The Birthday Gift (200 words)
“Can I help you find something, sir?”
Mark rubbed what little hair he had left on his head and sighed. “You have quite the selection here,” he said. The eclectic store showcased various wares of all shapes and sizes.
The shopkeeper smiled and put a hand on his cambric snap shirt. “Thank you. I do try to offer the most I can. Are you looking for something in particular?”
“My sister’s birthday is tomorrow. I don’t want to go, but if I don’t, I know my mother won’t let me hear the end of it. You know how mothers are. What about that one there?” Mark tapped the top of a glass case.
The shopkeeper walked behind the counter and pulled it from the case. “This is our most popular item. It’s small, but it’s a gift that shows your sincerity.”
“Wow. That is really small.”
“Well,” the shopkeeper chuckled. “Rodents are tiny. These parts are even tinier.”
“I’ll take it,” Mark said after studying it for a moment. “Now both my mother and sister will know that I can give a rat’s ass.”
nico serene 