THINGS NO MONEY CAN BUY...

Once upon a time there was a hard-working man called Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith used to get up early every day. Then, like most folks who lived nearby, he used to take two buses to get to work and, after getting off, walked about five miles as far as his working place, not rarely facing bitterly cold winter mornings.

Joseph Smith was one of a team of cooks in a chocolate factory.

One day, early in the morning, before getting up, he turned on the radio to listen to the weather forecast report. Despite the hard winter season, it was good to know that the sun would come up later...

Yet, an item of the radio news called his attention... A man whose name was being kept unknown, had made the grade... That man had won five million pounds in the pools.

Joe, as everybody called him, knew he wasn’t the one…

What a lucky folk... Joe whispered while dressing. Then, after getting dressed, he had a quick breakfast, kissed his wife, Violet, his young baby, Juliet, and went out.

The day was still cloudy, and despite the frozen season, it was likely to be a sunshine day.

That made Joe feel feel much better, although he wouldn’t be given the opportunity of enjoying the sun light before noon. He would be in the stifling kitchen of a chocolate factory making choc ice-cream biscuits throughout the morning…

Summer time finally arrived, and Joe had to work longer ‘cause’ people in the neighborhood loved his chocolate ice-cream biscuits and there were plenty of buyers for that year’s season

Joe was a twenty-five year old man. Violet, his wife, was twenty-one. And their young daughter, Juliet, was about to be one year old. Joe and Violet had planned a nice birthday party for their little Juliet. Joseph had created brand-new chocolate bars and bonbons stuffed with raisins and hazelnuts for all the small children who would come to Juliet’s party.

Violet, was a seamstress in a linen factory nearby. It was good to know that Juliet was within a walking distance... That made them feel much more comfortable, as they knew Juliet was around and, therefore, they would be ready for any emergency...

Joseph and Violet were both crazy about little Juliet and really enthusiastic over their baby’s first birthday party.

Violet made a nice red-party dress which would be worn by little Juliet on that special date.

And Juliet herself was so involved with those coloured balloons, teddy bears, dollies, clowns and lollipops round her, that she even seemed to know she was going to celebrate the first year of her life…

She stretched her short arms, stirred her body and laughed at everybody to nearly regurgitate like most joyful babies usually do…

And there still was Felicity, the nice little dog whom everybody loved.

The so awaited day finally came upon them. Joe was really anxious for his baby’s first birthday party. He watched the clock on the wall. The day passed by slowly. With no hurry, the evening fell as it did yesterday and the day before yesterday…

Six ó clock finally arrived. Before leaving his working place, Joe took all his stuff into an old indigo bag, took that specially-made birthday cake, left the chocolate factory behind and went home whistling “Happy Birthday to you”…

In the far away horizon, he saw the sun going down slowly. The sky had never been so lovely, sometimes bluish and at other times an orange grayish tone announced the evening fall. A full moon invaded that sunset giving the day the loveliest dusk Joe had ever seen.

Suddenly, as a sign from the Heaven, a brightly and coloured butterfly crossed his way, flew round and round, made acrobatic loops, and soon afterwards landed on his left shoulder, made him a quick flying visit, and naturally and easily vanished from his sight, disappeared in the middle of a bush of lively sunflowers.

That reminded Joe of that piece of news, the one he had listened as soon as he had woke up early that morning. The one about a man who had made the grade, and whispered to himself…

(…) There are things no money can buy.

When Joseph Smith got home, there still was Felicity barking and stirring her short tail, jumping higher and higher with a never seen enthusiastic satisfaction...

Felicity seemed to be even happier than little Juliet herself… Now, Joseph Smith regards himself as the luckiest man in the world…

(…) There are things no money can buy. He thought to himself.

A tale by Isidro Fraga

April, 2017.