Lucia sat under a tree with tens of children. The tree is at the front of her house and she went inside to bring sweets for all of them to lick while they all chat together. She just wanted them to have something to munch on.
Old lady, why are you always wearing this big bracelet? That’s why everyone in the village looks at you all the time, a child asked and she responded;
Hmm, dear son, let me tell you all my story. Don’t worry, it’s not something sad and I would not want you to feel sorry me. I don’t just have the opportunity to be with my mother for so long. Are you kids ready to listen to my story and know the reason behind this bracelet?
Yes, old lady; the children echoed.
Lucia begun her story. I’ve always lived with my father and I see how my friends talk about their mother when we all are together. Whenever I ask my father where my mother is, he tells me that she traveled. I’ve been hearing that since I was little. I believed at first but it was getting tiring. How come my mother traveled for sixteen good years and she didn’t even look back to check on me? It hurts me every time I think about it but my dad was enough for me and he did all he could to satisfy me but how come the one who gave birth to me is alive and can’t even come to visit me even if it is once.
I have always needed her touch.
One day, I went out and had a chat with one of my friends and she insulted me of being a child of a runaway mother. I felt bad and cried to my father. I checked one of his rooms where he keeps all his tools. I brought out a machete and wanted to scare him so he was going to tell me the truth. I acted like I was really going to kill him even though it’s not something I think I can and he told me the story of my mother which broke my heart. He said;
I planned to tell you this when I see that you’re mature enough and that’s because I would not want you to tell your friends about this. I fell in love with your mother even though I didn’t know where she was from or the ones who gave birth to her. Whenever I ask her to follow her to her house, she declines saying that her parents would never allow her marry someone like me. I wondered why she would have said that and she revealed that she was a Gypsy.
I didn’t really care. Does anyone care about the tribe of the other party when he or she is in love? All that mattered to me was love and she really loved me to. Instead of your mother to go to work, she comes to my place and I abandoned my work whenever she was with me
Honestly, I was shocked by the love life of my parents and even how my father fell in love with a Gypsy. I wondered why he chose a Gypsy out of all people. Go on; I said.
Unfortunately, the sad thing happened which happens to be the best thing in my life at the moment. You mother got pregnant for me. I was willing to take full responsibility and I was happy that I was going to become a father. I also felt that was an opportunity to get married to your mother because they would not allow her to abort the pregnancy and maybe they will forget about their Gypsy laws. A Gypsy can never marry a non Gypsy. That was what I expected but things turned around. Her people still didn’t let her get married to me. After nine months, she gave birth to you and left you for me. They are gypsies and they move all about. She had to follow her people to their next destination. You see this big bracelet you’re always wearing, she gave it to you immediately she gave birth to you. You mother said after eighteen years, she’d come here to look at what you have become. Don’t worry, she’d come when you’re eighteen.
I felt bad for portraying that attitude and I was so happy to tell my friends that my mum will be back after a year. Some of them mocked me because they didn’t believe. Lo and behold, my mum came. She was so happy to see me grow and and still wear that big bracelet she gave me from birth even though it still didn’t size my hand because it’s really big and I’m sure that why you all call me the Old Lady with the big bracelet.
Ever since then, my mum comes to check on me every eighteen years. The fact that she’s a Gypsy doesn’t mean she should forget her Korean child and I was even given a Roman name. Dear kids, my mum will be back in two years. Just wait and see.
The kids applauded Lucia for that amazing story and felt pity for her. Where is your father?; a kid asked and she responded that he’s late. My mother will feel very bad to hear that her lover is late when she comes to Korea.
The kids pitied her once more and they all went home after the story to have a good night rest.