Toy

It was breakfast time, and I was still wearing pajamas when my father showed up into my bedroom, singing with his huge smile of pure happiness. 

- Son, happy children’s day ¡ - my father said to me, giving me some cash “ for your soda this afternoon “ and a little package.

- What is it dad?

- It is something to entertain you during the morning. 

I opened .

- No way ¡ The original best selling game of the year in a disc ¿

- Yes. For your computer - he said that still smiling – still smiling ¿ How come he is happier than me ¡ 

I immediately stood up and went to the computer.

I am going to install it dad ¡ 

Thank you? Thank you thank you ¡ - and I kissed and hugged him

- Let’s have lunch together, little fella , and I will give you another toy.

- Ok, old man. I will be waiting for you at midday, at the door.

- Fine. 

I played with that game the whole morning.

And, through the internet, where one can meet and make  appointments, at your pleasure – so convenient ¡ .

The weather was nice, and of course I would love to spend the day playing real games with friends, or virtual ones, it would not matter at all, since it was spent playing.

When I took a look at the watch, it was ten to twelve.

- It is lunch time again and I am hungry. So, I am going to get my outfit ready because  dad decided to take me  to have some fried chicken and soda.

So I dressed myself up, combed my hair, put my cellphone in my pocket and waited for him some five minutes.

- Happy children’s day ¡ - he said to me as soon as he saw me waiting at the door

- Again ¿ 

- Yes, again! I think that this is the best day for me, because I remember my childhood, when I used to eat cakes and play soccer the whole day with my cousins, your uncles.

The waiter came, and we ordered our food 

While we were waiting for the food, dad put a box on the table .

- Open – he said still smiling to me. 

- What is it , dad?

- Open and you will see. 

I was just opening the old cardboard, when my cellphone rang .

I answered it, while dad was sipping his soda.

I was going to be ten years old that year.

As a natural fact from that , and desperate to know more about the world and its freedom.

- A meeting ¿ - I asked George, one of my closest  friends, someone I think I could count on with.

- Yes, boy. It is our day so let’s make it worth.

- Whag is it about ¿ .

- I am not sure, but take a nice toy with you.

- Ok. 

That idea rebounded in my head, and kept echoing even when my dad called me , saying that I was umpackaging the cardboard box.

- Ok ¿, see you then – hanging up the phone.

After saving my phone in my pocket, I finally opened the box.

And something surreal was in it : a golden car from the fifties! With magnesium tyres and a diamonditin the middle of the dashboard – so nice!

- Amazing! – I exclaimed, and my father smiled a lot more.

- This is your real gift for this day it belonged to me a d to all the previous ancestors of our family.

- Can I have it for this afternoon? 

- It is yours, young man. So, why such a questio ¿

- C’mon, old man, I have a race to run and I thought it would be a good idea to have this car with me….

- A race ? What the hell are you talking about ? 

- With my friends. In the park.

- I see. But let me tell you something: this car is not an ordinary toy. It is a relic that had been through the history of our family, since the times that your great grandfather worked in a mine and had the chance to literally construct this car, piece by piece, and join it by hand, something not so common in that days where he has no machines nor technology.

It is made of copper, so, it has some monetary value.

But more than money, this car represents the history of our family, as it passed through two great world wars, where your great grandfather took part as a soldier.

- Did he die in the war – I asked, really interested to know more about my family roots 

- No. He did not. He returned safe and sound. But many friends fid. He was lucky.

- Indeed.

- So, be careful with it. If you loose it, you will be losing the history of your my father, whi worked in a farm ; a hard work, but he never fainted, not because if the car, but because he simply had to do it. When he gave me this car, I was ten like you. And played too many times with it. But never took the car outside home . I repeat young man : be careful.

- Ok, dad.

So, I took the golden car with me; to give to the house of George.

All the other four kids had brought cars and superheroes dolls.

I was the only one with such a fancy toy.

- I bet this car is not yours – Peter , the chubby instigated me, taking my car from the table I had put the car.

- Of course it is! It is a car that my great-grandfather gave my grand father, after the war.

- The war ? – examining the shining car with his eyes and even with his smell, to reach the obvious conclusion that “ yes! It is gold. And it must belong to me , otherwise, my girlfriend will never be proud of me ! - looking at the car with the ambitious look of an ambitious poor boy – despite his material wealth.

I saw it. 

And at the beginning, I thought it was just my impression. But it hot harder and deeper.

It hurted my senses.

- Affirmative – opening his hand for the car in , remembering the words of his father “ be careful".

- I am not giving the toy back to you - he said- it is mine now ! 

That was a face! 

How could the chubby boy do that to me ? .

Have I ever taken something from him ?

Never in my short but funny life ! 

I got mad.

And, using my left hand, I knocked him out, making him lye on the floor, bleeding.

- Is he dead  - one of the kids asked .

- Who cares ? - cheering while the chubby boy could not stand himself up.

Nobody helped him.

But I clearly saw that there was some money on the table. That was augmenting according to the claps and hoorays.

The other two boys were betting over who was going to own the car.

No way ! 

I got furious.

I saw that the car was under the chubby boy.

I pulled him to the other side, and took the car, jumping to the front side if the sofa?, where the table was.

At the same time , I saw the money of the betting on the table .

Took them.

And tore every single money bill.

It drove the rest if the guys crazy.

So, they started to hit me,Memphis fists and foot.

As I only had the car in my hand, I hit them back with the car – by the way, the car got some little bruises because of it, but ig is only noticeable if you sharpen the eyesight .

 I jig them for about five minutes, in arms, knees, heads, faces and eyes of all of them

Then, I run to the door, twenty steps from me.

And run away, as fast as I could, taking the way to my house, six blocks from there.

By then, the moon was high?, and my dad was probably st home, watching television.

So, I rehearsed my speech : sorry dad, but I am late because we went to a crowded burger shop, and we finally lost the time…bla,bl,bla.

But my father was not watching television. 

I looked for him, alm around the house 

He was playing my new disc game in my computer.

- Happy children’s day!

- Again? This is the third time..

- Yes I know. I think I will never grow up.

- Yes, I know – and he hugged me again, making me seat beside him.

- So, how was your race??

- Well, it was good.

- And the car ? – looking for it on the table

- The car ? Well? It is here - and I showed him the car.

- Very well - kissing him on his forehead.

- I am so proud of you !

And they hugged each other, playing the whole night  with the real family toy : the disc game.