••• The International Writers Magazine: Human Stories

A world of colored people • IV olokita

Like all the girls in 7th grade, Amelia had a small bow on her head. Such a simple bow that held all her hair so well and tight. But unlike all the blonde girls in the same class as Amelia, her bow was very special. And it wasn't because that particular bow cost more or had unique prints of a unicorn or hearts and a cat.

No. Definitely no.

Because the truth was even simpler than all this.

Amelia's mother had no money. She had an enormously large head and broad shoulders, but empty pockets.

And this huge head of Rosina had a lot of thoughts all the time, mostly about how to feed her family when you have a bum husband and four hungry children. And among all the ideas storming in her mind, there was also Emilia's bow. And like Rosina, you too must know how terrible a blonde girl can be in seventh grade to someone who is not their color. So, it bothered her, very much. Just below the hair.

So Emília asked, then begged Mother to help. Afterward, she shut herself up in her room and didn't want to leave it anymore. At least until Rosina bought her a bow or painted her hair blonde.

But Rosina wasn't ready for the girl to change the color of her hair just to be loved by someone else, and a bow costs a great deal of money for those who can't even afford a snack.

Then she thought and thought and thought.

Until she found a solution.

And in the first rain that winter, Rosina was waiting under a big lazy cloud, and when it rained heavily the sun warmed it, the cloud smiled and immediately the rainbow spilled out of it. Such a beautiful arch Rozina had never seen before. In seven colors, not five as they all had. And it is broad and thick and long, very long.

Then Rosina took scissors out of her pocket and cut a small piece without irritating the rainbow. But only a little, so much to fit Emília's little head and maybe a little extra, just in case.

And the next day when Amelia reached the classroom, and the bow was already firmly on her head, they all went crazy. Because it was "stunning and special and wow, the most exciting in the world." And Emília was thrilled because she'd never received so much attention before.

So, when the blonde girls wanted to measure Emilia's bow, she could not refuse. And when they tried to take some of the rainbow colors into their bows, she only stammered a little but immediately nodded her head in approval.

And when Amelia returned home with tears in her eyes, Mother only held her tightly in her arms quietly.

And Rosina did not need to see the white rainbow on Amelia's head to understand what had happened. Nor did she care that all the beautiful colors had disappeared from Amelia. And she only answered in a comforting voice that "It's not the colors on the head that make you what you are."

© IV olokita December 2018
ivolokita2 at gmail.com
I.V. Olokita has been facing life-threatening situations most of his life, specializing in the management of medical aid to disaster areas all over the world. He has a BA degree in logistics, and an MA degree emergency and disaster situations management. He also volunteers to rescue missions in disaster areas all over the world.
Olokita's books and stories characterized by direct writing, Turns wiry and witty, requiring the reader to delve into and maintain vigilance from the beginning of the book to its surprising end.

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