HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY #WRITEAPAGEADAY #BLOGCHATTER

                                                                   Unsplash

The red hearts and teddy bears drew Sumitha’s attention as she looked for the perfect gift for her Valentine. Somehow, they seemed too lurid and overblown. Besides, what good would they be in a tiny flat once Valentine’s Day went by? Would chocolates be a better bet? The gift chocolate boxes beckoned her, each one more attractive than the last. She took down one, wincing at the price stamped outside. It was clearly beyond her modest budget, even though she had pooled three months of her pocket money for this.

Sumitha knew that the gift gallery was overpriced. Her mother had warned her about it.

“Sumi, I doubt whether you will find anything that suits your pocket there,” she had smiled, unwilling to quash her daughter’s enthusiasm.

“Would you like a mug with a heart on it? Or a poster that depicts love?” the salesman needed to make a sale. He was being very attentive, indeed.

Sumitha shook her head. There was nothing here that would appeal to the person she wanted to surprise with a gift.

That evening, her parents tried cheering her up. Her sister, Mamta, cracked a few jokes which fell flat. Nothing, it seemed, could cheer the girl up.

February 14th was three days away. Sumitha kept pondering over the perfect gift till her eyes closed of their own volition. The moonlight streamed into the room through the tiny window, leaving a caress on the girl’s head.

The next day, Sumitha went to school as usual. She enjoyed spending time with her friends, and for a while, the idea of the gift went out of her head. By evening, however, her mind had stared whirling again, ideas jostling against one another. What could she buy?

It was as she was strolling along a side street that she suddenly saw a little boy sitting outside a tiny house, his head bent over something on his lap. He appeared to be drawing something. When she got closer, she saw that he was painting a picture. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as she saw the purity of the image etched on a piece of paper that was a trifle crumpled. It had traces of turmeric on it and a splatter of oil. However, all that did not take away from the beauty of his creation.

Sumitha could not tear her eyes away from the painting.  It was a portrait of a little girl with large eyes, looking away into the distance. There was a faint smile on her porcelain face as she fiddled with her black ringlets.

                                                                           Pixabay

“Wow, she is so beautiful!” breathed Sumitha. The little boy looked up at her, a curious frown on his face.

“Who are you, Didi?” he asked in Hindi.

Two days later, Sumitha walked into class with a package wrapped in brown paper. It was Valentine’s Day and her friends had brought cards, red roses and chocolates as gifts for one another.

“What is in the package, Sumitha?” asked her friend, Reena.

Sumitha smiled. Before she could answer, the door opened and their class teacher, Mrs. Jayaram, walked in.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ma’am!” the class shouted, waving their gifts in the air. Mrs. Jayaram was a popular teacher and the children had outdone themselves in getting her little gifts.

Sumitha waited till all her friends had handed over their gifts, and finally, she stood up and walked towards her teacher. She handed over the brown package to her.

                                                                  Pixabay

Mrs. Jayaram unwrapped the gift and an involuntary gasp escaped her. She gazed at the portrait in astonishment, unable to say a word. The next moment, she reached out and hugged Sumitha as though she would never let go.

“Thank you, my dear.” She turned the portrait towards the class and there was a stunned silence. The likeness was amazing, and never had Mrs. Jayaram ever seen a portrait of herself that was so lifelike.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ma’am!” smiled Sumitha. She was thrilled that her idea had worked. This was, indeed, the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

At the end of the year, when the scholarships were given out in school, there was one particular boy who received one in Art, a little artist who had a certain magic in his fingers to create the most realistic portraits ever. As he received his scholarship, he turned and smiled at Sumitha, who was clapping enthusiastically, her eyes shining with pride.

The little artist who had created the perfect gift for her had finally received his perfect reward.

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