My name is Lubna, the child whose mother was asking the passengers of the plane that was going to my country to look after me for two hours as it was the duration of the flight. Finally, one of the distressed people accepted to take the hard mission and he expressed his approval in few words: no problem.
My mother stood up waving and seeing me off while her tears filled her entire face, but surely she was reassured by the hand that was patting on her shoulders. It was the hand of her husband who took her from me and left me in the custody of my grandfather. I did not know exactly my feeling toward that man who always alluded to my mother to send me away, but he never rebuked or insulted me.
I leant my head against the window blaming my father: why did he leave me moving alone between my grandmother and mom: my mother in the holiday and my grandfather during school time? What did you do father so that Allah took you away and did not leave you to us?
My mother bought me a nice doll which laying silently on my legs. Mother always said to me: Do as your doll. My doll does not do anything. It does not move from the place where I put, and even if I put her to sleep on my knees, she will not wake up until I wake it up. Did my mother want me not to move and not to speak except when others talk to me, for sure she wanted that, therefore she finished her sentence with: so that no one would be angry with you. Indeed, I do not get angry with my doll despite its silence.
The man whom I did not know his name and he did not know my name either woke me up to have a meal with him on the plane. I searched my mind for the advice of my mother in such situations. The man smiled and said in tenderness: You have to eat to grow up. I looked at him in amaze; how did his features changed and became pleased?
He seemed to be happy because of going home. I was also happy with my return to my grandfather because I missed him so much. Did that man have a daughter in my age? I will not ask him because my doll does not ask. The man stretched his hand with food to my mouth and said: I shall narrate to you a nice story. He started to narrate a story I used to hear from my grandfather. I shall not interrupt him because my doll does not interrupt.
In the airport hall, I threw myself in the bosom of my grandfather, but did not forget uncle who gave me food and narrated a story for me. I shall invite him to our home and say to him: “I love you uncle.”
My grandfather was not angry with me because I acted without his permission. I looked at my doll and found her nodding for approval.
