The Journey

April 29 -One coin wish

It's beautiful here: the water, the breeze.

I take pictures.

Tourists everywhere,throw their rods out to

Catch wishes..

I hear, a restless, clanging of metal

Slicing the moment in two.

I turn my head sharply at the sound.

I small and frail, gypsy dressed woman

Stumbles into the middle of the fountain

The curiousity overwhelming, I approached.

Feeling eyes of others on her too.

Some sniggered, some felt sympathy.

It was her trolly, filled with empty bottles and cans

That made the sound.

And here she was making more.

Her shaking hands dug deep into her wealth

To reveal a small can.

It had been stripped clean of it's packaging.

Rattling, she brought it to her ear.

The sound of a single, lonely

Coin replied. 

Sighing, she emptied the already empty bank

And held the fragile spectacle in the palm of her hand

At this point I had come to be

A few feet away.

A tear slipped from her cheek, as she lifted her arm out

Before her. 

To the shallow sea of hopes and dreams, she tossed,

What seemed to be all her money.

In frustration I hurried to be at her side.

'Ma'am' I asked. 'What are you doing?'

Her eyes rusting with time in the frame 

Of her wrinkled skin. 

'Am I not allowed to make a wish?' 

She asked me, her voice weak but assertive.

I was taken aback, at my unintended rudeness.

'I'm sorry, that isn't what I mean to say'

'That's alright my dear' She answered,

Her warm fingers resting on my shoulder.

'The wish I made was well worth today's salary'

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out what I had.

A few notes, not much, but enough for my dinner. 

I laid the folded colour on her withering hand. 

Pools of rain gathered in her eyes.

'Thank you, O thank you' she cried. 

Putting in all her efforts to embrace me. 

'Please, do not feel bad, that I gave away my money

for a wish, because you've given me exactly what I wished for'

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