Your dose.

Today, I was at the grocery store. I was buying something for my mum. She’s having high fever. And my dad has long gone leaving our family on mother’s hand. I will be a man, and take care of my family no matter what. 

   When I was pushing my cart, I heard a woman sobbing. I turned around and tried to find her. Maybe she was in some kind of trouble. Found her, she’s an old woman, maybe in her 80’s. She was laughing so hard she was crying. A man with two carrots stuck in his nose was laughing as well. Love’s a wonderful thing. Love’s will be the only thing there to cheer us up whenever we are down.

   I was on the bus on the way back home to cook something nice for my mother. Maybe just something to make her appetite bloom. I just can’t watch my mother suffer and I must do something to make her eat. At least a few spoons of porridge.

   While I was on the bus, I saw one old man. He was holding a bouquet of roses in his arms. He saw me looking at the roses in his hand, he smiled and said “these roses are for my wife. Today is her birthday and these roses were her favorite, the white rose” His face expression changed after he told me bout his wife. I don’t know what’s wrong. If he love his wife, he should be happy. After a few stations, the old man stopped the bus in front of the cemetery.

   At that time, I realized something. Those roses was for his dead wife. His love towards his wife is so strong. Even if he’s 80’s now, he still deeply in love with his wife. He bought his wife favorite flower every year, that’s what I knew that day. His love gave me lots of fuzzy warm feeling. It’s like butterflies in my stomach.

  After 1 hour of journey by bus, I finally reached home. My house wasn’t big. We lived in poverty since my dad was gone from this world. He left his job for me to take care of my sister and mother. I opened the door, my sister welcomed me with a warm hug. She said “Brother, can you please buy me a sign language book?” I want to fulfill her desire, but I don’t have the coins for those kind of stuff. I went and borrowed money from my best friend, Helena. And took my sister to the bookshop the next day.

  It was the first time she step into a bookshop. The shop was filled with fairytale books, soft toys, and the shop’s lights was beautiful. I made a promise to my sister that day. I said “Anne. One day, brother will give you all the thing in this world” She’s a very intelligent young girl, she laughed and said “brother, It’s okay. I got everything in this world already. All I need is love from my big brother and love from mom.” My eyes, after hearing those words from my 8 years old sister. My eyes, it poured tears. I took her to the sign language’s book section. Asked her why she want this book, she said “It’s for my new classmate. He’s deaf. He can’t hear what I said. But I wanna be friend with him.”

  12 years later, I stood beside her at their wedding. Watching her do her sign saying that “I DO” I’m glad. I gave my sister and mother life back then when we are suffering. My life filled with loves. Loves gave me hopes to be strong.

By Shamer Zarfique.