A Precious Dress
I was raised in a family where my parents were united in their way of bringing up children, but it mostly fell to my mother to actually carry it out, and she managed the family budget effortlessly. Looking back, I honestly think I would be a different person if my mum hadn’t turned a dress into a life lesson I carry with me today.
If we complained about not having what another kid did, we’d hear something like I don’t care what so-and-so got for his birthday, you are not getting a car for your birthday or a lavish sweet-16 party. We had to earn our allowance (零用钱) by doing chores around the house. My brothers can no doubt remember hours spent cleaning the house. I can still remember how long it took to polish the legs of our dining table. Sometimes, I couldn’t even contain my envy of Chloe, a neighbourhood girl, always beautifully dressed, whose parents satisfied her with almost every need.
One day, my mother drove me downtown to buy some household necessities-and there it was in the shopping window. Pink, lovely, delicately trimmed (镶嵌着) with lace, the dress winked (眨眼) at me and I knew I had to have it. “It’s beautiful, ” my mother said when I pointed it out to her. “What a beautiful dress! ”
I tried to hide my desire at first. But then I guess I couldn’t stand it any longer. “Mum, please get it? I’ll do anything, but I need that dress. I love it. Please?”
I was desperate.
“You know,” she said, gently rubbing my back, “if you save up, you could buy this yourself.”
“By the time I make enough, it’ll be sold!”
“There might be a way,” she said.
And so our paying plan unfolded. Mum bought the dress and put it safely in some hiding place where I couldn’t find. Each week I eagerly counted my growing savings increased by extra work. Weeks later, I counted and jumped for joy. Oh, I made it! I finally had the exact amount we’d agreed on Having put on my dress, I flew to school like a bird. However, the unthinkable happened.
The moment I arrived at the school gate, Chloe appeared in exactly the same dress.
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Hearing me crying loudly, Mum gently pushed open the door.
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