My birthday has run away!

Manuela, my granddaughter who is four years old, and I were heading home after Marina's  birthday party, the second birthday party we've been in one week. It was a pleasant summer Saturday in Canada, blue sky, perfect weather.  The party was full of toys, puppets show, cake and everything else. In two weeks another friend would be throwing a birthday party. Manuela had lots of fun, played with each toy and made that funny and ecstatic face when she saw the chocolate cake. But, at the end of the party, to my surprise, she was a little bit upset and sad.
In the way back home she started crying a river and complaining. And kept on and on, for half an hour. All the way home she cried convulsively because her own birthday would take so long to arrive, and, furthermore, it was in the winter!
Then, a nonsense and hilarious dialogue began:
- " My birthday is running away from me, grandma! It doesn't arrive ever!" crying sobs and tears...
-" I look for it, each morning, each night, and I can't find it! I try and try hard, I dig to the bottom and it's not there! What have I done wrong? I look for my birthday,  but it's useless grandma!" more crying sobs and tears...
At this point, I had to hide my face behind the pink balloon we were taking home, so she couldn't see me smiling.
And she kept on:
-"Each morning I pray and I look for it, but I can't find it! It's running away from me. I want my birthday, grandma!" crying sobs and tears...
-" I want my birthday to be in the summertime, I want to join a swimming pool with my friends, throw a party to them outside, but it doesn't come, grandma! It's running away from me!" crying sobs and tears...
I kept hiding my face behind the balloon feeling like laughing! But, the issue was so serious for her!
-" Calm down, Manuela,  your birthday is in November, it will arrive soon!"
- But I want it to be in the summertime, grandma, it's pretty cooler! I want it to be tomorrow! But it doesn't arrive ever! It just runs away from me!" crying sobs and tears...
After 15 minutes listening to her complainings,  I decided to get back:
- But Manuela, my birthday is even worst! It runs after me! It shows up when I am not prepared. When I'm totally distracted it comes again, and again! I can't stand anymore! I try hard but it always comes up!" I spoke tearfully in a grave tone of voice.

Manuela stopped and looked at me distrustfully. She couldn't believe in me. How was it possible? How could a birthday come up só quickly if her own was always running away?

I went on:
-" I can't stand anymore, Manuela, I am always bumping into my birthday! It runs after me! What have I done wrong? Why doesn't it take longer to come?
-Mine is worst, grandma! It runs away from me. What am I supposed to do? Each day and each night I look for it. I pray for it but it won't come!' crying sobs and tears...

Trying to keep a serious face and to finish up the conversation I told her that the next day we would talk with her mother and we'll  find a solution. But she kept on crying and complaining until we approached her home.  Then, she saw a beautiful reindeer passing by in front of the door of her house.  She cried out in joy and ran to see it.  In a second, she stopped crying and totally forgot about the runaway birthday. At least until the next day, when she would talk with her mother about it.

As Drummond, a Brazilian poet used to say: "This habit of suffering that amuses me so much..."



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