Upon completing
eight years of
age, Louie was
presented by his
father with a
beautiful bike.
Happy, he went
for a ride down
the street on
his brand new
bicycle to make
his friends
jealous.
Their admired
faces filled him
with
satisfaction.
One of them
asked:
- Louie, will
you let me go
for a little
ride on your
bike?
- No. It is
mine. I just got
it. You might
fall and scratch
it.
Disappointed,
his friend
walked away
hanging his head.
Hearing that,
the other boys
also moved away
to play
elsewhere,
leaving him
alone.
Louie did not
bother, thinking
that his friends
were just
jealous of him.
So he went out
on his ride
felling happy
and displaying
the new bike. As
it was a
beautiful day of
sunshine, he
felt thirsty and
stopped at a
fountain to
drink water.
Then a boy who
was his
classmate,
decided to play
a prank on him.
As he bent over
to drink from
the fountain's
tap with his
hands, his
classmate took
the bike and
pedalled away
fast.
|
|
Louie turned
around, wiping
his wet face
with his hands,
and surprise:
The new bike was
gone! ... |
- Someone stole
my new bike!
Help! Help! - he
began to scream,
and started
running around
to try to find
his bike. But
not even its
shadow.
When passing by
a place without
houses, full of
trees, and with
some land to its
right side of
the street that
leaned towards a
small creek, he
saw a boy
climbing the
grass, dirty and
wet, bringing a
dirty and bent
bike.
- Caius! What
happened? - but
suddenly, having
a better look,
he yelled: -
It's my new bike!
All dirty and
bent! You stole
my bike!
- No, Louie, I
just wanted to
prank you. I saw
you drinking
water and
grabbed the bike
just to give you
a scare. But I
lost control and
left the road,
falling into the
creek. I did not
want to steal
it, just prank
you. After all,
we're friends! -
explained the
boy, looking
pale and very
embarrassed.
|
- I will not
forgive what you
did! And we're
not friends
anymore. You
will pay me for
this! - Louie
screamed in
anger, taking
the bike from
the boy's hands.
Very sad, Caius
started crying
and ran home.
Louie returned
home dragging
the bike. Upon
entering the
house, tired and
very angry, he
told his
|
father
what had
happened. The
father looked at
the bike and
said: |
- My son, it is
not broken, just
bent. And the
paint is not
even scratched -
and as he spoke,
with great
ability, his
father made it
straight again.
- See, Louie?
Your bike is
still new and
beautiful!
The boy thanked
his father but
continued full
of anger. He
could not even
think of Caius
without feeling
like hitting him.
With each
passing day,
Louie got worse.
He was
constantly
irritated, angry,
grumpy, moody,
and was not
eating right.
Some days later,
he felt so sick
that he had to
stay in bed. His
worried mother
could not
understand what
was happening to
him and asked:
- Louie, what
happened? You
have changed
completely in
the last few
days, son!
- Nothing
happened, mom.
The father, who
had entered the
room, also
apprehensive,
heard it and
wondered:
- What is going
through your
mind, son? Is
there something
bothering you
and that you
think of all the
time?
- Yes, there is,
Dad. I can only
think of Caius.
I'm so angry
that I want to
hit him!
- But why? If it
is because of
the bike, there
was no damage at
all, Louie.
- But I'm still
very angry at
him, Dad. If I
see him, I do
not know what I
can do.
The parents
looked at each
other, realizing
what was
happening. Then
the father said:
- Son,
bitterness is
very bad for us.
You are
poisoning
yourself with
these angry
thoughts to the
point of
contaminating
your body . Try
to see Caius as
a friend who
made an
unfortunate joke.
Put yourself in
his place: what
if you had taken
Caius' bike,
wouldn't you
like to be
forgiven?
The boy thought
a moment and
replied:
- You're right,
Dad. I'll talk
to him.
Louie got much
better. But,
determined to
put an end to
the story, his
father went to
get Caius and
brought him to
their house.
Seeing his
friend, Louie
was happy. Caius
started crying
and apologized
once more:
- I did not do
it on purpose,
Louie. I wanted
to prank you and
got burned. I am
suffering
because I cannot
forgive myself
for that.
Seeing his
friend feeling
so sad, Louie 's
heart softened.
He lifted his
head up from the
pillow and
smiled:
- I know it was
a prank. Forget
about it, Caius.
And if you'd
like to ride my
bicycle, it's ok.
At that moment,
they hugged and
it was like a
dark cloud came
out of Louie.
With forgiveness,
he felt lighter
and at peace. He
was cured of the
poison of anger.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
29/07/2013.)