Forgiving a friend

An Indian Story

***Who knew gifting someone can take so much forethought? I was going to gift my friend a new pair of shoes. I wasn't able to see her wear those shoes any longer. They were torn bad and impossible to wear with dignity. Yet she had it mended a dozen times. It was dirty too. Unfortunately her mother was not rich enough to get her a new pair. And she never complained. She accepted what she got and never was she jealous of me.

  In a way it was my duty to gift her the new pair of sneakers I got to her since she was the daughter of our maid. We paid her mother, so it only made sense for me to pay her more when she needed it. After all, I did get those sneakers for her eventhough I never told my mom about it. Life just didn't seem fair sometimes- I can buy all that I wish for but don't, and someone who is in need of something couldn't afford it.


Well it was three weeks from her birth day, and I wasn't able to wait that long. As usual, she reached our house at ten thirty in the morning wearing her red polka-dotted skirt and green top. She smiled on seeing me standing at the door and rushed towards me. She left her worn out shoes, if I could call those that, and we ran to the garden.


"Wait here Reenu, I've got something for you" I said and hurried behind the tree and came with the shoe box.I was able to the excitement in her eyes as I gave it to her. She opened it with eagerness, and her eyes widened as she took out the pink shoe out of the box.

 "This must have cost a lot Viji, are you sure I can have them?" she asked me.

 I smiled and said, "Only if you promise to be my friend for ever and ever". Little did I know what that phrase meant at that young an age.

 ***Three weeks passed and I was waiting at the door for Reenu, to wish her a happy birth day. I knew that She would be wearing a new dress today, she had earlier told me how long her mother had been saving for one.

 A week ago my mom asked me what had happened of the sneakers. I was stupid enough earlier to not think about what I would say to her. She would probably get mad and ask Reenu to give it back, or cut a portion of her mother's salary if I told her I gave them to the daughter of our servant, for my mother was and still is the most selfish soul you can ever care to find. So, having no choice but to lie, I had told her I lost them and she scolded me bad for not keeping my things safe.


 "Viji, could you go upstairs and get my cell phone dear, I left it there this morning" my mom called out from the kitchen.


"Ok ma" I said and rushed upstairs. 'Where is it?' I asked myself as I searched for it in my parents' room. I looked out the window an saw Reenu, in a bright pink outfit, and her mother entering our house. She looked sad for some reason. I found the phone after a few minutes and rushed downstairs. I was able to hear them speaking, my mom sounded angry.

 "She didn't realise you didn't know that ma, she is just a child" Reenu's mom said.

 "She is mature enough to steal my daughter's shoes and you say she is just a child? and how dare she wears it to my home? Knowing that I'll see it? And you say that Viji gave her those? She would never do such a thing without telling me. Just last week she told me she lost it!" and Reenu's mom said,

 "We are very sorry amma, we won't do this again, I promise you." My heart came to a stand still. What have I done? How am I going to fix this? Will I ever be forgiven for this?


 "No way are you going to work here again" my mom said. She shook her head and went inside. I was too scared to move, I was too scared to speak. I ran upstairs without thinking and cried on my bed. 'I am sorr Reenu' I wanted to say, but couldn't.

***Months passed, and as expected, I never saw Reenu or her mother ever again. One evening, when I was walking home from school, I saw a familiar face standing near my house. It was the same face that I once hurt, the same face that I once smiled at. That face was now walking towards me, with the smile I once lost to my fear and my mother's selfishness.She held in her hand a shoe box, I now opened it with guilt and found a pair of red shoes.


 "Wish you a very happy birth day my friend" she said and walked away. Those red shoes that she gave me before six days before my birthday wouldn't have cost a lost, but even now after twenty odd years, they are the most precious things that I had ever owned. They still remind me of a friend. A true friend.

Author's Note

Thank you all for your amazing reviews! And a special thanks to Sabina, I owe you one friend!

Reviews

[Cynthia]

That's very nice! Viji's mom is so bad, but Viji should explain that time, so the whole thing won't end like that. It's very tounching, real friend. I'm sure Reenu won't blame Viji, cause they are real friends. That's a very very nice story which point out the meaning of true friends. They can forgive each others, and help others too. Viji is so poor, she just mean to be friendly, but now, she seems to mean bad. However, that's a really nice one.

[thuaners]

such a nice story. they really are precious red shoes :) priceless!

[Abigail T]

What a sweet story! I really enjoyed reading it. My only suggestion is to take a look at where commas should be. They should always be at the end of a piece of dialogue in quotes ("Wish you a very happy birth day my friend," she said...). Also, looking at the same quote, there should probably be a comma after "day," and before "my friend." Other than a few grammatical errors, this was a lovely story.

[Dana Kathryn]

I Love this story you wrote it very well,it touched my soul.Sometimes it only takes a little hint of love,a thoughtful gift,a sweet smile,a warm embrace..True friendship is very rare and sacred! But when we have it ,we have the world...

[Sabina]

I really like the idea and its a great story though there are a few grammatical mistakes. The biggest, I found, was how there aren't spaces between diologue. Everytime a new person speaks it should be a new paragraph. But other then that it was very nice and a warming peice of writing. :)

[Jessica]

You wrote such a great story! Viji's mom is so bad, and she's so selfish!Poor Reenu and her mom, hope they will forgive her.
It' great that Reenu can finally afford a pair of shoes. True friends are like this. They will not blame you and they will help each other.Someone will make friends with you but actually, they want to utilize you for some advantahes. We really need to chose friends.
Hope we can be true friends later on.

[FocusedAmnesia]

Nice read. I know it's hard to do what you want and think is right with a mother like that. It's a shame how selfish some people can be. I like that Reenu gave her a pair of shoes. She was still mature, despite her and her mother being fired. Great story.

[Detective Watts]

Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.