POUCH PLAYGROUND HAPPY MAN
The sound of the wind was fleeting between the branches. It was mingled with the laughter of a swarm of gamboling children who were frolicking at the playground. Rael was one of them and he was having a whale of a time playing with his friends, climbing, chasing and giggling.
In contrast, his dad wore a look of sadness. Two heavy eye bags hugged his thin face. Stress was piling up high for he had lost his job a few months back and had not found any. Pondering over their predicament, a solitary tear trickled down his face and he quickly wiped it away with his rugged hand.
“Dad, come and play with me,” Rael called out to him, his dark chocolate curls shining in the afternoon sun.
“You play, Son. You play,” Dad replied, trying his best to flash a light grin to hide his sorrow. Yet, his eyes could never tell a lie. There was such a sense of hopelessness inside him
Meanwhile, Rael decided to explore the place. Having an inquisitive grain inside him, he loved playing “I SPY” and decided to go treasure hunting. As luck would have it, he spotted a pouch on a wooden bench. What could be inside? Curiosity was burning inside him. He galloped over with excitement charging through his veins. A happy smile crept across his face as he unzipped the pouch. To his utter astonishment, it was a thick wad of money, all made up of fifty-dollar notes. His round marble eyes instantly shot up in glee and he zoomed towards his dad with the pouch in his tiny hands.
“Dad, look what I have found!” he exclaimed with happiness written all over his face.
Dad’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the money. Realization dawned on him that this could solve all his money woes.
“Can we keep the money? Can we? Can we?” Rael asked earnestly.
What would his father reply? Would he agree?
“We are not keeping the money,” he spoke in a stern voice without a tiny bit of hesitation, “We will wait here for the pouch owner to come and collect it.” There was such firmness in his voice. Rael had always known that Dad was a man of integrity but this time he saw it in action. It was an eye-opener. Disappointment hung heavily in his heart but he knew no amount of pleading and crying would change his mind.
So, they waited and waited and waited.
For three hours, they sat at the bench, hoping that someone would come. No one came but Dad refused to go. It was way past dinner time and Rael’s stomach was already growling loudly.
The silvery moon was casting its ray on the deserted playground. Finally, a man came but was he the pouch owner? It was a worried-looking man for sure and he was hunting high and low for something. As soon as his gaze caught sight of the tattered army-green pouch, he bore down towards them, swallowing the distance in mere seconds.
“Thank you! Thank you!” the man exclaimed, his eyes lit up in delight. Dad was careful to verify his identity and the owner could rattle off the exact contents of the pouch. Relief immediately inundated him and a huge weight suddenly seemed to lift from his shoulders when Dad passed him the bag.
The pouch owner then had a short chat with his father and realized that he was on a lookout for a job. He turned out to be a contractor and was in urgent need of workers. Well, honesty definitely pays. He immediately offered him a job. That night, as Dad made his way home with Rael hand in hand, a lone tear streaked down his cheek once again. But this time, it was for joy.
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