Short Story Children – I WISH I WAS THE TENTH IN A ROW
Photo credit: marykbaird from morguefile.com
As I was born as the eleventh child, the youngest in the family, and later became a favorite to everyone, especially to my father, I didn’t have the opportunity to have an important privilege. If I was the tenth child in a row – I would be Tito’s goddaughter and received the package on 29th November each year.
Namely, it was a rule that every family in the former Yugoslavia, to the tenth child in a row, at its birth, President Tito would be a godfather. From his office on the 29th November on Republic Day, to the family, or more precisely, to the child, would be sent a package with a card signed personally by President Tito.
This honour was given to my three years elder brother. However, although it is intended for him, any such package, would be shared to all children – to my sister, brother and me, and the children of my step-brothers and step-sisters, my father’s grandchildren. It was an unwritten rule that was given by our father.
I remember the contents of the package: it was, for us children at that time eager a normal rum-tiles, a real treasure – really large ”KRAŠ” milk chocolates, a variety of sweets in a large metal box, and I remembered that our loved ones were those ”505 with the line” because they were so hard and could last longer.
I really wished that I had the honor to be Tito’s goddaughter, no matter what package intended for me was everyone’s package, at least mine. Of course, it was later, when I was older, but at the beginning, even before I went to school, it was important for me to get the sweets out of the package, it does not matter to whom it was intended.
The exception was the package which my brother got when he was seven years old and he was starting the first grade of primary school. In this package, as opposed to the earlier, were things only for him – school set and navy suit.
He was photographed in it. I saw it many years later, in the photos from his school days.
One year he has got a set of books ”Lastavica” which were at that time usually on the school list of books for reading. I remember, no one pleased to this package except me!
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