No one smiled

They did not have children because they could not afford to have children. The little that they made wasn’t even enough for one of them to live off.

The job he had as a labourer did not fetch much. Working for less than minimum-wage. She did her bit by doing the housework for people when she could. Sometimes making garlands of wild flowers and selling them in for practically nothing.

All this. The lack of everything. The absence of a decent home and a square meal.

And yet…..they were happy. Not content. But happy. There was a difference. Slight. But it was there.

He opened the “door” of his “house”. Walked in quietly. She was sitting in the corner of the tin house. Quietly, she watched as he sat down by the oil lamp and had a drink of water. The day was coming to a close. Another day would come. Another day of the same life. Another day in poverty. Not content. But happy.

As he looked up he saw her tear-streaked face. There was nothing he could do. He just turned to her and said in what he thought would be an optimistic note, “Don’t worry….someone up there will smile down on us……”

“Up there”, no one smiled.

The seemingly endless cycle was to go on. On and on. Until one day things changed.

The sun had set. Almost. The pinkish glow on the horizon still gave enough light to see. Just about.

The “door” burst open. He walked into his “house”. Something was different. Very different.

“I got a job…” he said it with a genuine note of triumph and optimism. She didn’t notice.

“You already have one….” she said quietly.

“No…” he replied quickly “This one’s better.”

She looked up. Her eyes, for the first time in what seemed like forever, registered a hint of hope. Just a little.

“It’s in a government office……A lowly office job. But that’s about as good as it will get eh?” he gave a slight smile.

Not content. Happy.

She ran into his open arms. As he held her tightly to him, he said “See?......someone up there in smiling…”

“Up there” no one smiled.



xxxxxxxxxx


Years later. He was dead. She lived off the pension from his “lowly office job”.

They had been content and happy. Both. He had got a promotion after only a few years. He made enough. Just about. They were able to move out of their tin shack. Into a reasonable house. A house. Not a “house”

And so they had been content and happy. Both.

They believed. In something. It had kept them afloat in the sea of poverty and despair. Someone, to them, was “up there”, smiling. They floated.

And yet….. All the while. “Up there”….no one was there, to smile.
So…..no one smiled….