THE MAGIC OF SEA-SHELL DOLLS

 This is a story of Mary and Peter. They lived by the sea-side in a small village in north Goa. Both were in the late 80’s and lived all by themselves in their small house close to the beach. Their children were all grown up and settled in their life and Mary and Peter would sit by the sea side in the evenings with a glass of feni and reminisce their old days when the house was filled with laughter, love and the noise of kids running around. Now they lived in silence, the only sound was of the waves which was soothing to them like a balm over their loneliness.

Mary when she was young would love to walk by the beach daily and pick up sea-shells which were washed away by the waves, she would collect them in her basket, come home, wash and clean them and keep them safely in a box. This went on for years and one day Peter laughingly asked her what she does with the shells. Mary smiled at him and said, you will realize the importance of these shells one day.

Soon the years passed on and one day Mary fell sick, everyone thought it was a normal cold and cough due to change in the weather but it became worse and she had to be admitted in the hospital, tests were done and the result was she was down with acute Covid.

Mary was in the intensive care unit, with oxygen support for a week and one day early in the morning she passed away before Peter could come. Peter on reaching the hospital was devasted as Mary was his life, he was lost didn’t know how he could go on in life.

Some weeks after Mary’s passing away, Peter decided to clean Mary’s room and after putting all her clothes and nick knacks in a suitcase to be given to an old age home close by. He opened the bed side table where Mary would sleep and saw a box which he had never seen before, on opening it, he saw bundles of hundred-rupee notes neatly packed and a letter on the top.

He opened the letter and read,

Peter my love,

By the time you discover and read this letter I may not be with you. You always wanted to know the secret behind my sea-shells today I will reveal them. I collected these sea-shells daily on my walks on the beach and when I was free and you were busy with your work and friends, I would make dolls out of them which I sold to the shops on the beach. They were a big hit with the tourists and soon I was earning money from them which I saved and kept safely for a rainy day.

Today the day has come that I can hand them over to you. Accept them as my thanks and gift of love for all the years we spent together. Below the notes there is a small doll I made for you which will remind you of me every time you see it. Take good care of yourself and always remember I am with you.

Love Mary

Tears were rolling down Peter’s cheeks and he sobbed like a child, he removed to doll which was hidden below the notes and then a small smile broke out on his face, the doll was an exact replica of Mary and was wearing a wedding dress which Mary had worn on their wedding day