A Graduation Gift

Never in his life had Rufus ever seen this side of his mother. From what he could remember since childhood, she had always
preoccupied with something, always strict but with a touch of tenderness to him.
For innumerable times, little Rufus watched as she ever so slightly straightened her body and stretched out her arms to the back.
He noticed how exhausted she'd appeared to be whenever she thought that he wasn't looking; else, she would always make it a
point to look gleeful and lively.
For as long as he could remember, she had always been such a stubborn mother; yet at this moment, she seemed to be the
most beautiful and majestic pianist as well, serenading all of them through her melodic music with such grace.
The soothing and sweet-sounding notes bounced and danced around on the keys, spreading all throughout the air of the store.
Her play might have already concluded, but the storekeeper was still dumbstruck and in awe of the plainly dressed woman who
had just played such a magnificent piece of beautiful music for him to bask in, looking as if he was peering much deeper into her
delicate face.
"Bravo! That was a very spectacular performance!"
An unusual voice exclaimed from out of nowhere, succeeded by an enthusiastic applause. Rufus trailed where the voice was
coming from and realized it was actually from the customer who played on the piano just a couple of minutes prior.
Astonishment and admiration had been written all over his face. Gazing upon his mother, little Rufus was so deep in thought for it
was something he truly wasn't quite expecting.
His mother carefully stood up from her seat with an air of silent regality. Then she shifted her gaze over to the owner and said,
"Sir, would you please apologize to my son this instant?"
Protecting her son's pride was the sole reason she resorted to doing this. Her perfect posture was akin to that of a queen.
The man was still caught inside the trance of the melody even until now. His face suddenly flushed red with discomfiture and he
stuttered so much that it made no sense whatsoever.
"Yeah, you must keep your end of the bargain! The piece this lady just performed is of greater difficulty. Although it may not have
been flawless, I can say for sure that she still managed to put out a solid performance. To think that she hasn't even played for so
long. It must have been years since the last time she had touched the instrument!"

The client approached the man, then shifted his gaze toward the hands of Rufus's mother.
She had a pair of rough and calloused hands. And one must've thought that those had been a result of doing manual labor.
However, none of those insignificant details would be enough to lessen her gracefulness and dignity in the slightest.
The owner had no choice but to give in. An onlooker was backing up the mother and son. To be specific, the spectator was
actually a VIP of his store.
"Hey, young man," he said under his breath, "I'm really sorry. I apologize for acting so rude and saying all those things to you. If
you're interested, you're much welcome to visit my place any time you want in the future. I will even personally show you how to
play."
Guilt-stricken, and with an expression filled with regret, the store owner leaned over and rested his hands on Rufus's shoulders.
Just like the old saying goes, there will always be someone smarter than you. The owner had never felt so ashamed in his whole
life. Never would he have thought that an ordinary housewife would be the one to teach a man like him such a lesson.
With as simple a gesture as gently patting on his back, Rufus understood in an instant what his mother meant.
"Sir, my mother had always taught me to forgive others once they've apologized and reflected upon their mistake. And with that,
you have my forgiveness!"
Rufus had always been very respectful and well-mannered even as a young boy, thanks to the upbringing he had received from
his mother. The customer who watched as all of this transpired seemed to be quite satisfied with the outcome.
Wearing a faint smile, the mother nodded along softly as the store owner carefully straightened his back. Grabbing Rufus's hand,
she squeezed it a little and then proceeded to exit the store.
The sunshine felt so warm when they went outside. Little Rufus's heart basked in it, filled to the brim with such contentment.
He had no clue whatsoever that his mother could play the piano, and she was even so good at it too. What a pleasant surprise
that was!
The two of them walking side by side outside the store was a beautiful moment he would never ever forget. His mother looked
down upon him to check how he was feeling, and her eyes were gleaming so affectionately and lovingly. The breathtaking

splintered light made it appear as though there was a golden halo right above her, this would end up being his most beautiful and
most cherished childhood memory.
Later on, Rufus didn't have any idea how, but the customer they met at the store was able to somehow get a hold of their home
address. After finding out that she was actually a single mother, he persistently tried to pursue her. But after quite some time, he
just stopped doing that all of a sudden and they never heard from him anymore.
At that time, Rufus was but a child, so he innocently asked his mother why that man would just stop paying them a visit. His
mother, brushing his hair, gave him a simple response, "My good boy, the only thing I wish for is for my Rufus to grow up and
have a happy and healthy life. There's nothing in this world which can compare to that."
Her voice was as smooth and endearing as ever, much like the most pleasant piece of music.
Once he got older, Rufus finally realized that his mother had actually turned the man down because of him.
She would rather endure all the bitterness and hardships life could bring on her own than put her son in a position that would risk
his happiness and well-being.
His mother had made a lot of sacrifices for him. Both her youth and beauty could not stand the test of time. The only thing that
could never falter in her lifetime was the love she had for her son.
In an instant, Rufus suddenly opened his eyes. He reached for the corners of his eyes to wipe the tears dry. He woke up from a
pleasant yet bitter dream.
In his dream, his mother was still next to him, and her warmth even felt so real, making him feel like it wasn't a dream at all.
Eventually, he got to know Amanda, a girl who also knew how to play the piano quite well, having the same talent as her mother.
During the time he spent with her, he would always be reminded of that day where his mother gracefully played the piano at the
store.