I was the only one with a battered toy in a park full of children with shiny toys and happy smiles. And also, I was the only one with a downward curve of my mouth. Again, I had no friends.

Children were chirping, laughing and fighting with one another and playing noisily. Parents were enjoying their antiques and swapping tales of their children’s naughtiness. Again, except my parents. I was here with my Mom, who was religiously explaining the daily happenings of our home to her Mother, and in turn getting unrequited advice on how to make our lives hell.

I was getting sick of that!

Seeing the swing empty, I ran towards it to play. Failing to observe another person coming at the same time, I collided and we both fell down. That’s when I saw that she was girl and a beautiful one at that.

She was wearing a pretty pink frock and holding her Elsa toy, she too came towards the swing at the same time. She had tears in her eyes, which appeared like diamonds to him.

“Sorry,” he meekly stuttered, “You can use the swing.” It was his mistake anyways to want to be happy, even for a second.

“No,” she protested. He was amazed by the intensity of her decision and even more dumfounded when she stellarly declared that they play together.

That’s how he got his first friend and later, what he realized, as his first love.