 |
Zezinho returned
home from a
friend’s where
he had spent the
morning. While
crossing the
street, he saw a
girl holding
some flowers and
offering them to
passersby, but
no one bought
her beautiful
flowers.
So, Zezinho
crossed the
street and
approached the
girl.
Heartbroken, she
had sat on a
bench and looked
sadly at the
flowers.
Approaching her,
he smiled:
- What beautiful
flowers! I would
like to buy them
all, but I have
no money. Will
you sell me just
one?
|
|
— Sure! It is
one Real* each.
You can pick! –
said the girl
lively. |
Zezinho, before
picking the
flower, put his
hand in his
pocket to check
if he had any
money. When he
felt the coin,
he smiled and
stretched out
his hand to
choose one of
the flowers.
— You picked
well!
This flower is
beautiful! —
said the girl
handing him the
flower and
taking the coin
from the boy’s
hand.
Zezinho held the
flower and asked
her if she had
already sold
many of them,
and she
answered:
— No, you were
the first one to
buy.
Thank you! I do
hope your mother
likes it.
The flowers are
my mother’s. She
is really fond
of them. But,
since we are in
need of money
badly, I am
trying to sell
them.
— Don’t worry.
You will sell
them all.
What is your
name?
— Melina. Thank
you.
Zezinho went
home, but could
not stop
thinking of the
flower girl.
When he arrived
home, he gave
his mother the
flower:
— Thanks,
Zezinho! What a
beautiful flower.
Where did you
get it?
— A girl was
selling it and I
bought it for
you, Mom!
— Thank you, my
son. But you
should not have
spent your money
on me – said the
mother.
Now, let us have
lunch. Wash your
hands and sit
down.
Your father is
arriving.
After lunch,
Zezinho asked
his father:
— Dad, can you
advance my next
allowance?
— Sure, Zezinho.
No problem, if
you need it, my
son.
— Thanks, Dad.
As soon as his
father went back
to work, Zezinho
also left. He
walked to the
corner and saw
that the flower
girl was still
there.
And so were the
flowers.
Then, he bought
himself another
flower and took
it to his
mother. She
thought it odd,
but thanked him
and said
nothing. At the
end of the
afternoon, she
had already
received six
flowers! So, she
called her son,
made him sit on
the couch and
asked him:
— My son, what
is going on? I
love flowers,
but just today I
received six of
them!
Where are you
getting them
from? Is it from
some garden?
From some
square?
The boy bent
down his head
and told her the
truth: that he
was buying it
from a poor
little girl, and
with moist eyes,
he told his
mother:
— The girl’s
mother is in
need of money to
buy a medicine
for the youngest
son, who is ill,
and also food
because they are
hungry!
Touched, she
embraced her
son:
— Why didn’t you
tell me,
Zezinho? I would
have helped!
Where did you
find the money
to buy the
flowers?
— It is my
allowance, Mom.
I still had a
few coins and
asked Dad to
advance the next
allowance.
— Ah, I was
judging you
wrongly, my son!
I thought you
had stolen it
from some garden
or square! And
you are helping
someone, said
the mother
embracing him.
After thinking
for a while, she
decided:
— Go and fetch
the flower girl
and bring her to
have lunch here
at home. I will
see what I can
do for her and
her family.
Happily, he went
running to the
place where the
girl was, and
invited her to
lunch at his
place, because
his mother
wanted to meet
her.
— Do you say
yes?
— Gladly!
Zezinho took her
home and his
mother was
enchanted to see
such a small
girl already
helping her
family. They sat
with her,
keeping her
company while
she ate, and
Zezinho’s mother
got informed of
how she was
living.
When she
finished eating,
Melina, the
girl, said:
— Mrs. Martha, I
thank you for
the lunch, but I
have to go,
because my
mother must be
worried by now.
I left home so
early and it is
almost four
o’clock!
Zezinho’s mother
agreed and
volunteered to
take her home.
Zezinho and his
mother walked
Melina home and
met her mother,
who explained:
|
— I am home
because my
youngest son is
ill, if not I
would be at
work. I am happy
to meet you and
your son
Zezinho. And,
even more, I
thank you for
the way you
helped my
Melina.
— Well, you can
count on us for
whatever you
need, Helen. I
brought a
medicine to
bring the fever
down because
Melina told me
her brother had
fever. But if
you have a
prescription, I
will buy
whatever you
need for your
child.
|
 |
— I thank you so
much. In fact,
we are in need
of everything:
not only
medicines, but
food too. My
husband is out
of a job and our
present
situation is
very difficult.
Zezinho’s mother
reassured her,
and told her
that we are
obliged to help
each other, and
added:
— Didn’t Jesus
say that we have
to love our
neighbor,
because we are
siblings? So,
today it is you
that needs help,
tomorrow it can
be me. And then,
you will be the
one to help
us!...
*Translator’s
note: Real is
the Brazilian
currency.
MEIMEI
(Received by
Celia X. de
Camargo on
01/18/2016.)
