“Story of a rose”

Now I have a rose garden in my house, but I told my family that our garden is not only for us but also for all the children around, if any of them comes for flowers, let them take as much as they want, and don’t close the gate against them. I love to see the blooming of joy and happiness in their faces. That is more beautiful than the beauty of the blooming of a rose.

When I was a child, I wanted a rose flower, not a bouquet of flowers, only a single rose flower. But I didn’t get it. You may think, what is in that? That’s only a flower, but it affected my little heart deeply and still not a faded memory.

This happened in my childhood when I was a twelve year old boy, but I can still remember that.
We were living in a small rented house in a small city and there was no place for making a courtyard or making a garden in our house. But still my young sister was very fond of flowers, when she was at the age of three or four.
So where ever I see a flower I used to remember her and bring one for her to see the brightness and joy on her face when she see that.
But she was always asking me about a “rose” flower and telling that she heard about rose flower from somebody and thinking that rose is the most beautiful flower in the world. And she was asking me everyday to bring a rose flower, if it is possible.
But actually in our area at that time it was very difficult and rare to get a rose flower. I have seen one or two in the near by houses, but I know they are not going to give me if I ask also.
But still I was searching for that.
After hearing her request everyday, I promised her that “I will some how bring it on your next birthday as a birthday gift. Until then you keep quiet and don’t ask me again, okay.”
She agreed that and then never asked again. And I was looking beside all the roads everyday to find out a single rose, but I could not get it. Her birthday was nearing; I had to find it out some how. So one holiday I took my bicycle and went out to our city. After roaming many places I found it in one place.
That wasn’t a house, but a very big bungalow, resembles a palace made of white marbles.
All the sides where covered by tall fences and a big locked gate also.
I looked inside through the holes on the gate and amazed by seeing a heaven of roses. Not only one or two but so many, in the parking shed, all over the courtyard, on the fence every where roses……… a million of roses. I have seen that many roses there only in my life. But how to get it, I waited there patiently and after some time I saw a very old woman was walking in the long courtyard, she may be a servant or somebody, I don’t know. I called her and asked…

“Mom, could you please give a rose flower to me?”
She looked me and asked.
“Who are you boy? Why do you want to pick a rose flower?”
“It is not for me mom, it is for my young sister, day after tomorrow is her birthday, she likes roses very much. So I want to give her it as a gift” I said in a single breath.
She laughed and said. “It is so nice boy, what is in that, you can come day after tomorrow and take as much as you want”
I become happy, finally the search is over and I can definitely give it to her on her birthday.
I returned back to home with a peaceful mind.
…………….

Day after tomorrow…
Our little queen’s birthday has come. Early morning she came to me and asked, “where is my rose, did you forget it, I haven’t asked all these days but I was waiting for today.
Where is it, show me now?”

Poor girl, she was dreaming this only all last night?

I told her. “Who forgot it, I never forgot it and I am going to bring it in a short time, okay”

I promised her again and started with my bicycle.
Before reaching there I saw that old woman was standing near the gate.
By seeing me she invited me inside and told me to pick as many flowers I want.
I told her “I don’t want many, but a single rose only for my sister”
I looked all the heaven of roses at a glance and selected a single beautiful rose and picked it carefully without damaging. That was more than enough for me.
I become very happy and I expressed all my thanks to that kind woman and returned to gate.

Suddenly the door was opened and a fat lady came out.
She saw me standing with a rose holding in my hand.
She become angry and shouted to that old woman.
“Who is this dirty boy picking all our flowers?”
The old woman frightened and said “I told him to pick, he asked only one for her sister”
She shouted again “what?, you don’t have brain, this is not for giving to these dirty boys’
She came out dragged my hands and pull out the flower.
Then what she did was something I never expected. She put that beautiful rose on the floor and then crushed it with her lugs and pushed me outside the gate and locked.
………………

I stood there for few minutes in that shock…
Then become so sad…
Now what to tell my sister, I know today she is expecting only for this, more than anything.
How can I go without this?
How can I find another in this short time?
No, I can’t go back without a rose, I will not go back without a rose.
………………

At that time I saw a small beautiful yellow flower outside the gate under there big fence. She was looking to my face and calling me.
I went near to that, I felt like she was dancing with the wind to make me happy.
I heard she was telling me “Don’t cry, you are not a dirty boy, I am here for you.”
I picked her very carefully without harming her beautiful leaves and went back to home.
I saw my sister was sitting in front of the house by looking me on the road.
I gave that yellow flower to her and told, “See my cute girl, this is your rose, you have never seen it before no? See how beautiful it is?”
I become a bad boy.
I lied to her on her birthday.

What else I can do?
Some times we are forced to say innocent lies for good reasons, no?

But her face became bright like a full moon and I become happy again by seeing that blooming of joy on her face. She hugged me and gave a smooth kiss on my face.
I felt that unknown yellow flower is more beautiful than all those roses I have seen in that house.
No, that is the most beautiful flower ever I have seen in the whole world.

With lots of love,
Ayyan.