A trap of $99

Scene

“Did you know that at twilight time as I watch the sun set on the veranda, my attention always goes to the town shoemaker and his family in their house below?” Queen said one evening during their dinner in their long banquet table. Queen’s past time is watching the sunset from her well-decorated veranda where she sits every evening. The sunset for most people is a lonely time of the day because this is the time when the light of day struggles against the darkness of the night. However, for Queen, the red-orange hue of the setting sun on the horizon was a welcome sight because she would be able to see King again and spend at least some precious time with him after his busy day.

“Every early evening I see shoemaker comes home with a bag of full grocery and his shoe box where he keeps most of his shoe fixing tools. His wife would come out of the house with her beautiful smile, like she has the best husband in the world; she would take the grocery out of his hand and both would cook together and the aroma of the cooking would make one hungry. They spend time happily in the house and most evenings after supper, they sit together and then he plays his flute to her. His wife would sing along and gets so excited and claps her hands or sometimes she dances like she owns the world and Shoemaker watches her with glee. They would laugh out loud that wakes my daydream about you. I feel their happiness which makes me jealous, but I console myself with belief that happiness at all times, is not for everyone. Yet happiness is Gods gift that we have to pursue!”

As the poor couple go on with their lives with hardly any money, they do not feel any stress and they are happy with what little they have. This happy family scene makes the Queen’s loneliness grow more painful inside, even though she would see her husband later in the evening. King is always busy only in keeping his State strong, powerful and wealthy. King always has meetings with his ministers. He busies himself with collecting taxes properly from the citizens and residents. He has to maintain the safety of the territory from his enemies. He looked old for his age with a very dry face. But, in a glance, his politician’s face is very recognizable. He is a power hungry king focused on accumulating land and wealth. Hence, he hardly has time for the Queen, not even a happy conjugal life.

The king does not have any answer, but heartless as he is, just nods his head and does not respond to his wife. He stood up and walked away. The Queen became more depressed because of King’s attitude. She thought that maybe King does not love her at all or worst was the thought of him having an affair. But King is not an unfaithful person. He is just too preoccupied with running the kingdom and looking after the welfare of the people and just could not explain to his wife why, he does not have time for her.