Well, truthfully, I wasn't ok. I'd just had a difficult conversation that ended awkwardly and I was a bit shaken because I hate conflict, no matter how controlled it is. But that was not a really good time to discuss it with Thang Ngaih so I just gave a weak smile and said yes, and started to go to my room.
As I passed her, she said, "I have something for you!" and she followed me into my room. From behind her back, she brought out the most elegant shoes - black velvety material covered in silver sequence. "I bought for you!" she exclaimed with a big smile. My mouth dropped open and I was genuinely speechless. But she continued, "They are from Burma... for you! Want to try?" Still speechless and even more so, with tears welling up, I nodded. Thang Ngaih knelt down and very carefully took off my shoes, and then slipped on these new ones... which - amazingly, for my feet - fit perfectly! My first words of recovery were, "I feel like Cinderella!" And then the thank yous and praises and admiration poured forth.
When I went out to the kitchen, Jo Lien ran by me and stopped in his tracks, pointed at my feet, and with big eyes said, "Ooooo!" They are so soft and comfortable, and so so lovely. They remind me a little bit of Cinderella's slippers in the movie Ever After:
Very elegant! I feel like such a princess - and apparently a Burmese princess at that! Thank you, dear dear Thang Ngaih for such a special and precious gift!
No comments:
Post a Comment