The shopkeeper stood behind his counter, lost in thought as he watched the bustling street outside. Suddenly, a little girl pressed her face against the shop window, her eyes lighting up with excitement when she spotted something inside.
She quickly entered the store and pointed to a pair of turquoise earrings. “These are perfect for my sister. Can you wrap them nicely, please?” she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.
The shopkeeper eyed her curiously and asked, “How much money do you have?”
With a determined look, the girl pulled out a small, worn wallet from her pocket. She carefully emptied it onto the counter, revealing a handful of coins. “Is this enough?” she asked hopefully.
The coins were just a few small ones, clearly not enough to cover the cost of the earrings. But the little girl held her head high and continued, “You see, I want to buy these for my sister. Ever since our mother passed away, she’s been taking care of me and never thinks about herself. Today is her birthday, and I know these earrings will match her eyes perfectly.”
The shopkeeper paused, touched by her words. Without saying a word, he took the earrings and disappeared into the back of the store. He returned with a beautiful box, carefully placed the earrings inside, and wrapped it with a ribbon, tying it with a delicate bow.
“Here you go,” he said softly, handing the package to the girl. “Be careful with it.”
The little girl’s face lit up with joy as she clutched the box and hurried out of the store, eager to give her sister the special gift.
As the day drew to a close, a young woman walked into the shop, carrying the same box. She placed it gently on the counter, along with the wrapping paper and the untied bow.
“Were these earrings bought here?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry. “How much did they cost?”
The shopkeeper looked at her and said, “The price of anything in my store is always a private matter between me and my customers.”
“But,” the woman hesitated, “my little sister only had a few coins. These are real turquoise earrings, right? They must be very expensive. We can’t afford them.”
With a warm smile, the shopkeeper took the box, carefully re-wrapped it, and handed it back to her. “Your sister paid the highest price anyone could pay: she gave everything she had.”
The shop fell silent as the young woman’s eyes filled with tears. She clutched the box to her chest, overwhelmed by the love and sacrifice her little sister had shown.
