I asked my father for a camel

Wadi Rum3 - Version 2

Photo courtesy Susan Stark
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Last month InterestEng. welcomed a special new writer to whom we’ve given the pen name, The Gentle One.  She and several of her relatives had to leave their homeland because of war.  She has managed to enroll her children in school, find work, and take English lessons.  Here she shares delightful stories from her childhood.



I.

     I was born in B- city.  B- is a very beautiful and flourishing place. It’s located in the north   of my country. The people living in B- have a tradition that all things they need for one week, they buy at the Friday Market. Friday is the weekend in my country. One Friday, my father with my brothers wanted to go the Friday Market. I said, “Please take me with you!”  So we went together.
     When our shopping was finished, we wanted to go home. At that moment, I saw a camel and said to my father, “Father, father please buy the camel!” 
     My father said, “My dear, the camel is very big and the camel can’t go under the gate in the yard.”  But I cried and said, “Please, please father buy me the camel!” 
     Then the camel owner said me, “My daughter, don’t cry. My camel isn't for sale.” 

II.

     Today I remember a time in my childhood when I was a small girl and my kind parents were alive.  My brothers and my sister, we all together were living and I was the youngest of our family. I remember when I was in the first class, my father bought me white socks and I was very happy. When I went to school I was so excited I ran and suddenly I fell on the ground. My new socks got a hole and my knee was injured. I became so sad, not for my knee but for my socks. 

                                                                                      — The Gentle One

 ©InterestEng. July 2013 - April 2022 §  The stories in the magazine portion of the site are written by English language learners. Stories are corrected by a native English speaker.  § Photos are staff photos or used with permission.  §  To contact us:  go.gently.on@gmail.com