(good night stories ) Maria
It was one o’clock. Jane was waiting for her dad. Her dad used to pick her up on time. It was not his habit to be so late. She had felt very hungry. Some schoolmates said hello or waved their hands to her, but it did not amuse her at all. The pain of hunger in her stomach had taken all her attention.
Thanked to God, the next ten minutes her dad was coming.
“Sorry, my dear, I came late. I needed more time to make all the cakes sold out, so that your mom can buy some rice for us,” her dad said calmly, when he reached the school gate, where Jane had been waiting for him for about an hour.
Jane sighed. Deep in her heart she said…..if I had been born in a rich family…..
While riding the bike, her dad was talking to her happily, as if he had been the luckiest guy in the world.
“I got fifty four rupiahs* today for the cakes. It means, we can buy some rice and vegetables for several days. You can save the rest for your school fee. I am going to sell more cakes and make more money to pay your school fee this month. Does it sound good, my dear?”
Jane said nothing. She just nodded her head. She was crying silently, feeling so poor…..
Her dad did not seem recognizing her feeling. He kept riding his bike and sang a happy song, showing the world that he..again….was so lucky…
At the traffic light, they stopped, waiting for the green light permits their bike to run again. It did not take a long time, but it was enough to let Jane see a disgusting moment……Yuck…..On the left side of the road, in front of a beautiful house….a mother and her little boy were sitting next to a big rubbish bin. No, they were not only sitting there. They were eating, too……but, she fed him with some food she took from the rubbish bin! It made Jane want to puke….Oh!
“God, I am poor, but my mom has never fed me that way. She gives me good food though it is only the cheap one. I am poor, but my dad is able to send me to school. ….I am poor.., but…OH! Am I poor?” Jane was talking to herself on the way home…
“Am I poor? I can eat and go to school. Well, yes, I am not as lucky as my friends. They are rich, they eat expensive food, they go to school by cars. Yet, I am lucky, too…..having a nice dad and a sweet mom. So, how could I say I was poor…”
Jane felt so bad for having been so ungrateful. She had got so many blessings in her life and what she had thought about it. Then she understood, why her dad seemed so happy with every single luck he had got, how simple it was, cause he knew how to show his gratitude. Yes…he was not poor..
“I am not poor,” said Jane, and joined her dad’s singing….Thank you Lord …
*) Rp. 54,000.00 IDR = $ 5.86 US
1 IDR = 0.000108460 USD
