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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Fairy Tale / Folk Tale
- Published: 07/21/2018
My Birthday Dress
Born 1999, M, from Chennai, India“I need that princess dress, mom”.
“I’m sorry Annie. But we just can’t afford that”.
“Why not?! My friend Jessica wears them”.
“Well, then, they are rich and we are not. Now choose something else”.
Me and my mom have come to shop for my birthday. I love shopping, though since my tastes seem to always go on for dresses which we can’t afford, my mom never buys me what I choose.
“You know what mom. You choose for me. You are better at it.”
“What did Jessica do to be a rich kid, and what did I do to be a poor kid”, I murmured to myself and tried to put on a friendly face trying to out-shadow the resentment within me.
My mom finally chose a dress which I did like, but not as much as the princess one.
We reached home and it was bed time. My mom tucked me in. All I could think of was that beautiful princess cloth which was far away from our financial reach and yet, so close in my thoughts.
I sat up on the bed, crossed my fingers, closed my eyes.
“This is not fair, God. How come I can’t wear a dress I like whereas my friend Jessica can? What did I do to deserve this? You know how much I loved it? It’s my birthday and I can’t even wear my favourite dress”.
I sulked.
“Hello, my dear”.
I was startled. I looked across the room and there was no one. My hands and legs started shivering.
“Don’t worry. It’s me, God”.
I shivered. I didn’t actually expect a response. I was pretty much talking to myself about my misfortune.
“What would you want now, my child?”
“I want to know how we are poor to not be able to afford my favourite dress”.
“Not every one can afford everything my dear”.
“So what did I do to deserve not being able to afford it”?
“It’s not your fault, nor your parents’. It’s just how life works”.
“Well, I hate that. It’s a 100$ more than the dress they have bought me now.”.
“Can we have a deal?”
“I’m listening”, I replied.
“Come tomorrow, I will show you a way to earn money yourself so you can afford that dress. While I can show you the way, it’s up to you to grasp the opportunity and turn it into enough. Understood, dear?”
“I guess”, I replied.
The voice suddenly stopped and I went to sleep.
“Come down Annie. Breakfast’s ready”.
I was getting ready to get going to school and my mom prepared the essentials for me to be prepared for the day.
I was trying my best not to mention anything about my conversation with God last night. I had a strong suspicion I will be joked upon on that.
I finished my breakfast and headed to school. They took us on a field trip. We visited an old age home on the morning. There were lots of elderly people, mostly those who have been labelled “difficult to take care of” by their stupid children and left here.
We visited each of them and talked to them, while they cared for us like their own grand child.
I saw a old woman who was alone. None of the kids went to her. I wondered why, and decided to go there myself.
“Ma’am”? I called her in a soft voice.
“Go away”. She replied.
“Are you fine?”
She looked up at me. She was crying. She had a wrinkled face, scary big eyes, a crooked glass, and yet, I could see the longing for love in her face.
I touched her hands slowly.
She smiled a little bit.
“Are you sad”? I asked her.
She slowly nodded.
“Well, you are not alone”.
I sat on her lap and we talked for a long time. She shared her life with me, and I came to understand why she was sad. She wanted someone to listen to her misery, but no one wanted to. The kids were here for fun and the adults who take care of the place don’t have the time. I listened to her intently.
Her story was quite depressing. Basically, her children abandoned her after she got old.
We almost talked for an entire hour and it was soon time for me to go.
“I should go now, you know. Our time is up”.
“What are you sad about, kiddo?” She asked me.
“I wanted to buy a Princess dress which I really liked, but mom says we can’t afford it.”
“How much does it exceed your budget?”
“100$”.
She smiled and took out her purse.
“Here”. She handed me a 100$ note.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want you to be happy. You listened to me and made me happy. It’s time I reciprocate it”.
I didn’t think much. I took the money. My birthday is tomorrow and I won’t find anymore chance. I assumed this is the opportunity God told me.
“Thank you”. I smiled and took the money.
My bus arrived at my stop and I got down. I had a big beam of smile on my face.
I walked briskly looking around. I found a small girl sitting on the foot path, weeping. I went near her.
“Hey?” I put my hand on her shoulders.
She looked at me slowly, teary eyes.
“Who are you”? Why are you sitting here”?
“I lost my parents. I am new to the city. I don’t know where to go. I don’t have any money and I am really hungry”.
I didn’t have a second thought. I took her to the nearest restaurant and bought her food to eat. The shop owners did not want to take orders from me until I showed them a 100$. So much for this little girl.
After eating, I gave her the rest of the money. I told her to have the money until she finds her parents.
I called my mom from the restaurant. She picked me up and we left the little girl in safe hands of the Police.
My mom was so proud of me when I told her about the trip, the old lady, the 100$ and how I selflessly gave it to that little girl.
For some reason, I was proud of myself too.
Now, I again sat on the bed, but today, not for complaining to God about how poor we were. But for how rich he has made my heart. I never knew I could be so selfless.
“Dear Child”. I heard the voice again.
“I am very proud of you. You know you could have bought your favourite dress with that money, but still, you gave it to the needy child.”
“Thank you, God. Thank you for showing me how rich my heart is and how selfless I am”.
“Are you not worried about the dress, dear”?
“No. I am happy with what I have”.
With that, the voice went away. I slept tight.
When I woke up, my parents welcomed my birthday by making my favourites food dishes.
When I was about to wear my birthday dress, my grandma entered.
“Hey, Kiddo. Check this out”.
She opened a box and there it was. My favourite Princess dress I so badly wanted.
“I bought it for you honey”. She said with a smiling face.
My Birthday Dress(Vaibhav)
“I need that princess dress, mom”.
“I’m sorry Annie. But we just can’t afford that”.
“Why not?! My friend Jessica wears them”.
“Well, then, they are rich and we are not. Now choose something else”.
Me and my mom have come to shop for my birthday. I love shopping, though since my tastes seem to always go on for dresses which we can’t afford, my mom never buys me what I choose.
“You know what mom. You choose for me. You are better at it.”
“What did Jessica do to be a rich kid, and what did I do to be a poor kid”, I murmured to myself and tried to put on a friendly face trying to out-shadow the resentment within me.
My mom finally chose a dress which I did like, but not as much as the princess one.
We reached home and it was bed time. My mom tucked me in. All I could think of was that beautiful princess cloth which was far away from our financial reach and yet, so close in my thoughts.
I sat up on the bed, crossed my fingers, closed my eyes.
“This is not fair, God. How come I can’t wear a dress I like whereas my friend Jessica can? What did I do to deserve this? You know how much I loved it? It’s my birthday and I can’t even wear my favourite dress”.
I sulked.
“Hello, my dear”.
I was startled. I looked across the room and there was no one. My hands and legs started shivering.
“Don’t worry. It’s me, God”.
I shivered. I didn’t actually expect a response. I was pretty much talking to myself about my misfortune.
“What would you want now, my child?”
“I want to know how we are poor to not be able to afford my favourite dress”.
“Not every one can afford everything my dear”.
“So what did I do to deserve not being able to afford it”?
“It’s not your fault, nor your parents’. It’s just how life works”.
“Well, I hate that. It’s a 100$ more than the dress they have bought me now.”.
“Can we have a deal?”
“I’m listening”, I replied.
“Come tomorrow, I will show you a way to earn money yourself so you can afford that dress. While I can show you the way, it’s up to you to grasp the opportunity and turn it into enough. Understood, dear?”
“I guess”, I replied.
The voice suddenly stopped and I went to sleep.
“Come down Annie. Breakfast’s ready”.
I was getting ready to get going to school and my mom prepared the essentials for me to be prepared for the day.
I was trying my best not to mention anything about my conversation with God last night. I had a strong suspicion I will be joked upon on that.
I finished my breakfast and headed to school. They took us on a field trip. We visited an old age home on the morning. There were lots of elderly people, mostly those who have been labelled “difficult to take care of” by their stupid children and left here.
We visited each of them and talked to them, while they cared for us like their own grand child.
I saw a old woman who was alone. None of the kids went to her. I wondered why, and decided to go there myself.
“Ma’am”? I called her in a soft voice.
“Go away”. She replied.
“Are you fine?”
She looked up at me. She was crying. She had a wrinkled face, scary big eyes, a crooked glass, and yet, I could see the longing for love in her face.
I touched her hands slowly.
She smiled a little bit.
“Are you sad”? I asked her.
She slowly nodded.
“Well, you are not alone”.
I sat on her lap and we talked for a long time. She shared her life with me, and I came to understand why she was sad. She wanted someone to listen to her misery, but no one wanted to. The kids were here for fun and the adults who take care of the place don’t have the time. I listened to her intently.
Her story was quite depressing. Basically, her children abandoned her after she got old.
We almost talked for an entire hour and it was soon time for me to go.
“I should go now, you know. Our time is up”.
“What are you sad about, kiddo?” She asked me.
“I wanted to buy a Princess dress which I really liked, but mom says we can’t afford it.”
“How much does it exceed your budget?”
“100$”.
She smiled and took out her purse.
“Here”. She handed me a 100$ note.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want you to be happy. You listened to me and made me happy. It’s time I reciprocate it”.
I didn’t think much. I took the money. My birthday is tomorrow and I won’t find anymore chance. I assumed this is the opportunity God told me.
“Thank you”. I smiled and took the money.
My bus arrived at my stop and I got down. I had a big beam of smile on my face.
I walked briskly looking around. I found a small girl sitting on the foot path, weeping. I went near her.
“Hey?” I put my hand on her shoulders.
She looked at me slowly, teary eyes.
“Who are you”? Why are you sitting here”?
“I lost my parents. I am new to the city. I don’t know where to go. I don’t have any money and I am really hungry”.
I didn’t have a second thought. I took her to the nearest restaurant and bought her food to eat. The shop owners did not want to take orders from me until I showed them a 100$. So much for this little girl.
After eating, I gave her the rest of the money. I told her to have the money until she finds her parents.
I called my mom from the restaurant. She picked me up and we left the little girl in safe hands of the Police.
My mom was so proud of me when I told her about the trip, the old lady, the 100$ and how I selflessly gave it to that little girl.
For some reason, I was proud of myself too.
Now, I again sat on the bed, but today, not for complaining to God about how poor we were. But for how rich he has made my heart. I never knew I could be so selfless.
“Dear Child”. I heard the voice again.
“I am very proud of you. You know you could have bought your favourite dress with that money, but still, you gave it to the needy child.”
“Thank you, God. Thank you for showing me how rich my heart is and how selfless I am”.
“Are you not worried about the dress, dear”?
“No. I am happy with what I have”.
With that, the voice went away. I slept tight.
When I woke up, my parents welcomed my birthday by making my favourites food dishes.
When I was about to wear my birthday dress, my grandma entered.
“Hey, Kiddo. Check this out”.
She opened a box and there it was. My favourite Princess dress I so badly wanted.
“I bought it for you honey”. She said with a smiling face.
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JD
07/21/2018I think this story is almost perfect. I suppose that most people will like the ending in which she gets the dress she wanted after all. But I felt disappointed by that. She had finally come to understand that having an expensive dress you want but can't afford is not what really makes you happy in life. But rather, doing what you are able to help others and make the world a better place. Feeling good about yourself is true happiness and contentment. But the ending says, if you give to others, you will get back what you give, which I think sends the wrong message, because then those who give might expect that they will get back for doing so, and that is not always the case. Your reason for giving should not be to 'get' back in equal measure to what you gave. Rather, the experience of giving is its own reward, and that is the message that this story gave to the reader... until the ending changed it. Which is why I think it was 'almost' a perfect story. Still a great story though! Thanks for sharing it, Vaibhav : )
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
JD
07/21/2018I agree with you that your chosen ending will likely make child and teen readers more happy : )
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Vaibhav
07/21/2018Thank you Jd. I actually thought of the ending like you mentioned, where the girl doesn't get that dress but was happy with the dress her mom brought. Since I listed this story for kids and teens section, I just figured this ending might make them happier. I do completely agree your view though. Thanks for your valuable comment
COMMENTS (1)