Luke woke up with a strange sense of lightness the next morning. He remembered his new job, jumped out of his bed, got dressed and looked at himself in the mirror. ‘A man,’ he said to himself, proudly. He felt good about the image that smiled back from the mirror. He thought about his new responsibilities with pride and interest.
Luke was surprised to see Amin still around when he came out of his room. ‘What’s wrong, Papa? Why haven’t you gone to work? Your face is pale, and your nose is red; you look sick and tired!’ Amin could see tension in Luke’s face.
‘Let’s go to the hospital, Papa,’ Luke said in a panic. Amin laughed at the worry on Luke’s face.
‘Oh dear! It’s true that I have a cold. But that’s just due to the weather change. It was bad last night, but I feel better now. I took leave today because I didn’t want to miss my son’s first day of going to work.’ Amin came forward, kept his hand on Luke’s head and blessed him.
Alya came forward and kissed her son on both cheeks. A glimmer of a startled smile appeared on Luke's lips. ‘Thank you, that’s really lovely,’ he said joyfully.
He sat talking to his father while having breakfast. Half an hour later, Luke was out of the house and on his way to work.
***
Everything was new for Luke for the first two weeks. From the third week onwards he behaved like a fine worker.
The shop looked neater and cleaner now. All the items were placed in perfect arrangement. Luke maintained daily accounts correctly, neatly noted down credit balance in one book and a list of things to be bought from the market in another. Luke was also good in customer service.
He had an insatiable desire to learn. He committed to learning all that he could from Adeeb.
Adeeb felt extremely proud of Luke. He admired his innocence and hard work.
***
‘Luke, you have successfully completed a month,’ Adeeb said one day with a bright smile. ‘Here, take your salary.’ Adeeb took out an envelope and gave it to Luke. ‘Come on, it's for you.’
‘What!’ Luke said, startled, as if Adeeb had spoken in a foreign language. He stared at the envelope, puzzled, his hands firmly rooted in his pockets. Finally, he took the envelope and turned it over in his hands, looking at it as if wondering what to do next.
‘Aren’t you going to open it?’ asked Adeeb with a bright smile. Luke looked up.
‘Can I take a day off?’
‘Why?’ Adeeb asked, surprised.
‘It’s my first salary, and I wish to buy something for my parents.’ Adeeb admired his thought and allowed him to leave early.
Luke walked in deep thought through the streets of Manama. Manama charmed him with its simplicity. Unlike any other city, Bahrain’s capital was unassuming and had a kind of special warmth about it.
Luke returned home a little later than usual. He noticed tension on his father’s face. He went in unhurriedly. ‘You’re back?’ Amin asked, shoving his hand into his pocket, something he did when he was tense. ‘What made you so late?’
‘Papa, I received my salary today and thought of buying some gifts for you and Mum. It’s my first ever salary, Papa.’ Amin saw joy on his son’s face while he took out gifts from a small bag. ‘Here! It’s for you, Papa, and this one is for you, Mum[ML1] .’ He gave the smaller gift box to his mother. Alya and Amin looked at each other in stunned amazement.
‘What?’ Alya looked at Luke with affection. Luke smiled with satisfaction. ‘He is no more a boy now, but an earning member of the family – a strong supporter, my son.’ Tears of joy gathered in Alya’s eyes.
‘Aren’t you going to open it?’ Luke asked with excitement.
‘What?’ she asked, lost in thoughts. Recovering with a startle she asked, ‘Do you want me to open it now?’
‘What better time than now?’ asked Amin with a broad smile. He winked at Luke. Amin and Alya carefully untied the knots on the gift wrap and removed the silver paper. Alya opened her gift first: a small, heart-shaped gold locket with ‘AMIN’ engraved in blue.
‘This is beautiful. This is the most precious gift I have ever received,’ Alya mumbled, running her thumb along the engraving.
‘Mama, I bought this because I have seen you wearing a thin chain without a locket. I’m glad you like it.’ Alya smiled in response. She said nothing, but her eyes were filled with tears.
Amin opened his packet. He was surprised to see a black mobile phone in it. A smile appeared on his rugged face.
‘Papa, your mobile is old and its colour has faded. You never think of buying a new phone; you always spend on the family.’ Luke said it like it was a complaint.
‘Wow Luke! You seem to have become very caring these days. I am impressed. And I’m very proud of you, my boy. It is your thought that gives me more pleasure than anything else,’ Amin said proudly.
Luke was confused seeing tears in his parents’ eyes. He asked them for the reason.
‘Oh dear! There are few moments in a man’s life that are unforgettable and overwhelming. Most people don’t show it; they keep their emotions in their hearts. But for others, the emotions just come out. Frankly, Luke, I am among the latter.’ Amin laughed.
‘What were the happy moments in your life, Papa?’ asked Luke, unable to contain his curiosity.
‘Well, my first salary, which I gave to my orphanage. I still give a part of my salary to that home,’ Amin said proudly. ‘Our wedding, of course, and Fida's birth and your birth …’ Amin trailed off and stopped talking for a while. His heart ached with thoughts of Fida. Then with a sigh he said, ‘First day of your school, and finally your first salary that you have spent on us. Most important are the words that you just said. They are unforgettable, dear. Luke, parents live just for their children, for years. The day they come to them with their first earnings is an amazing time in any parent’s life. It is a proud moment.’ Luke did not say anything. He hugged his father, and then he took the rest of his salary from his pocket and put it in Alya’s hand.
‘This is all I have, Mama – thirty dinars. I will give my full salary next time.’ Alya shook her head wildly in response.
‘No dear! You can keep it. It’s the reward for your hard work. But Luke, it’s very important to always give two per cent from your salary in charity,’ she said.
‘Exactly!’ Amin supported in a firm voice.
‘Certainly, Papa,’ said Luke. He took fifteen dinars back from his mother’s hand and said, ‘All I need is this for the charity. Papa and you have given me a lot of advice that I will follow throughout my life. Children who are brought up with good advice never think of spending a lot of money on their own needs. Mama, money is dangerous once we spend it for our pleasure.
Then how much ever we get will not satisfy our needs. Finally, we will spread our hands before our father, forgetting that we are their strong supporters. I don’t want to be one of them because I love my family.’
Alya and Amin were surprised by his answer, but they didn’t say anything. They looked at him with great admiration and pride.