A child's desire

The glossy reds and yellows twirled and swirled and mixed with each other and went closer to the ground due to the force of gravity and the little girl watched the show with a swelled and hot face. Her lips were surely downwards reflecting an upside down U while her eyes were sharp and damp with brows furrowed, creasing greatly on the forehead. The moment her fingers felt a sticky liquid, she broke out to tears. “Mama my ice-cream” her tiny childish voice came and she rolled her eyes at her Mother. Her Mother wrapped around her arms and wiped her sticky face. Her chest expanded and contracted and she hiccupped. Side by side, the crystals from her eyes rapidly left her cheeks and landed smoothly on the paved road. “Uwayy! Uwayy!” she screamed loudly in the middle of the sea of people roaming around. Each passing pedestrian squealed at the girl lovably bringing both their hands near their faces in adoration. Her Mother kneeled down to equal her height and spoke, “Let’s buy a new one, shall we?” and the girl, with the same expression, stretched her arms out to her. “You want me to hold you up?” her Mother asked with a faint amusing smile appearing. The girl, less than a 3 foot, moved her head up and down in agreement. Her Mother raised the light weighted matter and adjusted her. Her small chubby arms crossed around her Mother’s neck and she faced backward gazing at the Popsicle which evaporated on the ground in the scorching heat. The two sauntered across streets and avenues, filled with greenery and freshness, distracted by humidity and heat. Their eyes were not on the shops, the markets, emporiums of clothes, shoes, bags and a lot more, but all they looked for was a freezer containing ice-creams. Stepping up and down and sideways, at last they halted in front of a utility store. However, the first instance her Mother saw the shop, she imagined the cool air escaping from the AC and slapping against her burning skin. She turned the frosted glass door to her left and hopped inside. Her teeth could not help stay hidden and she smiled and sighed and thanked crazily. “Oh Susan it is so nice inside” she rubbed her nails on Susan’s (the little girls) hair but she did not respond and remained U shaped. “I see, you desire the ice-cream most” laughed her Mother and walked towards the freezer. Instantly, Susan turned her face to the cold box in delight. Their sight fell on the numerous wrappers colored blue, red, yellow, rainbow with the ice-cream illustration distinguishing each wrapper from one another. She raised the heavy door up and her fingers danced inside searching for the ice-cream Susan asked for. Slowly, other customers came and waited for their turn. Feeling embarrassed, she quickly grabbed a Popsicle stepping aside. The others, annoyed by waiting, went ahead. “Is this fine Susan” she asked waving the product in front of her. To her dismay, she threw the Popsicle from her hand and started again her crying duty. “What is this Susan? This is so tasty” her Mother questioned. She bent and caught hold of the fallen Popsicle and instead of buying, left it in the shop. “I want that melted ice-cream only” Susan yelled in her high pitch. “Ah ok, we will find another shop” she returned. So, they both continued their journey. The powerful engines of many cars conquered the roads and their noise tortured ones ears. In the season of July, the heat producing machines suffocated the lungs of many and walking had become a headache. Soon afterwards, they saw another supermarket. “Hopefully we will find your ice-cream here” her Mother smiled. Inside, with the temperature pleasant, buyers zigzagged through the grocery lanes with trolleys filled to the brim. There was constant beeping at the POS terminals and the area was dripped in the chatters of humans. Susan and her Mother went not towards anything else but the ice-cream section. Eyeing by the vertical freezers, they found not the ice-cream of Susan. “Umm… it is not here as well. Will you eat any other my darling?” she asked and Susan replied stubbornly, “No I will eat only that”, “Please Susan, it is too hot to find another shop” her Mother replied and Susan of course, poured down tears. They went out again. The Sun was nearly saying good bye and the sky was a band of pinks, yellows and oranges. A slight view of the moon marked its arrival and gradually, stars popped out. The humidity was seized and the people sighed in relief. When it darkened further, the street lights glowed and the buildings switched on their bulbs. “I have an idea, why not head to a shopping mall?” her Mother grinned at her disheartened daughter. Susan tightened her grasp around her Mother and blinked her eyes. The shopping mall glimmered in yellow light bulbs and vehicles belligerently sought parking lots. Although each shop displayed banners of 70% sale, Susan’s Mother ignored them and via an escalator, sank down to the basement. The grocery store shone its products and with high expectations, they darted off to the ice-cream area. Once again her Mother moved the popsicles over and under. She dug deep and found the ice-cream. With repetitive ‘yes’ in her heart, she pushed it out. Susan laughed but just before grabbing her happiness, her Mother took it back. “Oh no! It is all leaked” and the milky contents dripped down. “Let’s buy this” Susan smiled. “No way Susan. You cannot have a leaked ice-cream” her Mother replied. “Why!” and she yelled. “Susan do not argue, it is not clean nor hygienic” and she put it back into the freezer. Susan could not fight back her tears again and this time, she did not try to look at her Mother. “Let’s go now” her Mother offered her hand to her but Susan walked away. All the way to home, Susan, with short legs and dis-balanced control on her body, walked ahead from her Mother. Erect of posture, her eyes were on the wooden door of her house as her Mother unlocked it. She went directly to the living room with arms crossed and her same U shaped face. “What has happened to my baby?” Susan’s Father spoke who rested on the sofa enjoying the football match on the television. Susan did not spoke. “When did you arrive?” Susan’s Mother asked the moment she saw him. “Approximately 6:00” he replied, “Why is Susan upset?”, “Her favorite ice-cream melted and we could not find it anywhere” she returned. He laughed and whispered (although everyone could hear it), “Open the fridge”. Her Mother raised a brow and smiled, “Why?” and He laughed again, “Just open it”. Susan’s Mother broke the rubbers holding together the fridge door and shouted, “Ooo!” she dashed back holding a frozen crate. Landing it on the table, she pulled out Susan’s favorite ice-cream. “Surprise!” her Father laughed, “I bought this whole crate for Susan because this ice-cream is short in the market” and her Father hugged Susan. As for Susan herself, no one could stop her from jumping in joy.