The Broken Toy
One day, Caio
accidentally
broke his
friend’s new toy
car while they
were playing
together and his
friend got very
angry with him.
But Caio,
regretting
having broken
Olaf's new toy
car and almost
in tears,
explained:
- It was not my
fault, Olaf! I
grabbed it and
the part came
off! I apologise
but I did not
intend to break
your new toy. I
do not know what
happened!...
But Olaf was so
angry with Caio
that he yelled
out while
crying:
|
- Go away! I do
not want to see
you in my home
anymore. Never
again!... And
you'll have to
pay me for the
broken toy, you
hear? I'm going
to talk to your
dad and tell him
you broke my new
car on purpose.
Caio still tried
to apologise but
his friend would
not listen. He
opened the front
door and Caio
left feeling
very sad. When
he arrived home,
his mother saw
him pass by her
crying and
|
go to
his
room,
where he
threw
himself
in bed,
in
despair. |
Then she asked:
- What happened,
honey? Did you
fall? Are you
hurt? Where does
it hurt?
Caio shook his
head, showing
her that it was
none of those,
and explained:
- It’s Olaf,
Mom! I was
playing with his
new toy car and
a part came off.
Now he thinks I
broke his toy on
purpose and
kicked me out
saying I'll have
to give him
another one!
Sad, the mother
hugged her son
because of how
much he was
suffering, and
said:
- Do not worry,
Caio. I'll talk
to your father
and he'll buy
another toy for
Olaf.
- But Dad is
always broke,
mom; he never
has money! -
said Caio,
weeping again.
His mother
calmed him down
with an
affectionate hug
and explained
that his father
really had no
money but that
he could get an
advance from the
factory as part
of the salary he
would receive by
the end of the
month.
- But that money
will be needed
for our
household
expenses, mom.
- Stay calm,
Caio, your
father knows
what he does.
Now, get up,
lunch is ready,
and your father
must be
arriving.
Mother and son
went to the
kitchen. The
mother talked to
the father and
explained to him
what had
happened, asking
him to buy
another toy for
Olaf. His father
took a deep
breath, thinking
of the bills he
would have to
pay but agreed:
- All right,
Caio. Dad's
going to buy
Olaf another toy
car. You need to
tell to me which
toy it is, the
colours and the
model.
Caio explained
to his father
that it was the
newest model in
the shops, and
his father,
after lunch,
returned to the
factory and
asked for an
advance on his
salary because
of the
considerable
expense he would
have to make.
Then, with the
money in hand,
he went to the
store.
A salesman came
to greet him at
the door, and he
explained what
he was looking
for.
- Please, sir,
come to the
counter and I'll
get you the toy
you want."
The salesman
came back with
the toy box,
opened it, and
the father saw a
beautiful toy
car that would
go off at full
speed by just
winding up the
wheels.
- What a beauty!
- muttered the
father, who
taking a deep
breath, asked
for the price.
|
|
The salesman
said the amount
and the father's
eyes widened in
concern. He
lowered his head
almost to tears.
The seller
noticed his
concern and
suggested:
- Sir, if it's
too expensive we
have cheaper
toys. I’ll go
get them for
you.
- No! It has to
be this one. My
son expects me
to take this
exact model.
And noticing the
seller's facial
expression, the
father told him
what had
happened: that
his son had
broken a
friend's toy car
and that the
friend had
demanded that he
buy a new one.
Then the
salesman took a
deep breath and
smiled, calming
Caio's father:
- Sir! This
model is
defective from
the factory. So
in case of any
problems, the
store should
replace it with
a new toy!
- Are you sure?
- Of course,
sir! I'll
explain to the
shop owner what
happened and
you'll see that
there's no
problem at all.
Soon the owner
of the store
came over and
learning the
problem that had
happened and the
name of the
buyer, had the
seller wrap a
new toy with the
manufacturer's
excuses.
Caio's father
returned home
with the
package, all
smiles. When he
arrived home, he
handed the
package to his
son who smiled
and cried at the
same time out of
relief.
Then they took
the package to
their neighbour.
Olaf's father,
who welcomed
them with joy,
had them enter
and sit in the
living room. He
called his son
and Olaf entered
the room. Seeing
Caio with his
father, and a
beautiful gift
package in his
hands, he smiled
happily.
- But to what do
I owe the honour
of your visit? -
Olaf's father
asked.
- We came to
return Olaf's
toy, which he
accused my son
of breaking.
However, when I
went out to buy
another, the
seller stated
that this model
came with a
factory fault.
So it was not my
son who broke it
but we made a
point of getting
him another one.
Olaf's father
looked at his
son in shame
because he had
demanded that
Caio buy him
another toy.
With his head
down, Olaf
flushed with
embarrassment.
But Caio, seeing
the look on his
face, said:
- We just wanted
you to have a
new toy, Olaf.
Thank you for
letting me play
with it!
They embraced
and Olaf,
flushed with
shame, said:
- I am sorry,
Caio! I thought
you'd broken my
new toy. Forgive
me!
Caio forgave
Olaf and
everything ended
up well. Olaf
never again
treated Caio, or
any other
friend, that way
as he realised
that he had
acted badly with
his friend. And
he promised
himself that he
would never do
it to anyone
again.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Célia X. de
Camargo on July
4, 2016.)