Day of the dead

My stomach made a terrible sound. When I checked my watch it was past 1 p.m. I forgot to take lunch! Even if I had a late breakfast I felt my large intestine growling.

In the adjacent library room, I saw a little girl alone busy. She was doing something like covering a book or fixing torn pages. I approached her and asked for a little favor to buy me a drink nearby. I gave her the money with the instruction. She took the money and left without a sound.

When she returned I asked. "Have you taken your lunch, Inday?" She handed me the drink without answering my question. When I examined her closely she looked fine. Again, I asked. "Have you eaten your lunch, Inday?" Again for the second time no reply. So I told her, "You keep the change, Inday, and thanks."

However, her deafening silence began to irritate me; I told myself maybe she was just too shy to answer me. That maybe she had no lunch yet or finished with it I assumed.

A few minutes after, I was done eating. I saw her again and told her. "Come to the office, you eat, I have extra food." Again she stared at me without words. I took a plate got some rice and fish and handed it to her. Without further words of invitation, she took the plate, went inside the other room, and ate. I told myself this poor girl had no lunch for sure but was too shy to admit it and tell the truth.

Minutes later she returned with the empty plate. I told her, "Just put it in the sink to wash it later." When I went to the kitchen to drink moments later, I noticed the red plate and spoon were clean as if never used at all. I was surprised with admiration. I didn't catch her saying the word thank you but her gesture was more than enough.

When I went over to check on her, the mini-library was empty and dark. I could feel the cold wind touch my skin in the broad daylight, on the eve of the day of the dead.