Navratri was almost here! Deepa couldn't wait for the party in the dance hall. She'd wear her special two-piece dress with tiny bells on it. She'd jump and skip just to hear those bells jingle.

"I think you should try it on," Mom said, handing Deepa the skirt. "You've grown a lot this year. It may not fit."

Deepa stepped into her skirt and tried pulling it up. Mom made a worried expression and said, "It's too small. Try the blouse." But that was small, too.

Deepa's throat tightened. Last year, Deepa and Mom had flown to India to visit Deepa's aunt, or Masi, for Navratri. Masi had taken Deepa shopping for a holiday dress. Deepa had loved the way the bells on Masi's anklets jingled as they walked through the market. When Deepa found a dress that jingled, too, she cried, "That one!"

For nine nights, she and her aunt had laughed and danced in the village with their skirts. And now the dress no longer fit.

"Can we have it changed?" Deepa asked. "We can try," said Mom. But when the tailor looked at the dress, he shook his head. He said it could only be made smaller. That afternoon, Deepa and her mom went to an Indian store in the mall and picked out a dress covered with little mirrors. It didn't feel special. But it fit. Deepa tried getting into the holiday spirit as they drove to the Navratri party. But her dress was too quiet.

In the parking lot, Mom opened the car trunk to put away her bag. Deepa noticed a familiar bag. "Is that my dress?" she asked. "I forgot to put it away," Mom said, closing the trunk. No one would ever see it again, Deepa thought sadly.

As they neared the dance hall, Deepa heard drums beating and people laughing. Inside, hundreds of dancers clacked colorful sticks together in a circle. The room felt warm and alive.

A lady danced past and her little girl followed, jumping along holding sticks tied with bells. Deepa smiled. It was like watching herself with Masi. Later, paper plates thick with sauce were served.

The girl squeezed past Deepa, carrying a plate.

Deepa touched Mom's arm and whispered, "I can help her."

The challenges of being a businessman can come with many highs and lows. For a 10-year-old business owner, an unfortunate event led to a huge amount of support from the community and strangers. It even resulted in a boom in his business.

One weekend, David Hove of Toronto was selling homemade pancakes on his street. He thought of the idea as a way to make money to buy himself an expensive gaming system — an Xbox. After a number of hours, the boy went inside his home for a bathroom break. He left his pancake stand unattended for a couple of minutes, and when he returned, his pancake stand was gone. Someone had stolen his table, a cooler and even his water bottle. All that remained was the handwritten sign that reads “Homemade pancakes. $3.50 each.”

The boy’s father, David York, was surprised that somebody should steal a kid’s pancake stand. “My son was so heartbroken. How can anyone do that to a ten-year-old kid?” He reached out to neighbors asking if anybody had any clue who the thief was, but in vain. He posted on social media with the hope that perhaps the thief would return the pancake stand and maybe apologize to his son, who, he stated, developed a “distrust in humanity” because of what occurred.

A local TV station picked up the story and broadcast it. “It pains my heart to see my son going through this,” said the father in the news report. “He came up with the idea to do something that gives himself an income and it’s teaching him life lessons.” He also appealed for the return of the stolen items in the news.

To the great delight of David Hove and his family, the story had a happy ending.

Thanks to the generosity of the community and strangers, David was soon able to be back in business.

Shanti wanted the wooden doll in Ramu’s toy shop. “The one with the red dress.” she told her best friend, Jodi.

“How will you afford it?” Jodi asked

Shanti smiled. “I asked my mom if I could make jasmine garlands (茉莉花环) and sell them at my aunts market stall(摊位). Want to do that，too?” “Good idea!” said Jodi.

Early the next morning, the girls met at the jasmine bushes outside of Shanti’s house. They picked the flowers, dropped them into a basket and then sat under a tree knotting( 捆 扎 )the flowers into garlands. Shanti could already see herself hugging that beautiful doll.

“If we sell enough garlands, we can each get a doll,” said Shanti

Jodi shook her head. “My family is low on money this week. I'll use my money to pay for Kiran’s medicine.” Kiran was Jodis little brother. “Is he sick?” Shanti asked. “He is. But when he gets his medicine, he’ll be fine.” Jodi picked up her garlands. “My mother is expecting me. I’ll meet you at the market.”

Shanti spent the afternoon selling garlands at her aunts market stall. But where was Jodi? By early evening Shanti had sold all her flowers.

Shanti was on her way home when she saw Jodi heading to the market with her garlands. “Why are you so late?” Shanti asked.

“I had to watch Kiran while my mother did her work,” Jodi said “Why didn’t you take him with you?” Shanti said.

Jodi shook her head. “He’s too sick to go out. He coughs and coughs.”

Shanti knew Jodi wouldn’t make enough money for the medicine now. The market would be closing soon.

Shanti looked at the money in her hand. It was supposed to be for the beautiful doll she’d   been dreaming of for so long. Then she looked at her friend’s tired face. “Here. Keep this for the medicine.” Shanti put her money into Jodi’s hands.

That night, Shanti cried, thinking about the doll. What if someone bought it before she’d saved up enough again?

The next week, while Shanti   and Jodi gathered flowers, Kiran came, too.

Unfortunately, Ramu told Shanti someone had bought the doll.