A poor, overweight orphan girl is forced into marriage with a homeless man; a few days later, he arrives in a Rolls-Royce.

The man looked nothing like a suitor. His shirt, once blue, was a faded gray. His rolled-up sleeves revealed sturdy forearms covered in red dust. His sandals had been mended many times. Yet he stood straight. « Yes, what do you want? » barked the aunt. The man inclined his head politely: « Good morning, Madam. I’m looking for a wife. » The broom slipped from Amara’s hands. Her aunt blinked in disbelief: « You? A wife? » The man replied with quiet certainty: « Yes, Madam. » Neighbors were already approaching, sensing the commotion.

“And what do you have to offer this wife?” the aunt asked sarcastically. “I have honesty,” he replied. Someone in the crowd sneered, “Honesty doesn’t buy food.” The man continued, unperturbed, “I have the strength to work, and I’m ready to build with whoever chooses to build with me.” The word “choose” sounded strange to Amara. Did she even have a choice? Her aunt burst into theatrical laughter: “Build? You don’t even look capable of building a chicken coop!” The crowd roared with laughter, but the man didn’t flinch. “I may not look like much today, but I won’t always be like this.”