THOMAS L. CHIU
HE CALLED HER
THE PRIZED POSSESSION
Orphaned since age two, Arthur was claimed by his grandmother,
who took him in as if he were her own. Raising children was not difficult
for her; she had seven children of her own, now all scattered, including
Arthur's mother.
Grandma Alice brought up Arthur with care and devotion. After all, Arthur
was special, coming into her life in her autumn years. She was widowed for
some time. Life seemed hollow and uninteresting. But now, like a newly discovered
recipe she always treasured, Alice had come to view this new offering with
renewed vigor.
The village in which Arthur and Grandma Alice lived was situated in a valley
surrounded by gentle hills and meadows, pine and spruce trees. There were
may cheerful streams. This was the Borders. The region experienced extremes
of weather often, so much so, that the inhabitants had become hardened somehow
to nature's capriciousness.
Indeed, Grandma Alice was a strong character, moving life as if it were
one of her underlings.
Arthur began school when he turned six. The schoolhouse was about a third
of a mile down a straight road from his abode. He, together with some children
in the neighborhood, often ran to and from school. It was a wonderful time
for him.
One day the teacher gave a homework assignment to the class. Each pupil
was to bring to school what he or she considered to be his or her most precious
possession. The request was somewhat of an eccentric idea, but all the pupils
were excited to embark on this project.
While most of Arthur's classmates had no hesitation conjuring up their prized
possession Arthur was not happy. He could not think of any.
They were given a week to complete the assignment. As each day came and
went, Arthur grew more restless.
"What is the matter, Arthur?" asked Grandma Alice.
"I have nothing to bring to class next week," answered Arthur.
"A gift, is it?" queried Grandma Alice.
"No, something I care about most, which I cannot think of."
"What about Westie, he is very dear to you, is he not?"
"Yes, but . . ." Arthur said with reluctance, continuing to sulk.
He looked around his room and saw some pictures of himself as a baby with
his parents. Then he looked under his bed and under the table. Nothing.
The night before the important date, he was quite distraught. He cried in
bed. Was there nothing in his life that he loved most?
Dawn came sooner than Arthur had thought. He looked around again at the
small cottage he had shared with Grandma Alice.
Suddenly his answer came.
"Grandma Alice, will you go with me to school today? I have something
to show you in class," Arthur brightened.
"But of course," Grandma Alice replied, not knowing what Arthur
was up to.
Everyone in class was in merriment of some sort. One by one, the pupils
brought out their most cherished possessions; books, pendants, tall ships,
preserved flowers. The teacher was amazed. Now it was Arthur's turn. When
his name was called, he ran out of the classroom and ushered in Grandma
Alice.
"She is my most important possession," he proudly said.
The teacher, in tears, hugged both Arthur and Grandma Alice.
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