Toothless joy....

Yesterday evening, after work, I decided to make a stop at my favourite hide-out, Popular Book Store to browse some books and also, get some stationery before going home. I usually spend about 30 minutes or an hour to browse through books, magazines, bargains and read some biographies on some astounding personalities. Like I said, I enjoy reading very much. A old friend used to tell me that if we stop reading and learning, we are going to end up brain dead!

As I was browsing through some stationeries, I noted two young, school-going age children tugging along with their mother browsing through the stationeries. I smiled at them and they smiled at me. BTW, I don't look like a monster or ogre and I AM pleasant. Anyway, the young girl smiled flashing her missing front tooth while the boy also had missing teeths at the front. It was kinda a cute sight, actually. I chuckled a little but that picture of brother and sister were inprinted in my mind. The mother smiled too. I could see clearly that the mother was definitely on a budget when getting the school-bound children's stationeries picking out the bargains from the offer bin area. The children were excited as their mother picked out the stationeries. I analysed the mother's facial expression as she chose and re-chose stationeries just like I would do, actually.

Then came the moment when the boy stepped up to his mother and said that he wanted the nice blueish in colour pencil box while the girl took the pinkish in colour pencil box. The mother took one look at the price and told her children to pick others instead. The children just looked at her and told her that it was what they wanted and it was the cheapest. I guess, they have been well trained indeed. The mother then stooped down and told her children that she will get it for them next month. She told them that she is going to buy the pencil which comes with the plastic pencil box and she cajoled them to the ones which comes with the pencils in it. Dissappointed but obediently, the children did not kick a fuss and put the pencil box at the pencil box bin area. Honestly,I was an earshot away as I was browsing through some markers and highlighters. So, I could easily hear their conversation and it was in English. They then moved on to some other stationeries while I just picked up the two pencil boxes and had a look at it. The price, well, it wasn't expensive and in fact, it was well within one's budget if you asked me personally. I slipped it into my basket together with the stuff I am getting for myself and I walked to the paying counter.

I made the purchases and after paying the amount, I told the cashier to pack the two pencil box in a different plastic bag. I then told the cashier while pointing to the mother and the two children that those two children are my cousins and the two pencil box are for them. I told the cashier to give it to them when the mother pays for her stuff and say Merry Christmas on my behalf. She said okay and I was out of the book store with my own purchases.

Yunno what, I may not be smiley nor nice to everyone in this world today but hey, it's Christmas and what better way to be part of Christmas by blessing others, right? Like I said so many times before, the smiles of these young ones are just so priceless especially the ones who are toothless! In our world of stress, pain, chronic personalities, moronic thinking, shallow minds, joy, laughter and fun, somehow, the pelting rain just doesn't matter anymore........somehow.