..:: MY ONE EYED MUM ::..

My mum had only one eye! ~ picture by De1in of Deviant Art 

      My mum had only one eye... she was such an embarrasment. She ran a small shop at a flea market and collected little and such to sell, anything for the money that we needed.

     It was field day during primary school and she turned up. How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out of the class.

     The next day my friends taunted me, "your mum has only one eye!"

     I wished that she would just disappear from this earth, "mum, why is it you don't have the other eye?", "if you're only going to make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?". I barked at her.

     She did not respond though. I guessed I felt a little bit bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I was able to voice my hatred. She didn't punish me, maybe that was why Ididn't think I had hurt her feelings.

     That night, I woke up and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Mum was there, crying quietly out of her one eye, as though she was afraid that she might wake me up. I took one look at her and turned away. Something pinched at the corner of my heart, but I told myself that I would grow up and become successful because I hated my one-eyed mum and our desperate poverty.

     Thus, I studied really hard and got a place in a foreign university. With all the confidence I had, I left home to further my studies.

     Then, I married, bought a house and had kids. I was elated and successful. I liked living where I was because it did not remind me of my past until one day...

     What? Who's this? It was my mother, still with her one eye. My little girl was scared of her and ran from the door.

     "Who are you? I don't know you!". I screamed at her, as if by saying that I could convince myself it was true. "How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! Get out of here now!".

     To these, mum quietly answered "Oh I am sorry, I must have the wrong address" and she disappeared from my sight. I was quite relieved that she had not recognized me.

     I told myself that I wasn't going to care or think about the incident. Until one day I received a letter about the school reunion. I told my wife that I was going on a business trip and headed back for the gathering.

     Then, more out of curiosity, I went down to the old shack that I used to call home. There I found my mother lying alone on the cold floor. She had a piece of paper in her hand, addressed to me.

     "My son, I think I have lived long enough. I won't visit you anymore, but would it be too much to ask that you come and see me once in a while? I miss you so much. I was happy when I heard you were coming back for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school again. I'm sorry I only have one eye and that this has always embarrased you."

     "You see, when you were little, you had an accident and lost your eye, so I gave you mine... and I've always felt proud my son was seeing a whole new world with that one eye."

writed by :
student of MRSM Beseri