(Image source: Shell Malaysia)
The other day, I took my son with me to pump petrol at the SHELL petrol station.
As I was pumping the petrol, I heard a tap on the window from inside the car. I looked over and saw my son pointing at something on the wall. He made a gesture for me to look at what he was pointing at. I followed his finger and saw a poster of SHELL’s Ferrari car collection. They had different models and colours of sleek sports cars. He rolled down the window and said “Daddy, I want the yellow one”. He sounded so excited and hopeful. I smiled and said “Maybe one day, son. Maybe one day”.
I looked up and as much as I wanted to buy the Ferrari collection, spending another RM8.90 then was not right at that moment.
But my son had his eyes on the yellow one. He loves yellow, it’s his favourite colour. He begged me to buy it for him, but I knew he wouldn’t take good care of it. He has so many toys that he just tosses around and forgets about. So I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn’t listen. He kept saying he wanted the yellow Ferrari, and he wouldn’t stop.
So I had to come up with an excuse. I told him that they ran out of stock for the yellow one and that we’d come back another time when they had more. I know, I know, it was a lie. But what else could I do? He was making such a fuss, and I didn’t want to upset him more. Besides, it was a harmless lie, right? It’s not like he’d ever find out.
Or so I thought.
The next day, he went shopping with my sister, and guess what? They stopped at another SHELL petrol station on the way back. And guess what else? They had the yellow Ferrari there. And guess what else else? My sister bought it for him. She didn’t know about my lie, of course. She just wanted to make him happy.
My son came back home with a big smile on his face, holding the yellow Ferrari in his hand. He was so proud of it, he couldn’t wait to show me. He ran out to greet me as soon as I got home from work. He showed me the car and asked me if he could play with it. I was shocked, but I didn’t want to spoil his joy. So I said yes, and let him play with it for a while.
But then my wife and my sister came up with a brilliant idea. They suggested that we put the car in my showcase, where it would be safe and sound. They told my son that it was a special car and that he could only play with it when I was around. He agreed, and handed me the car back. He asked me to put it in the showcase for my son.
And that’s how I ended up with a yellow Ferrari in my showcase.
He looked at me as I was putting the car back in the showcase. I looked at him back and said that all those things in the showcase (model cars, bikes, old photos, foreign currency notes and coins) would be his when he grows up. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts – here I am, getting ready to hand over my legacy to the next generation.
I did not know what he was thinking…he came close and just hugged me. The model car is coming out from the showcase again tonight
I fully support your comment there and I think its time all those politican and those leaders to tell their supporters that they are all Malaysians. Not Indians, Chinese, Malays and so forth. Its damn stupid. To those Indians I would like to ask, They might be welcomed to India but they still will have to use the Malaysian Passport and apply for Visa don’t they? like wise the same applies to the Chinese. And the Malays…. They have to accept the fact that we are now living the more advance world and its time that we have to live and work side by side. We cannot manage our country alone……. Thanks to you all, I am a true Malaysian Because My father is of Chinese Origin, My mother is of Melanau Origin, My mother’s mother is of Malay Origin, My father’s mother is of Bidayuh origin while my wife is of Iban origin, I am trully proud that I celebrate all ocassion and celebration eventough I am a muslim. I have a Christian in-laws, I have Buddist Uncles and Aunties and sure it is one big Malaysian Families.