Autobiography of a Pencil
Amidst the clattering noises of the machines in a pencil factory, I emerged. I am a lovely pink coloured pencil with shining silver writing stamped on me, unlike most other pencils manufactured in the factory.
As I Iay on the worktable, I overheard two workers talking to themselves.
“Hey, look at her. Isn’t she a beauty!!!” said one of them pointing to me.
“Oh, yeah she is part of the limited- edition collection manufactured to celebrate the 50th year of the factory since it started” said the other worker.
Then I read the writing stamped on me. It said “Limited edition- Saira Laurie”. Soon I was joined by other pencils that also belonged to the same limited-edition collection. We were so happy and proud of ourselves. After a while, some workers picked us up and packed us in boxes of 10.
“These pencils are quite expensive” said one of them as he was stacking us in bigger boxes which was soon to be loaded in vehicles that would carry us to the various stores across the country. I was quite excited and was looking forward to this journey.
A few days later, I found myself along with others stacked neatly in the shelf of a very popular stationary store. A man bought the box I was in for his daughter. “This will make a wonderful gift for my daughter” he said to the shopkeeper, as he paid the bill.
When the man reached home, he called out to his daughter “Leona dear, come here. See what I have got you”.
“What is it papa!” she exclaimed in excitement.
“Why don’t you open it out yourself and see” he said.
The little girl carefully opened out the wrapper and the box and she was really pleased to see what was inside. Suddenly the expression on her face changed when she saw me. She gave out a little scowl as she read” Limited Edition- Saira Laurie”. I think she was not fond of my colour. She quietly slipped me into her pocket and tossed me out of the window when nobody was watching. I landed in a pile of dust. It was cold and damp. I ate some dried grass and drank water from a puddle. When night came, I fell into an uneasy sleep only to be woken up by the rumbling of a cart. The garbage collector who was pulling the cart noticed my shining body in the pile of rubbish and picked me up. He carefully dusted me and put me into his coat pocket.
That evening, after work, he took me to his home.
He was greeted by his daughter Maya. He happily lifted her, gave a little peck on her cheek, and told her “Daddy has got you a little gift” and he handed me over to her.
Maya was not a bit like Leona. She was just too happy to have me. Finally, I found a loving home and a kind friend.
