I was in the supermarket last week doing my shopping. As I walked down the aisle that contained baking items, I saw two teenagers, a girl, who was around 15 and a boy, presumably her brother, around 13.
They were deeply engrossed in reading a long list of items, which they had presumably come to buy. I smiled and went back to my shopping list.
Suddenly, I heard hoarse whispers and some heavy shuffling. I turned back to see the siblings engaged in a silent argument, they were wrestling with the shopping cart and then, the boy tried to snatch the shopping list from his sister.
There was the sound of tearing paper as the list gave-in to the pressure of being pulled at from two sides. It split exactly at the middle, probably because it had been folded there.
The boy walked away, with his half of the list, to get another shopping cart. The girl turned away in a huff, with her half of the list and the shopping cart.
I was quite amused by now and as I did my shopping, I kept bumping into them, in turns. After sometime, I caught the girl staring at the list and moving it away from her face, and then bringing it close and inspecting it. At that moment the brother walked into the same aisle. He also looked puzzled.
Curious now, I watched. Both of them did not want to give in. They stared at each other for a while.
Finally, the girl said, “Give me the list, the paper is torn midway, and I can’t figure the item written, where it tore.”
The boy smirked and refused. The girl assumed her elder sisterly tone and said, “Suit yourself, you will have no part to play in this treat for mom then.”
The little brother watched and suddenly, he walked up to her with the cart, threw all the items from his cart into hers, and took out $ 20 from his pocket and shoved it into her hands.
He said, “Take that. I am doing this for mom and not for you ok?” He walked away.
The sister smiled in victory, she joined the two pieces and said, “Oh! It was cinnamon.”
Now with her ego appeased, she ran after her brother and said, “Ok, I’m sorry. Please? It’s no fun without you.”
The boy slowly nodded, they high-fived, and then walked away with their shopping cart.
After about twenty minutes, as I stood in line to pay, I saw those siblings leave the supermarket, laughing and talking.
I smiled. Brothers and sisters, now friends, now enemies.
Simple Moments of Life 