Theme: Pride and prejudice

Ice cream

There was an ice cream shop where various flavors of ice cream were sold. All were delicious and appreciated by customers.

The owner of the ice cream shop was very capricious and manufactured his products with care, so that they would be perfect. All ice creams were produced in the same way and with the same ingredients. They had the same characteristics of consistency, texture, etc.

Only when finalizing the ice cream, it was different, when portions of the dough were separated and different essences and dyes were added to each one. Thus, ice creams of the same nature were produced, but with different colors and flavors.

Even though they were so similar in principle, the ice creams were strange to each other inside the refrigerator.

Very connected to appearances and with attitudes of arrogance and pride, it was common for chocolate ice cream to say:

- I'm the best ice cream at the ice cream shop. I should be in a prominent place, and not here next to the strawberry ice cream, which everyone knows is inferior.

Other times, he still said:

- How ugly this strawberry ice cream is... Pale, pink, almost colorless! I'm glad I'm not like that!

Strawberry ice cream was upset about being treated that way. He was very much appreciated by many customers, including being the favorite of some. He was also always used in bowls with varied flavors, making a delicious combination with other ice creams.

But that was not enough to comfort him from the offenses of chocolate ice cream. Sometimes he defended himself, explaining his qualities. Other times, he would get angry and return his colleague's offenses. But there was no use and, little by little, the chocolate ice cream was convincing everyone that he was superior.

Once, an important event happened at the ice cream shop. One of the employees, when cleaning the floor, bumped into the refrigerator outlet and it detached from the wall without him noticing.

The power was interrupted, and the refrigerator immediately turned off.

After a few minutes the ice creams started to feel bad. Since the refrigerator was not working, the temperature started to warm up.

None of the ice cream knew what was going on, but everyone started to complain. Uncomfortable and impatient, they said:

- It is difficult here today! Can anyone do anything?

- Stay quiet! Just putting up with you, I'm already doing a lot!

But time passed and the situation got worse. The ice creams felt tired, limp, without strength for anything. They began to realize that the situation was serious. They became quiet and afraid. One of them spoke, almost crying:

- My God! I think we're rotting! We'll all be thrown out tomorrow! Please, chocolate ice cream, do something! You are the best of us. We need you, more than ever!

The chocolate ice cream looked around and saw his companions suffering. He felt sorry for them, even for the strawberry ice cream. He saw their discomfort and knew what it was like, because he felt the same way.

At that moment, the chocolate ice cream felt like the others. Everyone's appearances no longer mattered. Inwardly, he realized that he was not superior to anyone. He felt unable to help them and was suffering just like them.

- My friends, I'm sorry, but I don't know what to do. I don't even know what's going on or what's going to happen to us - said the chocolate ice cream humbly - I'm just an ordinary ice cream, like each one of you.

- Let's stick together - said the ice cream - I have the impression that, close to each other, we will be able to stay cold longer.

 The ice creams then teamed up with their neighbors. The chocolate ice cream was very close to the strawberry ice cream and he felt a little relief from the cold that came from him.

The ice cream shop employee had finished his job and was gone.

But the ice cream shop owner, as careful as ever, went to check that everything was in order before closing the store and going home. It was then that he noticed the disconnected plug. Immediately, he turned it back on and the refrigerator started working again. In a few minutes, the ice creams felt great relief and it didn't take long to fully recover. Everyone was safe and happy.

The next day, life continued normally at the ice cream shop. But something had changed. The arrogance and pride of the chocolate ice cream were gone forever. He began to praise his companions and to treat strawberry ice cream with respect. Now he knew that everyone was important at the ice cream shop.

With that remarkable experience, chocolate ice cream learned that, behind appearances, everyone was the same.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com