Hi my name is Mg San; I'm 8 years old. I have two brothers and two sisters. My pop works in office as a clerk. His name is U Aung. My mom, Daw Kyi, sells paste (fish preserve) in the market. We live in new town. We all help my mom after school. Our house doesn't have electricity. Although we have to study using candle, we all get great marks in school. I can see my school, next to highway, from my house. In the school, there is a small shop selling titbits. My folks can't afford to give pocket money, so we eat rice, remaining from a previous meal, before we go to the school.

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07. August.1967
Mg San's school...

Having break time, all of Mg San’s friends are going to buy some tidbits. Today, I'm starving. I wasn't full as I ate a little bit of left over rice. My mom may be preparing for dinner now. My feet are heading to my house. I saw my mom, washing clothes.

Mg San: "mom, I'm so hungry"

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Daw Kyi...
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I should prepare some fish preserve for tomorrow whilst I'm waiting for my husband. I can buy rice for dinner when my husband comes back. I hope he will bring some money otherwise I need to borrow from my sis, Mya Mya. I married U Aung who is 20 years older than me, got money and educated as I don't want to be poor. But after we got married, we were swindled out of our money. We still owned several houses so we rented out that houses. Not long after, government wanted to demolish our place and rebuild some building. They wanted us to move to new town so they gave us one land per house and all of our tenants got a land as well. They didn’t care whether tenants or owner. Now we have only this house and I have to sell paste since then. I don't know how long I had been drifting in thoughts. I just see Mg San when I heard Mg San’s voice.

Mg San: "mom, I'm so hungry".
Daw Kyi: "Don’t have anything... You ate breakfast this morning, rite?"
Mg San: "But I wasn't full. I'm hungry now"
Daw Kyi: "you guys are always hungry. You know how tired I am to find money, huh?"
And she is losing patient and beat him
Daw Kyi: "go back to your school now!"

I feel sad that I beat him but no choice as I have nothing to give him. If I didn't beat him, he won't go back to school.

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Mg San…
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I've been looking outside from window since I came back from home. I can see from this window when my pop is coming back. There... I saw one man walking toward our school. Oh it’s my dad... ya... It’s my dad...
Mg San is very happy when he saw his father and he quickly runs outside. His dad is the other side of the road...

Mg San: "Dad!"
U Aung: "Hey son!"

Then Mg San is trying to cross the road. My dad is saying something but I can't hear anything. All I want is to run to my dad and ask him pocket money, and buy snacks from my school's shop that I’ve wanted to eat for a long time. I saw a car coming to me. I tried to dodge but it's too late....

U Aung: "NO..."
"BANG!"
U Aung: "Son!!!!"
......
......

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Mya Mya: “Where is Ma Kyi?”
U Aung: “where could she go? Of course, she is with Mg San”
Mya Mya: “Sigh! She goes there every day? I'm so sorry for Mg San; he is neat and clever kid" U Aung: "...."

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In cemetery,
Daw Kyi is sitting in front of Mg San's grave. She is muttering something with a mournful voice. Daw Kyi:”…..”
Daw Kyi: "If I knew, I won't beat you... Because of me... I'm sorry... Forgive me... It’s not what I wanted...”
Daw Kyi:”…..”
Daw Kyi:”…..”

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Daw Kyi goes to Mg San's grave every evening.
One year later...
Their family never ever talks about Mg San anymore. They tried to forget him. Because remembering Mg San make them reopen old wound. After U Aung died, Daw Kyi gave her children’s school fees by selling fish preserve. She never ever asks her children to work but to study; they are very clever and always top in school. Now her children are educated and successful in their life.

Author : sharnge