The Photograph

    One day, I was all alone in the house. My parents had taken my siblings off to visit my grandparents. I had refused to go. There had been a quarrel and my parents had left the house, fuming with anger. I didn't care. I didn't go with them. I felt they never understood me. They liked to nag me and I just wanted to be alone.
    There was blessed peace in the house but I felt a nagging guilt inside.I loved my grandparents. They would be very sad that I hadn't come. Why I didn't go? It was just stubbornness on my part.
    After a while. the phone rang with a message for my father. i went to a drawer to take out a piece of paper to write down the message. Later, when I went to close the drawer properly, I saw something stuck inside. So, I pulled it out. It was a photograph. I was clinging on to my mother and my father was hugging us both. My uncle had taken it when I was about nine years old. I remembered thisw incident very well.
    I was playing outside my house. My mother was sweeping the floor. My father and uncle were inside the house, watching television. All at once, a pack of stray dogs came rushing at me. I screamed. My mother, on seeing what was happening, grabbed her broom and ran to me. I hugged her hard, screaming and crying. My mother shouted and waved her broom at the dogs. They backed and refused to leave. They snarled and ready to jump at us at anytime. My mother was like a fierce guardian angel . She never let me go and she yelled at them . By that time, my father and uncle rushed out of the house. They shouted at the dogs and threw water at them. Looking confused, they ran away.
    I clung to my mother. She hugged me back as tight as she could and my father hugged both of us. By that time, my uncle took the photo of us.
    I had fever that night. My parents never left my bedside. As i remembered, a  wave of love rushing towards me. I began to remember many other incidents where my parents had shown love and care on me.
    I went to the refrigerator to get a drink. There I saw a plate of snacks for me. There was a note stuck to the refrigerator which informing me there was a hot meal in the microwave. I sat down, i realised that my parents were still love me, anytime.
    I went to the telephone and called my grandfather. My parents had not arrived yet."I'm taking a  bus to your place, Grandpa,"I told him."I want to spend more time with my family. Tell my parents that I will be there soon."

Never Judge the Book by Its Cover

    One day, I was very excited. That day was the day I was going for an interview at Lim and Company for the scholarship. In the morning, I was dressed in my best. Although I had prepared myself well, but I was still as a cat on the hot bricks.
    Early in the morning, I went to a cafe' with my file which was just a stone's throw from my house to have breakfast. When I reached there, the waiter greeted me warmly . Upon i sat down, ready to order my food, I saw a big-sized man with shorts and yellow T-shirt leaving the cafe'. His face was red and about to faint. Alarmed, I ran to him.
    "Are you all right?" I took him to the place where I sat. The man clutched his heart.
    "Please take me to the nearest clinic from here,"he whispered. Just then, I knew that i had to go for the interview. However, the man needed my help. So, I hailed a taxi to the clinic. As I sat down with the man, I explained,"Listen, mister, I have to go for an interview at Lim and Company . It's very important to me. I will take you to the clinic and register you there. After that, I must leave."
    He looked at me. I wondered whether he had the money to pay for the medical consultation. So, I drug into my pocket to take out my money. I only had fifty ringgit from my pocket. I gave it to him."Mister, i am sorry but I dob't have much money. Here 's fifty ringgit. Keep it to pay for the medicine.
    At the clinic, I helped the man to the reception area. I demanded that the doctor to see him immidiately as it was an emergency. The doctor examined him."It is all right. He is not having any heart problem. It is merely indigestion after a heavy breakfast." The doctor said.
    The man used the clinic telephone to phone his family. My money was enough to pay for the medicine. i bid goodbye and ran for a bus to take me for the interview.
    At Lim and Company, the secretary looked at me pityingly. My clothing were crumpled. Worse, I had forgotten my file. It was at the clinic. "You can forget the interview,"the secretary sayd."You are late and your apperance is awful."
    My heart sank. I could have cried. I sat down for a while as I did not know whta to do next. At that moment, the door of the inner office opened , and a man that I helped came out with my file.
    I ran to him." Are you all right know ? what are you doing here ? You should be at home, resting. Oh , thank you for bringing my file but you shouldn't have bothered.
    The man smiled gently." You are a generous and caring person, my dear. The scholarship is yours. You see, I am the owner of this company."