A boy of 12 years old saw something that moved him in the shop window, but $5 was far from what Reuben Earle could pay. Five dollars is almost enough for the whole family to buy food for a week.
Reuben can't ask his father for money. Mark Earle earned every penny by fishing in Roberts Bay, Newfoundland, Canada. Reuben's mother Dora, in order to prevent five children from freezing and starving, almost treated one money as two.
Nevertheless, Reuben pushed open the weather-beaten door of the shop and went in. He stood straight without any embarrassment, wearing a shirt made of flour bags and washed faded pants. He told the shopkeeper what he wanted, and added, "But I don't have money to buy it yet. Can you keep it for me for a while? "
"I'll try my best," said the shopkeeper with a smile. "People here generally don't spend so much money on shopping, and they can't sell it for a while."
Reuben touched the old brim politely and walked out of the shop. The fresh breeze in the sun wrinkled the water in Roberts Bay. Reuben walked with great strides and made up his mind to put away the five dollars and not tell anyone.
Hearing the sound of a hammer from the street, Reuben had an idea.
He ran along the sound and came to a construction site. People in Roberts Bay like to build their own houses. The nails used were bought from a local factory and packed in sacks. Sometimes sacks are thrown away in the hectic work, and Reuben knows that he can resell them to the factory at the price of 5 cents per bag.
That day, he found two sacks, took them to the messy wood factory and sold them to the nail installer.
He ran all the way to his home two kilometers away, holding two nickels in his hand.
There is an old barn next to his house, surrounded by goats and chickens. Reuben found a rusty soda can there and put two coins in it. Then he climbed into the attic of the barn and hid the tin can under a pile of fragrant hay.
Reuben walked into the house while eating. Father is sitting at the big table in the kitchen playing with fishing nets, and Dora is busy by the stove, ready to eat. Reuben sat down at the table.
He looked at his mother and smiled. The afterglow of the sunset through the window dyed her brown shawl golden. The slim and beautiful mother is the center of this family. She holds this family together like glue.
Mother's housework can never be finished. Sewing at home with the old "Shengjia" sewing machine; Cooking and baking bread; Manage the vegetable garden; Milk the goat; Wash dirty clothes on the washboard. But mom is happy, and the happiness and health of the whole family is the most important thing in her heart.
Every day after school and housework, Reuben looks for sacks with nails in the town. On the day when the school with only two classrooms started its summer vacation, no one was happier than Reuben. Now he has more time to complete his mission.
Throughout the summer, besides doing housework-weeding, watering, chopping wood and fetching water for the vegetable garden, Reuben always carried out his secret tasks.
In a blink of an eye, the harvest season in the garden arrived, vegetables were canned and pickled, and the school started. Soon after, the leaves fell and a cold wind blew in the bay. Reuben wandered about the street, trying to find the sacks he regarded as treasures.
He is often hungry and exhausted, but the thought of that thing in the shop window keeps him going. Sometimes my mother will ask, "Reuben, where have you been?" We are waiting for you to eat! "
"Go and play, mom. Sorry. "
At this time, Dora always looked at his face and shook her head helplessly, thinking: Boys are boys.
Spring has finally come, bringing a piece of green, and Reuben's spirit is also uplifting. It is time! He ran to the barn, climbed into the haystack, opened the tin can, poured out all the coins and counted them.
He counted again, and it was 20 cents short. Will there be discarded sacks anywhere in town? He must find four more to sell before the end of today.
Reuben walked along Water Street.
When Reuben arrived at the factory, the shadow of the factory had been dragged by the sunset for a long time. The sack buyer was about to lock the door.
"sir! Please don't close the door. "
The man turned around and saw Reuben, who was dirty and sweaty.
"Come back tomorrow, son."
"Please, sir, I must sell the sack now-please." The man felt Reuben's voice trembling and knew that he was about to cry.
"Why do you need this money so much?"
"This is a secret."
The man picked up the bag, reached into his pocket, took out four coins and put them in Reuben's hand. Reuben whispered "thank you" and ran home.
Then, he grabbed the tin can and went straight to the store.
"I have money!" He solemnly told the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper went to the window and took out what Reuben dreamed of.
He dusted off the dust, carefully wrapped it in brown paper, and then put the parcel in Reuben's hand.
Reuben ran all the way home and rushed into the front door. Mother is scrubbing the stove in the kitchen. "Look, mom! Hey! " Reuben shouted as he ran to her. He put a small box on her hand, which had been roughened by labor.
In order not to damage the wrapping paper, she opened it carefully and a blue velvet jewelry box came into view. Dora opened the lid of the box, and tears suddenly blurred her eyes.
On a small heart-shaped brooch, there is a line of gold: mother.
It was Mother's Day in 1946.
Dora has never received such a gift; She has no other accessories except her wedding ring. She sobbed, speechless, and took her son into her arms, her face brimming with touching brilliance.