A Delicate Mind

To my utter dismay, that duck flew straight down on the floor and crashed. It died there and then. The colours splattered everywhere. I just could not believe it. My most treasured gift from my father… in fact till then, the most treasured gift from anyone and all I wanted to do was share it with my cousins, show them the beautiful masterpiece.

I took the pieces together and started praying thinking miracles could happen… how naïve I was. I prayed and prayed… my innocent mind thought prayers meant getting things done!!! My cousins got so scared looking at the shattered glasses that they just left me in my misery. Probably they were horrified too! Father came home and first I asked him not to get angry then showed him the glasses that were there in my tiny naked hands. He looked at me, took the pieces away, helped me to wash my hands gently but did not utter a word. It must have cost him a fortune, that rainbow duck, but he did not say anything. He probably understood how this 7 year old felt at that moment.

We had gone to see a circus and I was thoroughly enjoying. After days of falling sick, father thought this would be a good moment to take me out. Unfortunately just when the circus had left a mesmerizing impression on this young mind, they announced that they have a grand finale to this magical moment. I must add that everything that was announced was in a foreign language so before we even knew what was happening, this guy comes out with a snake wrapped around his neck and I was flabbergasted to see him shove the tail from one side of his nose and he was pulling the other bit from the other hole. It was so horrifying that I could neither scream nor cry. I was frozen and father realised what happened to me. If there was one thing that scared me, then it was a snake.

He immediately took me outside and I burst into tears. I ran in the street holding his hand. I know he was in pain too for he never expected such a devastating finale and that too during the time when I was sick to handle any trauma. We walked hand-in-hand, tears rolling down my cheeks and father struggling with consoling words. We walked past a glass window and there stood this exquisite tiny duck looking brilliant in the sunlight. Suddenly I smiled and perhaps that smile is what convinced my father to buy the piece.

Years have gone by and even today, the remembrance of that radiating beauty brings joy in my heart and at the same time, I wish it was adorning my coffee corner! The memory stays but I smile today for I realise happiness comes in different shapes and sizes and when you least expect it, it showers you with the colours of absolute bliss!

- Labanya