The Purple Balloon

Pre-Script: This is a narration of a very simple incident, but one which sometimes get overlooked in the daily huff-puff.

"Please?" She tried to convince him for one last time, with her cute puppy eyes. He smiled and said, "Baby, it is for your good only na? You will become really upset if something happens to it on the way back home." She pouted and turned away to look at the lovely helium balloons that the balloon vendor was selling in the corner. The balloons were purple in color and were just so cute that she could not take her eyes off them. She really wanted to have one of them. Every kid in the park had one and she wanted one too, though she was no kid. Only he would treat her as a kid and pamper her. But now, he is not buying her the balloon. His reason was that they had to take the public transport for the return ride and surely a helium balloon would not be able to take the toll of the Sunday evening crowd.

She kept pouting hoping that it would change his mind. He couldn't help laugh at her kiddishness. She is so child-like. They went boating and that diverted her mind off the balloon. The boating experience was awesome. The lake was huge and the pedal boat just smoothed its way over the tiny waves of water, creating ripples around them. The sun was retiring for the day and the moon was arriving for the night. The scene was just too beautiful. They took snaps to freeze those moments in time. Afterwards, they ate the delicious chat at the chat corner and looked around at the kids who had come to the park. She loved looking at the kids and he loved looking at her. 

Finally it was time for them to leave the park. She stole one last glance at the balloons waving beautifully. She wanted to ask him again, but she knew he was right. She was childish when it comes to these things and she knew that. As they got to the entrance, he said that he needed to use the washroom. She also needed to freshen up. So they agreed to meet at the entrance and went their ways. She came back in 5 mins and looked around. There was no sign of him. She waited for 10 more mins. Nope. She began getting nervous. What's taking him so long? She wondered. She will not be able to go and search for him in this crowd. If she did that, she would get lost too and she definitely did not know her way around the place. And then there he was, making way through his crowd. She heaved a sigh of relief. And then she noticed, the purple balloon in his hands and the wide smile on his face. Her eyes went wide with surprise and she was too shocked to tell anything. She gave him a big hug, that told him everything that she wanted to.

On the way back home, in the bus,they saw a cute kid. The little girl kept glancing at her and her purple balloon with her cute eyes. She understood that kid wanted the balloon. But, she loved it so much and he bought it for her as a surprise. So, she could not make up her mind about giving it away. She gave the kid a chocolate instead, but the girl did not take the chocolate and instead kept looking at her balloon. The bus reached their stop and they had to get down. Just when they were getting down, she glanced back at the kid who had the same longing in her eyes. She asked the driver to wait for a minute, made her way through the crowd and gave the balloon to the little girl. The girl's eyes widened with joy and she took it immediately. The girl's parents modestly told her that she didn't have to do it. She just smiled and got off the bus. She looked at him in the hope he would understand. He hugged her and said, "Now, that's my girl". The day was awesome for them and she could not take her mind off from the joy that she saw in the little girl's eyes on being offered the balloon. She understood what giving can do, however small it might be.

Even small things are capable of giving infinite joy. When we realise that, we inch closer to mastering love and life. What do you think?

Until later,

Keirthana :)