ADozenChristmasRoses
佚名/Anonymous
Bobbywasgettingcoldsittingoutinhisbackyardinthesnow.Bobbydidn』twearboots;hedidn』tlikethemandanywayhedidn』townany.Thethinsneakersheworehadafewholesinthemandtheydidapoorjobofkeepingoutthecold.
Bobbyhadbeeninhisbackyardforaboutanhouralready.And,tryashemight,hecouldnotcomeupwithanideaforhismother』sChristmasgift.Heshookhisheadashethought,「Thisisuseless,evenifIdocomeupwithanidea,Idon』thaveanymoneytospend.」
Eversincehisfatherhadpassedawaythreeyearsago,thefamilyoffivehadstruggled.Itwasn』tbecausehismotherdidn』tcare,ortry,therejustneverseemedtobeenough.Sheworkednightsatthehospital,butthesmallwagethatshewasearningcouldonlybestretchedsofar.
Whatthefamilylackedinmoneyandmaterialthings,theymorethanmadeupforinloveandfamilyunity.Bobbyhadtwoolderandoneyoungersister,whoranthehouseholdintheirmother』sabsence.
Allthreeofhissistershadalreadymadebeautifulgiftsfortheirmother.Somehow,itjustwasn』tfair.HereitwasChristmasEvealready,andhehadnothing.
Wipingatearfromhiseye,Bobbykickedthesnowandstartedtowalkdowntothestreetwheretheshopsandstoreswere.Itwasn』teasybeingsixwithoutafather,especiallywhenheneededamantotalkto.
Bobbywalkedfromshoptoshop,lookingintoeachdecoratedwindow.Everythingseemedsobeautifulandsooutofreach.ItwasstartingtogetdarkandBobbyreluctantlyturnedtowalkhomewhensuddenlyhiseyescaughttheglimmerofthesettingsun』sraysreflectingoffofsomethingalongthecurb.Hereacheddownanddiscoveredashinydime.
NeverbeforehasanyonefeltsowealthyasBobbyfeltatthatmoment.Asheheldhisnewfoundtreasure,awarmthspreadthroughouthisentirebodyandhewalkedintothefirststorehesaw.Hisexcitementquicklyturnedcoldwhensalespersonaftersalespersontoldhimthathecouldnotbuyanythingwithonlyadime.
Hesawaflowershopandwentinsidetowaitinline.Whentheshopowneraskedifhecouldhelphim,Bobbypresentedthedimeandaskedifhecouldbuyoneflowerforhismother』sChristmasgift.TheshopownerlookedatBobbyandhistencentoffering.ThenheputhishandonBobby』sshoulderandsaidtohim,「YoujustwaithereandI』llseewhatIcandoforyou.」
AsBobbywaited,helookedatthebeautifulflowersandeventhoughhewasaboy,hecouldseewhymothersandgirlslikedflowers.
ThesoundofthedoorclosingasthelastcustomerleftjoltedBobbybacktoreality.Allaloneintheshop,Bobbybegantofeelaloneandafraid.
Suddenlytheshopownercameoutandmovedtothecounter.There,beforeBobby』seyes,laytwelvelongstem,redroses,withleavesofgreenandtinywhiteflowersalltiedtogetherwithabigsilverbow.Bobby』sheartsankastheownerpickedthemupandplacedthemgentlyintoalongwhitebox.
「Thatwillbetencentsyoungman.」theshopownersaidreachingouthishandforthedime.Slowly,Bobbymovedhishandtogivethemanhisdime.Couldthisbetrue?Nooneelsewouldgivehimathingforhisdime!Sensingtheboy』sreluctance,theshopowneradded,「Ijusthappenedtohavesomerosesonsalefortencentsadozen.Wouldyoulikethem?」
ThistimeBobbydidnothesitate,andwhenthemanplacedthelongboxintohishands,heknewitwastrue.WalkingoutthedoorthattheownerwasholdingforBobby,heheardtheshopkeepersay,「MerryChristmas,son.」