Blue as in my Daddy

This is a tale of how a young child see things that she likes. She need love and when she cannot get it, she finds an alternative to it. In this case its the blue candies.

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I held onto his hand as we walked down the path. I am dressed in my pink dress and blue shoes. I know this path well, as I run on it every day with Mum. She would take me with her to the nearby shops and I can get my blue candies there. I tell her I need only one a day but I do end up with two or three at times. That depends on Mrs Lowe, as she is nicer to me than Mum. So does Daddy as when he is in the shop, he would pay Mr. Lowe for the candies I took without paying. He is an honest man to tell Daddy on the amount I have taken. It would be Mrs. Lowe who would tell Mr. Lowe off for doing that. I could hear them as I stand by the candy counter.

Like today, I was there with Daddy at the shop, when Mrs. Lowe refused to answer to Mr. Lowe as she hands to me a small bag of these blue candies. She slapped his hand off as she push the bag to me. She whispered into my ear to put in my pocket so that Daddy does not know. He won't as he is at the back of the shop looking at some things.

These adults are all like this; always leaving me at the corner alone while they do their shopping. Well, at least I like this particular corner as its filled with candies. Most times anyway, and not when Mr. Lowe is standing there. He is a nasty man with a sneering smile. Once he slap my hand with his long ruler and I cried out in pain. Mummy came over and asked me what happened. I pointed at Mr. Lowe and she told me off instead of the nasty man.

"Lucy, you cannot take what is not yours. Mr Lowe need to sell them for money and give them in charity." I protested that Daddy pays him when he is here. She ignored my protest and went about her shopping. I hate Mr. Lowe from then.

But Mrs Lowe who heard me crying came running over from the other end of the shop. She carried me up and told me to picked what I want. I was too upset to do so but the blue one offered by Mrs Lowe was too tempting.

I also did not like Mummy that day too. I wished Daddy was here that day. But he came only on those days when he is free. Today was one of them, and we had been to the shops till evening. He told me its time to go home. It was then I asked him the question in my mind.

"Daddy, why can't I see you every morning? You only come to see me on some days." He looked at me and he bend down to carry me up.

"Daddy got to work for money and that is needed to pay for your candies. So when I am free, I come to see you."

"Uncle Steven also come over daily. He works too as he told Mummy he does. But he never buys me candies. He is a nasty man. I don't like him. Why can't you work like him so I can see you every morning?" I looked into his eyes and i can see he had lovely eyes. They looked like the blue candies that I liked very much.

"Daddy's work is far and Mummy is here to take care of you. She would tuck you in and hold you in the morning." He put me down as I am probably too heavy now.

"No, Daddy. Its Uncle Steven who tucked me in, and Mummy holds him in the morning. Why can't you be there? I promised not to take any more candies. Then you need to work so far for the money. I want you, Daddy."
I looked down at the ground and see a stone I could kick. I kicked it as if I would of Uncle Steven. My daddy is not answering me. He just led me to the house and Mummy is waiting there. She took me into her hands at the door. Daddy stood there and passed to her an envelope.

"I am leaving for Brazil on this new project. I won't be back for at least a year. Take care of her. The details of my address is there. I would send the money every month." She took the envelope and stared at him.

"Lucy, I would be seeing you sometime later, but promise me you would take care of Mummy. And please do not take too much candies. Love you, Lucy." He turned to walk out of our porch again. I pulled at Mummy's hand.

"Mummy, can I walk with Daddy for a while. I would be back before he reaches the corner." She let my hand go and I ran to joined up with my Daddy. I held onto his hand and we walked till we reached the corner. There he stopped and he he stooped down to look at me.

"Its time for you to go back." He points to Mummy standing at the door. I looked at her and then back at him. I reached into my pocket and took out the blue candies. I placed them onto his hand.

"Daddy, please take these. Its from me for your trip back. I think its time I stopped eating them. You can stop buying them with the money. Just come back to Mummy soon." He nodded and smiled. But he asked me to keep the candies until he come back. I insisted he keep at least one of it; he accepted it finally.

"Why the blue one?" He asked of me. I told him, its the same color as my eyes. And also on his. Its the one color which we shared together.

Blue became my color in all the things I liked from then. My daddy did not come back anymore. Mummy married Uncle Steven and we moved away to another place. I do get a letter from Daddy at time telling me of his life in all the places he worked. I still eat my candies when I could buy them with the money sent by Daddy but I keep the a jar full of blue ones for my Daddy. That we would eat together while we are walking.