee shop before so I have no idea what kind I want. But I know two things, it has to be sweet and creamy, so I tell her that. She smiles politely as she proceeded to make me a cup of sweet and creamy coffee.

"You can take a seat while I brew your coffee," she tells me, pointing to a little table by the window.

I take a seat in this very comfortable sofa like chair. It has such intricate details on it that match the little coffee table in front of me. I have to say the craftsmanship is very extraordinary. I lean in to take a closer look at the table.

There is a dark wolf, very big and mighty, standing on it's hind legs as it looked up at the red moon. There are other wolves all around it with their heads bowed. After the wolves are people with scrawny looking hands and thin tall bodies in a worshipping position. After the thin people are another group of people who look normal, not thin or scrawny but they bleeding on the ground soaking the ground a deep red and looking like they are dying.

I look back at the big wolf and notice it's on all four now, staring straight at me with dark eyes. I lean in closer to have a proper look, bending over because this can't be.

"Your coffee is ready."

I jump, startled.