A Doll

On the last day before Christmas, I hurried to go to
The supermarket to buy the remaining of the gift I didn't
Manage to buy earlier.

When I saw all the people there, I started to

Complain to myself," It is going to take forever here and I still have so
Many other places to go.

Christmas really is getting more and more annoying

Every year. How I wish I could just lie down, go to sleep and only wake
Up after it..."

Nonetheless, I made my way to the toy section, and
There I started to curse the prices, wondering if after all kids really
Play with such expensive toys.


While looking in the toy section, I noticed a small
Boy of about 5 years old, pressing a doll against his chest.
He kept on touching the hair of the doll and looked
So sad. I wondered who was this doll for.

Then the little boy
Turned to the old woman next to him, " Granny, are you sure I don't have
Enough money?"


The old lady replied, " You know that you don't have
Enough money to buy this doll, my dear."
Then she asked him to stay here for 5 minutes while
She went to look around. She left quickly.


The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.


Finally, I started to walk toward him and I asked him
Who did he want to give this doll to.
" It is the doll that my sister loved most and wanted
So much for this Christmas. She was so sure that Santa Claus would
Bring it to her."


I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus will bring it
To her, after all, and not to worry.


But he replied to me sadly. " No, Santa Claus can not
Bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my
Mother so that she can give it to her when she goes there." His eyes
Were so sad while saying this. " My sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says
That Mummy will also go to see God very soon, so I thought that she
Could bring the doll with her to give it to my sister."


My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at
Me and said, " I told daddy to tell mummy not to go yet. I asked him
To wait until I come back from the supermarket. "


Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he
Was laughing. He then told me, " I also want mummy to take this photo
With her so that she will not forget me." I love my mummy and I wish
She doesn't have to leave me but daddy says that she has to go to be
With my little sister."


Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very
Quietly.


I quickly reached for my wallet and took a few notes
And said to the boy, "What if we checked again, just in case if you
Have enough money?"

" Ok," he said. " I hope that I have enough."


I added some of my money to his without him seeing


And we started to count it. There was enough for the doll, and even
Some spare money.


The little boy said, " Thank you God for giving me
Enough money."


Then he looked at me and added, " I asked yesterday
Before I slept for God to make sure I have enough money to buy this doll
So that mummy can give it to my sister. He heard me." " I also
Wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mummy, but I didn't
Dare to ask God too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and
The white rose."


" You know, my mummy loves white rose."
A few minutes later, the old lady came again and I
Left with my trolley. I finished my shopping in a totally
Different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my
Mind.


Then I remembered a local newspaper article 2 days
Ago, which mentioned of a drunk man in a truck who hit a car
Where there was one young lady and a little girl.


The little girl died
Right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had
To decide whether to pull the plug on the life-assisting machine,
Because the young lady would not be able to get out of the coma.
Was this the family of the little boy?


Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I
Read in the newspaper that the young lady had passed away.
I couldn't stop myself and went to buy a bunch of
White roses and I went to the mortuary where the body of the young
Woman was exposed for people to see and make last wish before burial.


She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her
Hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her
Chest.


I left the place crying, feeling that my life had
Been changed forever. The love that this little boy had for his
Mother and his sister is still , to that day, hard to imagine. And in
A fraction of a second, a drunk man had taken all this away from him